Of Demons and Gods
by AJ-Writer
Summary: Everything in this world will always have their opposites. Man and woman, good and bad, Demons and Gods. Pairings inside. New Chapt FINALLY up.
1. Valley of The End

During his fight with Sasuke, Kyuubi's extracted power draws some attention of certain people

During his fight with Sasuke, Kyuubi's extracted power draws some attention of certain non-Akatsuki people. Watch Naruto as he begin his new journey to be stronger and taps into the demon's power he possessed.

For extreme yaoi lovers… NO YAOI!!

Pairings: NejiTenten, SasukeSakura, ShikaTemari, NarutoHinataOC

By the way… I made some changes in the battle, especially the last part (in which Naruto transform into that half fox state) because in my opinion, that last scene had too little action for my taste. But nevertheless the result is almost the same. I hope you like it. This first chapter contains A BIT OF SPOILERS! Read at your own risk!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Gundam Seed

NOTE:

"Chidori!" : normal talking

"**Rasengan!" : in Naruto's case, him in berserker mode. However, I will use this format when it's necessary.**

'Darn!' : thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA! : Kyuubi speech**

My first Naruto Fic, be nice.

The story begins in the duel at the valley of the end.

Prologue:

Valley of the End

Two red eyes with two commas in it are widening at the sight. Uchiha Sasuke stared disbelievingly at a certain blond haired shinobi in front of him emanating a huge amount of chakra as well as a tremendous killing intent. The Chakra was so incredible; it vibrates the whole river around them. But what is more terrifying for him, the Chakra forms an image of a large Demon Fox with nine swishing crimson tails. Here he was trying to kill his so called best friend, who tried to stop him from going to Orochimaru to gain power, with his Chidori. His so-called friend however managed to deflect his thrust and it impaled his lung instead. He was about to finish it with a tight chokehold when the blond suddenly grip his arm tight, nearly crushing it in the process. He managed to let go, only to be gripped with this sudden… terror. Then before his vary crimson eyes, the huge hole in his lung closed in a fast rate.

'What? His injuries healed this quickly… Impossible!"

Soon the image dispersed as it shrank towards the blond, transforming him in the process. Than, raising his head, the blond look at Sasuke. His usually blue eyes replaced by a ruthless, blood red, with a black slit eyes. The whiskers in his cheeks grow bolder by the second. His canine grew longer till it resemble a fox' fang. Contradict the bloodlust aura he emanates, the blond was crying.

'Wha… What is this?!'

"**Sasuke! You won't go to Orochimaru! Even if I have to break the bones in your arms and legs, I WILL STOP YOU!!"**

'Th… This is Naruto? What is this pressure? What the hell is that crimson Chakra anyway? …Is… he… a Monster!?'

Gulping down his throat, Sasuke tried gathering some nerve to let him speak while still holding to his crushed arm. "Naruto… What the hell… are you."

The berserked blond answer simply: **"A friend."** Naruto cracked his now clawed fist before continuing. **"That's why; I say I won't give you up to Orochimaru. Even if I have to break your arms and legs, I'm going to STOP you!!"**

Sasuke gritted his teeth. Kami-sama, his arm stings so much! What did that Naruto done to him? Before he got his answers, the said blond lung forward with incredible speed. With a mighty roar, Naruto slammed his arm at Sasuke who blocked it. The force of the attack was too much for the Uchiha to handle, and the next second he was already thrown off course several meters away.

'S... strong!'

Then he notice that Naruto was already on top of him, ready to smash him again. A few quick hand seals later, and "Katon, Gokyakuu no jutsu!!" A giant raging Fireball burst from Sasuke's mouth and engulf Naruto. The Fox host screams while unleashing his Chakra, dispersing the attack, while pushing the jutsu performer down to the river.

'What! With Chakra alone!?'

Before he could brush off his shock, a blur appear around him.

"Wha… Too fa…" the next second, the Uchiha were punched in every part of his body without him being able to guard let alone counter attack. The next second later, scratched and bruised, a powerful punch sent him out of the water and smashed him on the cliff walls. Before he could fall down, however, the Kyuubi host slammed him back to the rock.

"**Wake up already!! If you're still not sure, I'll break you like a stick, and brings you back immobile!"**

Silent for a couple of seconds later, Sasuke start to laugh, Orochimaru style.

"Ku ku ku ku…" Sasuke went quiet for a moment before memories of his family flashed in his mind, and he begins to talk once more. "Shut the hell up…"

"What do you know about me? Someone like you without family or siblings…" Then suddenly his voice grew louder. "YOU HAD NOTHING IN THE FIRST PLACE!! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU UNDERSTAND ABOUT ME!! HUH!?" He kicked Naruto off him while continuing on, knowing he had hit the spot. "WE SUFFER BECAUSE OF OUR BONDS!! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE LOSING THEM… you…!!"

Sasuke panting heavily, either it's because of fatigue, or glad that he had finally let out. Naruto kept quiet. Knowing how true it was… but…

"**I don't understand about real families and brothers…"** Naruto quiet for a moment before continuing, his voice slightly calmer then before, **"But when I'm with Iruka-sensei**…" an image of Iruka Sensei treating him a ramen flashed for a moment.

"_The first thing a Shinobi had to do is filled up! Don't get yourself a stomach ache though!"_

"**I wonder… if its feel like being with a father…" **They drop silent once more…

"**And when I'm with you…" **Again, memories of him bickering with his arch nemesis in front of him flash in his and, probably, Sasuke's mind.

"_Dumb ass! Dumb ass!!" "What did you say? You Dumb Nut!"_

"_I ain't gonna lose to you dammit!" "Heh Keep talking…"_

"_Ha ha! Look at that!" "Humph!"_

They went silent for a minute before Naruto continue. This time there is no hostility whatsoever in his voice.

"… I wonder if it's what it felt like… of being with a brother…"

Sasuke's eyes widened for a moment. Here he was, angry because his hated brother betrayed him while he unconsciously betrayed the one person that had thought him as a brother… He closed his eyes for a moment… thinking. 'Naruto I'm sorry… I… I wish to kill Itachi… I need you guys to hate me… so that one day when I left, none of you will feel sorry about it… I was striving to kill my brother… I need strength Naruto. More strength... I need to go to Orochimaru... but...' "…why?"

"!"

"…Why… for me… just because of me… you go this far?"

Naruto smiled his sad smile before replied. "…… for me… that's the first bond I've ever had…" 'I could never hate you Sasuke… you are my brother' "That's why… I **must STOP you…"**

Sasuke closed his eyes remembering the days they went through together… as if could read Naruto's mind he went to reply his thoughts… 'I can't hate you either… Naruto… but…'

Sasuke opened his eyes. He tied his Konoha hitai-ate. A look of determination was evident in his face as his Sharingan transform, from two comas to three comas. 'So be it Naruto…' "Come… Naruto…"

Naruto took a bit shocked by the sudden behavior.

'If you can't hate me…' Sasuke look determined more than ever.

"Then… I'll break that bond!" '…I'll make you hate me!!'

'Sasuke…' Naruto thought for a moment before noticing something. **"Break them…? Then why… now your headband…" **His voice enters its battle mode almost instantly.

"I will acknowledge… that you are strong."

"….!"

"Because… you are someone who knows the same pain of loneliness like I do… and that pain makes a person stronger… Because of that, by severing these bonds…I will gain even more strength!" 'Forgive me Naruto'

'Sasuke…'"………"

"From now on we'll fight as equals. However…" here, Sasuke tap his Headband while giving his trademark smirk. "You will not be able to scratch my forehead. That much hasn't changed."

"**No matter what you've said, it's useless, Sasuke…" **Naruto cracked his knuckles.

"The time for talking is over… For now… we only fight!"

Both eying each other for a moment.

'Sasuke stop this now!'

'Naruto… I'm sorry… I'm way too far to stop…'

……….

"Come."

And the duel rise again…

Sasuke, having mastered the Sharingan, managed to predict every single movement Naruto do. Things go the other way around as it Naruto's turn to get pummeled down by Sasuke. After a couple of dozen punches and kicks later, Naruto back to square one: completely out bested by the Sharingan user.

'I can't back up… Sasuke has me now…'

'Naruto… I'll punch you one more time to finish this… Farewell… brother.' Sasuke held Naruto's leg in preparation for the final strike.

(Meanwhile, inside Naruto's mind, Kyuubi's cage.)

**KU KU KU KU… YOU ARE WEAK AREN'T YOU…YOUNG ONE?**

'Kyuubi? What do you want? I'm not expecting my last conversation is with you…'

**KU KU KU… WHAT DO YOU EXPECT KITTLING? ANGELS FROM HEAVEN COME AND SAVE YOUR PUNNY SORRY ASS? GIVING A NICE POMPOUS CONVERSATION FOR YOUR LAMENT TO HEAVEN? SORRY BUT A FOX DEMON LORD HERE ISN'T VERY COMFORTABLE WITH ANGELS OR KAMIS, DON'T YOU THINK? KU KU KU KU…**

'What do you want?'

**NOTHING REALLY… JUST… I DON'T LIKE IT WHEN THINGS DOESN'T GO THE WAY I LIKE IT.**

'What EXACTLY you want, OMAE WA KITSUNE NO BAKA!?'

**GA HA HA HA HA…! ****I LIKE THAT GUTS OF YOURS! THE ONE WHO SEALED ME… WHAT WAS HIS NAME? YONDAIME-DONO, YOU HUMANS CALLED HIM? THE ONE WHO SEALED ME HERE… YOU AND HIM, BOTH OF YOU ARE TRULY ALIKE… SAME GUTS… SAME STUBBORNESS… SAME STUPIDITY…**

'Kinda lost here…'

**I WANT TO MAKE A DEAL WITH YOU KIT. A NEW DEAL… BUT FOR NOW… SAVE YOUR OWN ASS FIRST FROM THIS SO CALLED 'BROTHER' OF YOURS… LET ME HELP YOU…**

'Don't see why I should trust you… but… what do you need?'

**RELEASE ME.**

'In your dreams. You'll kill us both! I want to bring Sasuke back alive! Not half digested in the belly of a stupid oversized fox!'

**GWA HA HA HA HA HA! ****GOTCHA! JUST KIDDING KIT. WHAT I'M ASKING IS A BIT OF YOUR MIND. LET MY VOICE GUIDE YOU. AND LET ME HAVE A LITTLE REIGN OVER THE YOUKI I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU.**

'Why should I let you?'

**WELL IT WILL BE YOUR ADVANTAGE. FIRST YOUR CHAKRA WILL BE REPLENISHED AND EVEN INCREASED BY TENFOLDS. SECONDLY, I WILL SHOW YOU SOME OF MY MOST PRIZED TECHNIQUES DURING MY OLD DESTRUCTION DAYS.**

Naruto didn't dare to imagine what this 'destruction days' means, but he had to admit that the fox had a point. But one thing still doesn't fit well.

'Why should I share a bit of my mind with you? And this Youki, why do you want a little reign over it? Can't you just simply give it to me?'

**THAT, YOUNG ONE, BRINGS ME TO MY THIRD AND FOURTH REASONS. RIGHT NOW, THE ONLY PROBLEM YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW IS THE FACT THAT YOUR FRIEND THERE IS INDEED A GENIUS. WHILE YOU, YOUNG ONE, ARE PROOVED TO BE 100 SHEER DUMB BRAT. **

'Hey!'

**THAT'S TRUE ISN'T IT? EITHER WAY, NO MATTER HOW CLEVER HE IS, HIS SO CALLED GENIOUSITY PALES COMPARE TO MINE. HIS BRAIN CAN NEVER BE ABLE TO COMPETE WITH THE CUNNINGNESS OF A FOX DEMON OVERLORD WHO HAS LIVED FOR ETERNITY. CATCH MY DRIFT?**

Naruto's mind quiet for a moment, knowing how true it was. Kyuubi, having lived for thousands of eons, must have encountered unbelievable number of obstacles and difficult situations. His experience and cunningness is, beyond doubt, surpass even probably Sandaime Hokage or even Orochimaru.

'What's the last reason?'

**THE QUANTITY AND THE QUALITY OF THE CHAKRA I WILL GIVE TO YOU IS NO ORDINARY CHAKRA. THIS IS WHAT YOU HUMANS OFTEN REFERS TO AS YOUKI. ALTHOUGH LOOKS THE SAME, YOUKI FLOWS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT WITH CHAKRA, AS IT WAS ORIGINALLY NOT FOR HUMAN BUT FOR HANYOUS AND YOUKAIS. THAT'S WHY; I NEED TO CONTROL THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE YOUKI SO THAT YOU WON'T GET YOUR LIFE ENDANGERED. NOW WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME HERE. YOU WANT THE POWER OR NOT!?**

'… Do it.'

The pool in Naruto's mind flash red, and then a surge of monstrous Youki flows through all his veins.

Meanwhile on the outside, the red chakra envelopes Naruto once more, this time a lot thicker than before, and it appears to be boiling.

Sasuke had his eyes widened a great deal. 'This guy… what is this? Bloodline limit?'

As Sasuke wonders on Naruto, the said person transform further, this time his canine grows even longer, his nails, now covered in claw shaped Chakra, grows longer as well and his whiskers become thicker. The red chakra also starts to shift form into a demon fox form with one tail. Meanwhile, the water around them began to vaporize.

The Sharingan user stares wide eyed at his ex teammate. He observes the… monstrosity before him with both fear and awe. He starts from the fox ear like chakra, down to his claws, before back up to its boiling tail.

'What the hell is that bloody crimson Chakra? Naruto, what on earth are you really?'

Then suddenly, memories came back to him.

'_But of course, your target is Naruto'_

'"_To abduct Naruto" that was the order given to us by the higher echelons of the Akatsuki.'_

NOW it all made sense. He doesn't know what on earth Akatsuki is. But at LEAST he understands WHY they want Naruto. The chakra Naruto possessed, it appears to be some short of bloodline limit, and a very powerful one at that. Heck who wouldn't want that kind of power Naruto possessed? Well, he was one of them really… 'So… you seem to possess a special power…'

Sasuke gulped in fear. 'Now… I understand!'

Naruto dashed with an inhuman speed at Sasuke. Taken by surprise, the raven haired boy a little caught off guard when Naruto's afterimage appears behind him. With quick reflexes, he tilts his head. The punch (or should I say claw?) missed his head completely however,** NOT SO FAST COCKY BOY!!** The chakra suddenly took form into a large claw.

'What the… I swear I heard the chakra talks!!'

The claw smashed his face sending him few meters off. 'Ack… the chakra seems like had a thought of its own! It moves completely different! And then there is that voice… In any rate, close combat is out of question.'

"Gokyakuu no jutsu!" Sasuke sends another burst of flames towards the Kyuubi's host. Much to his horror, the jutsu was… absorbed?

**FOOLISH MORTAL! I'M A MASTER OF FIRE. YOUR PUNY ATTACK IS USELESS AGAINTS ME!**

'Wha… it talks again! So that Chakra indeed could talk!'

**OFF COURSE I CAN TALK YOU LIT'L SHIT! HUMPH! PUNY HUMANS, ALWAYS THINK THEY'RE BETTER THAN US JUST BECAUSE THEY CAN TALK.**

"W… You… You know what I'm thinking? W… What are you?"

"**I would appreciate it… if we could just finish this…without questions. I thought you said the time for talking is over…?" **Naruto suddenly growled before the chakra bellowed in reply.** FINE. JIGOKU KATON, KITSUNE ENDAN! (Hellfire element, Fox Fire Blast!)**

The chakra on Naruto's left shoulder forms a large kitsune head, about one half the sizes of Naruto's head. The chakra fox's mouth opened before gathering a huge amount of destructive chakra. The chakra fox head shot a large fireball, nearly twice the size of Sasuke's grand fireball. The difference is, as it shot the huge fireball, the flames are colored in bloody red with a fiery purple aura surrounds it. Also the bloody fireball is at least twice the speed of his normal fireball. Making it appear to be larger than it already has.

"Holy shit!" Sasuke jump out of the way. He barely managed to dodge the main fireball, but the aura emanated by the fireball managed to reach a tip of his shirt at the right sleeve, completely ripping a quarter parts of his clothes and burn it down to nothingness. Sasuke stared at his blackened shoulder… 'Kami… sama… and that was just the tip of its auras…' Meanwhile, the fire bolt continues to make its merry way and smashed against the cliff wall creating a massive explosion that shook the entire valley and leaving a 12 foot burnt hole.

Knowing his thought by the look on Sasuke's face, Kyuubi chuckled evilly, **GETS HIT BY THAT ONCE AND YOU'RE HISTORY, MORTAL. GOOD OBSERVATION…**

'You gotta be shittin me… and I'm out of space already…' indeed he was. The giant fireball had force him to the edge of the foot of the statue… and Naruto is at shooting range… in another words… he got himself cornered.

"**You can't beat me Sasuke. Not at this rate. I'm offering you the last chance. Return peacefully to Konoha, and I will help you to defend your case before Tsunade baa-san, or ELSE!" ** Naruto didn't have to finish. The Kyuubi chakra prepare to use the same attack once more

"Heh, you wish!" silently Sasuke place an explosion tag on his kunai.

**DO YOU WANT IT ORIGINAL CRISPY, EXTRA CRISPY, MEDIUM OR WELL DONE? **The Kyuubi's voice chuckled sadistically.

"How about raw? I love sushi." Sasuke chuckled. Great. Joke around before get roasted in hell…

**IF ONLY YOU WEREN'T SUCH A COCKY BASTARD SMARTASS, I COULD USE TO LIKE YOU. CAN I DO IT NOW NARUTO?**

"…**you make me have no choice…Sasuke!"**

**JIGOKU KATON…**

'NOW!' with that Sasuke threw his kunai upward as strong as his hand could muster, injecting chakra into it to make the impact extra strong.

**KITSUNE ENDAN!! **The fox head roared as he throws a monstrous amount of purple red fire towards the trapped Uchiha.

Suddenly an explosion occurred on top of them. The three (Kyuubi too) look up, only to see a huge hand made of rock falls right between them. The rock slammed Kyuubi's attack and cancelled it right on the spot before explodes and create a huge crater. It was the chance he needed to jump out of the danger zone. Quickly enough he threw few smoke bombs and out of the place immediately.

**KU KU KU KU… YOU HAVE A VERY INTERESTING FRIEND HERE KIT…**

"**Interesting, but idiot."**

**LOOK WHO'S TALKING HERE…**

"**At least I'm not foolish enough to let myself to become a sacrifice for that snake asshole…" **

**I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT OROCHIMARU TRY IF YOU DO… I WANNA KNOW WHAT HIS FOUL SOUL TASTE LIKE…**

"**Let's finish this… I sense Sasuke is still nearby…"**

Meanwhile, Sasuke was more then terrified. He just miraculously escapes death. What on earth is Naruto's chakra? Not only it provides Naruto with an insane amount chakra, it also spreads a feeling of terror to whoever close by. The only person managed to make himself this frightened is Itachi… when he massacred his clan…

**HEH. FOUND HIM.**

"…**Where?"**

**HE'S HIDING BEHIND A ROCK… CLEVER BASTARD… HE KNOWS THAT KITSUNE ENDAN WILL TAKE TIME TO GET THROUGH A ROCK…**

"**Then let's just fire a shower of it then… ack!"**

Naruto saw his arm and see that it got burned. 'Chakra burn?'

**THAT'S THE PROBLEM BRAT. I CAN'T GET MORE YOUKI OUT THAN IT ALREADY HAS… YOUR BODY CAN'T TAKE IT… AND KITSUNE ENDAN TOOK A LOT OF CHAKRA… I SAY… WE HAVE ONLY 4 MORE SHOTS… AND AFTER THAT THAT'S IT. IF I GIVE YOU MORE OF MY YOUKI, YOU'LL BE THE ONE WHO GET BURNED DOWN YOUNG ONE… WE CAN'T STAY LIKE THIS FOR LONG!**

"**Then what should we do? You got any close combat jutsu?"**

**I HAVE A VAST NUMBER OF JUTSU THAT I CAN USE, EVEN WITH OUR CURRENT CHAKRA AMMOUNT. I'M NOT A FOX DEMON OVERLORD FOR NOTHING! HOWEVER… I THOUGHT OF A MORE INTERESTING IDEA… **

Sasuke was trembling now… he was hiding behind the head of the statue while focusing chakra in his ears so that he could hear what is going on, though barely. He heard the awkward conversation between his ex-teammate with his… demonic chakra. He calls it that now as he heard something along the lines of Youki and Demon lord. 'WHERE ON EARTH NARUTO HAD THAT KIND OF CHAKRA ANYWAY?' his mind screams in both terror and frustration. His brain suddenly stops working when he heard the next demonic message from the devil chakra:

**LET'S CHANGE STYLE SHALL WE?**

The chakra kitsune head opened once more, gathering more and more energy in its mouth before bellowed with a mighty roar

Sasuke had no idea what the hell was that mean until he heard the next sentence:

**JIGOKU KATON, MAKAI NO HIKARI! (Hellfire element, Light of Netherworld!)**

The fox head's mouth shot out a sickeningly red beam that forms a large laser line. The size of the beam is a bit smaller then Gokyakuu no jutsu, but it looks solid showing that a large quantity of chakra are condensed in it. The demonic laser beam shot out, drill its way through the statue's face, and pierced Sasuke right on his cheek and upper shoulder in an instant. Now Sasuke was completely terrified. A black gash appeared in his cheek and shoulder.

**KU KU KU KU… FOUND YOU.**

"That attack… how much chakra did he put on that thing he shot me with?!"

**NOT MUCH YOU KNOW. AT OUR CURRENT STATE, I CAN ONLY DO THIS TWO MORE TIMES. THIS ATTACK COMPRESSED A GREAT NUMBER OF CHAKRA INTO THAT ONE SINGLE BEAM. LESS FLEXIBLE, BUT EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE AGAINTS SOME COWARDLY KIT WHO HIDE THEIR SORRY ASS BEHIND AN OBSTACLE...OR IN YOUR CASE…A ROCK. HEH HEH…**

Okay. That's it. He nearly got himself pummeled down into a bloody pulp, burned in flames of hell, and now, his friend's chakra almost shot an air hole through his head. "I thought your mission was to capture me ALIVE?"

"**I am. However, the order doesn't state that you must come back in one whole piece. I see no problem why I can't take you back to Konoha… without a limb or two." **

Naruto was completely pissed. Here he was, punched and bruised, trying to save his brother in arm's ass from a psychotic snake freak, and his so called brother insist on going on his merry way, while he get a chakra burn and possibly could have been burned down to a crisp by his own Chakra if this goes too long. Big deal. For now all he cares about is taking Sasuke back to Konoha, AWAY from Orochimaru, no matter how battered his and mainly Sasuke's body get. Even if its means he will be disabled for the rest of his life, he didn't care.

**GWA! HA! HA! HA! I AGREE.**

"Some bloody brother you are."

"**You start it."**

"What do you mean?"

"**You're the one who impaled me with Chidori in lung head on. Remember?"**

"Oh bloody hell…" to say that Sasuke didn't regret the time is a complete lie, given with the current predicament he's in. "And I suppose you're going to try to put me in a chokehold as well?"

"**No I won't… but Sakura or Tsunade baa-san might."**

"Heh, that hag won't strangle me."

"**Yep. She'll smash you to the seventh depths of hell, I think."**

"Good point."

"**In any case, have you changed your mind?"**

"What?"

"**My offer has no expiration date. You could come with me back to Konoha in one piece, or in separate pieces. Make your choice."**

"Naruto… do you think I really going to incline after all this?" As Sasuke said this, his curse seal began to activate. 'Damn… Finally I can change… I have no choice. Let see how much power you have given to me… Orochimaru…'

"…**Fine. I'll leave you half dead, but alive enough for our trip back to Konoha!"**

**I'LL TAKE OUT HIS LEGS THEN. JIGOKU KATON, MAKAI NO HIKARI!**

As expected, Sasuke jump away from his hiding spot. The laser blast pierced through the place where his leg had been, just like what the Demon's chakra had said. Sasuke set chakra on his foot, attempted to stick to the walls before run for his dear life…BEFORE he found himself unable to move at all. The Sharingan was terrified to no end when he saw this long claw like crimson chakra had grabbed him. Then he saw that Naruto had already stood on the wall, the long chakra claw protruding from his left arm.

With a roar, Naruto pull the Chakra to his direction. The next view Sasuke saw, Naruto's chakra induced fist, up-close. A sickening crack could be heard throughout the Valley of the End. Sasuke were smashed high above the sky before a Naruto's clone, which had sneak up on top of him, kick him all the way back down to the leg of the Shodaime Hokage statue. By the time Sasuke hit the stone leg, the curse seal had already covered almost all of his body.

"**Ku ku ku ku… I'm not even hurt…" **Sasuke was chuckling madly now.

**CRAP. CAREFUL KIT. I SENSE A DEFILED CHAKRA FLOWING THROUGH YOUR FRIEND.**

'**Orochimaru's curse seal…'**

"**Ku ku ku ku ku" 'I finally have this power… I don't know what I will become… but…' "I'm not hurt… Naruto…" **As he speak, the curse seal starts to cover his skin, turning them into pale blue and his hair grows longer while turning into white color. His blazing Red Sharingan, left untouched, but his eyes turned black. **"You were special, but… I'm more special than you." **By the time Sasuke's on his feet, the transformation was (half) complete.

"**Special… is that what you called it… Sasuke… such monstrosity…"**

"**Monstrosity? I don't think so… I'm surprised Naruto… You, with that demonic power of yours, above all others, should understand…" **

"…**At least the power doesn't turn me into a selfish power hungry bastard like you..."**

"**Well your loss then… As for me…I need more of this power… More… so much more… yes… that's right… no more hesitation… I'm going to Orochimaru… he will give me more power… much more than now… and I will become not just powerful enough to kill Itachi… I will become invincible!!" **at that, two large palm-like wings sprouted from Sasuke's back.

'**Alright, that curse seal had made him gone completely insane.' "Sasuke… you're truly are foolish… power isn't anything… power came from hate and sadness can never make you gain true strength."**

"**I don't care… All I want is power. Power that surpass you, surpass Itachi, surpass anything in this world! As long as I have power, I don't care about anything else!"**

"…**even Sakura?"**

Sasuke went quiet at that. Frowning, he thought about the pink haired kunoichi. **'Sakura…'**

"**She loved you Sasuke… more then everything in this world… I too love her… but the look in her eyes… She shed tears for you Sasuke. I can see there is no place for me in her heart aside being just a friend. But at least I want to see her happy and it's you Sasuke. You're the one person that could make her happy."**

"…"

"**Sasuke." **Naruto stretch out his nailed hand. **"For Kami's… no, for Sakura's sake, please. Just stay the hell away from that snake freak, and return to Konoha, to her."**

"…**No."**

"**Sasuke!!" **Naruto was completely mad now.

"**I've made up my mind, Naruto. Orochimaru will give me power… in which I need it!"**

"…**Then I'll crush them."**

"**What?"**

"**If that power that Asshole had given to you had tampered your mind so much, then I will crush them. I will show you how puny that power to you." **Rage was evident in every word that escaped from angry Naruto's trembling lips. **'KYUUBI!!'**

**--**

**Meanwhile, 2 minutes ago, somewhere in Otogakure…**

"…Kabuto…"

"What is it Orochimaru-sama?"

"Get some men and go to Sasuke-kun's place, ASAP."

"Why now, Orochimaru-sama?"

"…I believe that the sound five had done its job. I presume Sasuke is within the borders of the Fire Country. It'll be easy to acquire Sasuke-kun."

"…But I thought you said that Sasuke can get here by himself?"

"Perhaps… But I'm afraid I've made a miscalculation on the way…"

"…what would that be Orochimaru-sama?"

"Can you not feel it Kabuto? That monstrous chakra…"

"Now that you mention it, I just felt it also. It really send chills down to my spine… it makes my old blood boils again. I wonder who it is…" the silver haired spy sent a devilish smile, while veins start to appear in his eyes. "…I wonder who he is… I would like to meet him, fight him, KILL him…"

"Ku ku ku ku… no wonder you don't know… its Naruto-kun's…" Kabuto's smile wicked even more.

"No need for more men then…"

At this, Orochimaru look at his silver haired servant with an amused glare.

"…because… if this old blood boils even further…" here, Kabuto was trembling in excitement as he licked his lips. A wicked killing intent emanating from him that sent shiver even to the snake sannin. "I might kill them all…"

"Ku ku ku… excited aren't we… so be it than…" almost instantly, Kabuto disappeared from sight. 'Ku ku ku ku… my apprentice… my servant… how strong are you really?'

**--**

…**WHAT IS IT KIT? I'M NOT DEAF YOU KNOW.**

'**You said something about the youki you gave me, suppose you increase the amount, how long can my body lasts?'**

…**ABOUT 2 MINUTES AT TOP.**

'**More than enough to kick that bastard Sasuke's ass. Do it!'**

**ARE YOU SURE? YOU MIGHT KILL HIM…AND YOURSELF AT THAT.**

'**Better I kill him rather than let that Orochimaru bastard plays around with his mind!'**

…**BUT…**

'**JUST DO IT! If I die, I'll make sure to let you out. And when you do, take a VERY warm visit to that Snake Sannin's village would you?'**

…**ALLRIGHT. HERE GOES NOTHING!**

A gigantic swirl of blood red chakra engulfs Naruto. It cause the temperature seem to increase a great deal. The rocks around Naruto start to melt. Sasuke gulped at the sight. The moment the swirl had finished, he saw Naruto, covered in flames with the same purple red aura as before. The flames took shape into a two tailed demon fox. He could've sworn there is something about him that resembles the sand demon, Sabaku no Gaara.

Meanwhile with Naruto. **'Kami… it burns me inside out!!'**

**I TOLD YOU IT WILL BE DANGEROUS. END THIS QUICKLY IF YOU DON'T WANT TO DIE IN VAIN!!**

The pain effect him greatly that he couldn't help to give a pained expression on his face. This doesn't go unnoticed by Sasuke. Who also frown as the after effect of the transformation starts to kick in. **'Che… this body… I can't hold it for too long.' "Hem… seems like both of you and me are quite alike."**

"**!"**

"**That powers of yours too… of course there's always a risk…"**

"…"

"**Do you know Naruto? This place… is called the valley of the end. For both of us, this is indeed the perfect setting."**

"**Is that all?"**

Sasuke shocked to say the least.

"**I'm asking you is that all? I hope you won't regret it 'cause that'll be your last sentence!"**

"**Not so keen on taking me back alive now are we?"**

"**If I can't bring you back, then during the last minutes of what probably my life as a ninja, I will do what a shinobi should do when facing a missing Nin."**

'**Last minutes?'**

'**Haku-chan, Zabuza-san, Sasuke… I'll see you all soon in hell. Farewell, Iruka-sensei, Sakura-chan, Konohamaru… everyone.' "PREPARE TO DIE, SASUKE!!" **The Chakra, following Naruto, bellowed: **JIGOKU KATON: TAIYUU MAKAI NO HIKARI!! **The chakra flames released a dozen of medium sized fireballs, before 7 of the fireballs shot out showers of laser beams towards the mutated Uchiha.

Terrified by the magnitude of force, the Sharingan user used his wings to get out of the blasting zone, only to be shocked when he saw Naruto on top of him, a flock of fire balls are ready in his palm, Chakra palm to be exact. The chakra controlled flames had surrounds Naruto's arm, turning it into a monstrous demon arms. Naruto roared before throwing another barrage of deadly burning lasers towards the Sharingan user. He barely managed to dodge them all. However, the barrage severed his clothes, and at that burnt a bit of his wings.

'**Gah!! How much power did he possessed… he could still damaged me in this state?!' "Katon, Gokyakuu no jutsu!!" **a huge fireball, twice the size of his usual fireball burst from his mouth. Much to his dismay, the chakra AGAIN absorbed his attack. **'Shit! I should've known. Katon jutsu is out of question here…' **he dashed towards the fiery blond before swiftly plant a kick on the blonds chin.

The next second, he appeared behind Naruto, sending a powerful roundhouse kick that hit him full in his ribs, followed by a fist to his stomach, and another on his chest, before slamming him to the ground with another roundhouse kick. **"Shishi Rendan!! (Lion Combo!)" **When Naruto hit the ground though, his body popped into smoke. **'Shit! A bunshin?' **

"**Oi!" ** Sasuke turned his head to meet head on with Naruto's foot, which send him down to ground. When he landed to the ground and tried to stand up, the ground crumbles and hundreds of burning red Naruto welcome him with powerful kicks and punches that send him sky-high. **"U! ZU! MA! KI!"** When he looked up, he was again welcomed by thousands of Naruto, all throwing kunais and shurikens. Using his wings, the Uchiha avenger protected himself from the incoming barrage. Before he could open his wings, the army of berserk Naruto sends thousands of punches and kicks that seemingly covered his entire body. **"NARUTO RANRAN MUGEN RENDAN!! (Naruto Burning Infinite combo!!)" **Two clones jump in front of Sasuke and shot another: "**JIGOKU KATON, KITSUNE ENDAN!"** This burned his wings out before explodes and send him towards the cliff.

When being slammed to the walls, Sasuke could have sworn that he heard all his bones screams in pain. He splat lots of blood. **'Gwah!! I can't take this anymore… I have to end this now!!'**

The same though ran across Naruto as he made all his Clone disappeared. **'The pain… Kyuubi… how much chakra we have left… or rather… how much time we have left?'**

**WE'RE RUNNING LOW. ENOUGH FOR ONE MORE BARRAGE OF KITSUNE ENDAN THOUGH. I SAY 5 SHOTS AT TOPS. WE ONLY GOT LESS THAN A MINUTE LEFT. **Just then, Naruto feels his left arm gone numb.

'**How much needed to create a full powered Rasengan?'**

**DEPENDS ON HOW STRONG YOU WANT IT TO.**

'**As strong as you can give me!'**

**ROGER. HELD OUT YOUR HAND. MY CHAKRA WILL DO THE REST.**

Naruto do as told. Then a red orb began to form in his palm.

Sasuke concentrated all his chakra to his hand. A black lightning appears in his pale blue fingers, before forming into a devilish dark ball of black lightning.

"**Well Naruto, I think it's finally the ending. This battle. Yes… the battle… until now…" **Images of their previous battles appear in both of their heads. Both closed their eyes before jumped in unison.

"**YOUKAI NO RASENGAN!! (DEMON SWIRLING SPHERE!!)"**

"**YAMI NO CHIDORI!! (DARKNESS THOUSAND BIRDS!!)" **

Both attack slammed each other, before forming a large energy sphere.

**--**

Copycat Nin Kakashi, who just heard about Sasuke's disappearance, were dashing through the woods looking for his renegade students when the surge of the monstrous clash nailed him on his toes.

'This chakra is… terrible!!'

**--**

Kabuto, who was watching the whole thing a minute ago had this mad grin plastered in his face…

'…**incredible… Naruto-kun…'**

**--**

**Somewhere on the valley…**

"Uzumaki Naruto… incredible… you tap into the power far deeper than I could imagine…"

Sabaku no Gaara was watching the battle unfold in his vary eyes. Next to him, is none other than Rock Lee.

"N… Naruto's flames of youth are incredible!! It engulfs him so that even I can see his passionate and youthful flames of determination!! If I can't make others see my flames of youth, I will run around Konoha 10000 times on my hands!! And if I can't do that, I'll do push up with my finger in one hand 15000 times!! And I'll… I'll…"

Leaving Konoha's beautiful green beast junior to his own ramblings, the Shukaku's host watch the battle to unfolds and await the victor.

**--**

The sphere continues to revolve in the battered battle field. Inside the sphere, the Rasengan and the Chidori are battling for dominance. Finally after a few crucial seconds, the attack enters. Sasuke's Chidori slammed into Naruto's chest, while Naruto's Rasengan found its way to Sasuke forehead, creating a gash on Sasuke's forehead protector, before explodes and disrupting the Chakra sphere they're in.

The chakra sphere explodes with a blinding light. The last thing Sasuke saw is Naruto's face… which is full of regret and sorrow…

The light came out.

Naruto stood on the ground. His clothes were barely intact. Burnt mark spread across his body. Some of the fox features are still intact. Lying in front of him, no longer mutated, is Sasuke. His forehead was scorched, and there is this big gash on the Konoha symbol.

"Heh… who's the hot shot now… loser?" Naruto smirked before the pain comes again. "Gwahk!! Cra…!" Naruto spit lots of bloods on the ground… He was soon on all four, coughing blood. Kami… it burns so much!! The sudden pouring rain doesn't help as much either. '…Kyuubi…'

**I'M SORRY KITLING… TIME'S UP… **

His voice are filled with… sadness? 'Okay, now I know I'm going to die…'

…

'Right… get ready… I'll release you soon, and remember what I told you…'

…**... KIT…**

'What? Don't tell me you got a problem about being free?'

…**WE GOT PROBLEM HERE… HE'S STANDING RIGHT BEHIND YOU…**

'Huh?'

"**Ku ku ku… Well done, Naruto…"**

"Wha… KABUTO!!" rage filled him again. For a moment, he forgot all the pain he suffers for now as chakra flared again… for a moment before died down, followed by another wave of immense pain. **"AAAAGGGHHH!!" **This time, Naruto couldn't stand it anymore as he falls on the ground. He coughs more blood, while Kabuto chuckles evilly.

"You came here for Sasuke?"

"Yes… and no."

"W… What do you mean?"

"I didn't come here for Sasuke only… I came here for you too Naruto-kun…"

"You're… going to kill me… aren't you?"

"I was expecting that you still had enough power to entertain me… but apparently I'll just have to be satisfied with an easy kill…"

"**CURSE YOU TO HELL!!"**

"Ku ku ku… no matter how powerful you are… you're still only human… with just a flick and…"

Before Kabuto could strike a deathblow, something halts his movements completely, before a green blur appear and kick him square on his face, sending him a few meters away from his target. Naruto had his eyes widened, when he saw who had saved him. '…sand…? It… can't be…'

"You sir have no honor!! No warrior should attack another who no longer can fight!! I, the reincarnated Konoha proud beast shall call for your challenge on behalf of my fallen comrade!!"

"Uzumaki Naruto, we meet again."

"G… Gaara!"

"Naruto-kun!! I compliment you!! You uphold your honor!! I, the Konoha Green Beast, am deeply moved by your unyielding determination of keeping your lifetime promise to Sakura chan!! Allow me to take it from here!!"

"Lee… Gaara…"

"Stay put, Uzumaki Naruto. You won't be able to kill him."

"I… know… just… kick his butt for me would you…"

Both answered in unison: "Roger."

"**Ku ku ku ku… I see now why Kimimaro had fallen…Sabaku no Gaara!!" **The Orochimaru's right hand laughs maniacally. **"I too wish to battle you!!"**

"Prepare to pay for what you had almost done to Naruto with death. Sabaku Kyuu!!(Desert Coffin!!)"

Several large hands made of sand appeared and almost grab Kabuto. Using his Chakra Enjitou (Chakra Scalpel) he made an opening on one of the sand hand before bursting through the encirclement. The first thing he saw when he gets out of the encirclement, however, was Lee's foot up close.

The kick sends him a few meters off the ground before landing with a sickening thud on the charred ground. **"Ha ha ha… HA HA HA HA HA!! This is fun! Both of you!!"**

The same thought flows within their heads: 'Masochist?'

"**My… old… blood… is… BOILING!!" **Okay, now Kabuto really looks like a maniac now… until…

"Kuchiyose: Doton: Tsuiga no Jutsu!! (Summoning: Earth Element: Tracking fang!!)" The ground around Kabuto shattered, revealing a group of Ninkens (Shinobi dogs) that bite and severely injuring Kabuto while nailing him in place.

"**Ah… Finally… the legendary copycat Kakashi… it'll be fun to fight all of you!!"**

"Confident aren't we?" Kakashi appeared and another sound of thousands of chirping birds flows through the air once more…

"Kakashi-san!!" Lee bellowed.

"Kabuto prepare to die…!" Kakashi was preparing to stab the Konoha traitor with Chidori.

"**Don't think… you've won yet!!" **With the greatest ease, Kabuto smashed all the ninkens and before anyone could stop him, he smears his blood on his left hand before making a series of hand seals. **"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!!"**

"Oh shit…"

Stood before them, was the giant Boss of Snakes: Manda.

"OI!! YOU'RE THAT OROCHIMARU'S BRAT, AREN'T YOU?? YOU BETTER GOT SOME GOOD REASON OR I'LL…"

"**Shut the hell up…" **Kabuto emanates a wicked killing intent that shut the snake out of his wits. That leaves Kakashi, Lee and even Gaara's jaw dropped.

'What killing intent!! To be able to shut a fierce summon like Manda with it… Who is he…Really?'

"**Kill them... Manda!"**

"H…HAI…" As Manda prepare to give his strike towards the bewildered shinobis, a loud "KUCHIYOSE NO JUTSU!!" awakens them from their trance.

Kakashi turn his head in shock when he no longer sees Naruto… but rather… two large webbed foot. He tilted his head to find himself face to face with the boss of toads and his former sensei's summon, Gamabunta.

"The frog… It's Naruto!"

"W… WHAT DID YOU SAY?" to say Kakashi weren't shocked is an understatement.

Just then, his student voice bellowed on top of Gamabunta. "KAKASHI-SENSEI!!"

Within second, Kakashi was next to his now… dying student. "…!... Na…. Naruto!!"

His condition was horrible. Charred in every part of his body, he had lost his entire fox feature, but several horrible burn marks appears in all over his battered and bloodied body. A damp scent of flesh being burned is evident in the air around him. Yet with all that, he's still… smiling.

Kakashi was trembling in sadness. The memory of Obito died for him flashed again in his mind… "Na… Naruto… No…" His eyes were already on the verge of tears.

"Hey… you're late… Kakashi sensei… you didn't manage to watch me beat Sasuke senseless…"

"Sasuke?"

"Kakashi sensei, he's still alive… over there."

"Naruto… don't talk anymore… it's enough…"

"It's alright… Kakashi-sensei… Hey, listen… when Sasuke wakes up show him this, will you? And tell him… I've won the bet." Naruto weakly gave the copycat Nin, Sasuke's battered forehead. In which Kakashi receives with trembling hands.

"Na… Naruto… enough… you could die…"

"No… it's alright… when I spoke to that stupid Fox… He said I will die after all this… It's all right. I've already prepared to die anyway…"

"No!! It's all, my fault… If only I come faster…"

"Hatake Kakashi!!" Naruto surprisingly bellowed. The copy Nin went silent. "It's not your fault… it's your nature after all. Heh, Heh." Cough cough

"Naruto! That's it; I'm taking you back to the village!"

"NO!! Kakashi-sensei! That Kabuto will chase you down! His boss wanted Sasuke! Take him out of here first!!"

"What about YOU?"

"Just leave me cough and go! I'll hold him as long as I can!!"

"NEVER! Naruto!! You're coming with me, one way or another…"

"WATCH OUT!!" Gamabunta bellowed before jumping, dodging Manda's dash. Suddenly, Kabuto jumped from Manda right on top of Gamabunta, trying to kill Naruto. **"Naruto kun… DIE!!"**

Before the Konoha traitor could do anything, his arm, which was once aimed to Naruto were gripped in sand**. "Sabaku Kyuu… Sabaku Sousou!! (Desert coffin… Desert Funeral!!)" **Blood splattered from what was once the traitor's right arm. "Hatake Kakashi! Now!" Gaara bellowed on top of his sand cloud.

"EAT SHIT YOU TRAITOR SCUM!!" Kakashi screams now… something he hardly ever done before… **"CHIDORI!!"**

Taken by surprise, the attack hit him full on Kabuto's hips. **"Agh!! Curse you… Kakashi!! Very well then… I'll pull down for now… but I'm taking something with me!!" **Before anyone could stop him, the silver haired Otonin grabs Sasuke's unconscious form and jump back to Manda. "Manda… we're leaving…" the large snake immediately out of sight…

"SASUKE!! cough!!" Naruto falls unconscious.

"NARUTO!!" Kakashi grab him immediately and checked his pulse… "No… his pulse weakening…"

"Uzumaki Naruto…" Gaara land next to Kakashi, Lee followed soon after. Pakkun, one of Kakashi's ninken are also present.

"Why… Naruto… why must like this… is your fate… the fate of the Uzumaki clan… is inevitably death?" Kakashi now start pulsing Chakra to Naruto's heart. "In such place…"

"Yes… It's ironic… isn't it?" Gamabunta frowns as he spoke.

"What do you mean?" Gaara looks confused, including Lee.

"…It is said that a long time ago, two very powerful shinobi fought here. The battle was so great; it scarred this place and eventually, forms this river." Kakashi look around at the now crushed statue. Rain still continues to pour, as if signing they also saddened by the result of that battle. "If you notice, the flow of the river never stops. It continuously flows endlessly… to mark their battle."

Lee look in awe at the two battered statue, while Gaara continue to ask, "And these two statues are those two excellent Shinobi?"

"Yes. Eventually, Konohagakure was built by the ones who share the fate of these statues…"

Kakashi look once more at Naruto's weak body… "Naruto… Sasuke… your lives… are remarkably like theirs… Naruto? ...NARUTO?!"

Kakashi hurriedly checked his pulse once more… he found none.

"Naruto? Oh no…"

**--**

**Somewhere else…**

"So, how was it go?"

"I sense two demonic Chakra in the borders of Fire country. It is, unmistakably, him."

"Indeed… Kyuubi no Kitsune."

"What should we do, Kira?"

"I need to see the Jinchuriki first. Then, I could make a decision." A man, wearing a cloak that covers all of his body, and his face aren't visible enough in a straw hat (Think of it as Akatsuki's straw hat, but wider minus its features) with a Gashed Konoha symbol on it, nods.

"Might as well take care of the Shukaku then. From what I heard, the Jinchuriki is in Wind Country, but now he's in Fire Country."

"Indeed. Not to mention there is a dangerous group in the human world that hunt over the Bijyu (Tails Demon). So far they've captured two of them."

"So fast… Can any of you do an investigation on this... group?"

"I'm on it right now."

"What about the Kyuubi?"

"I'll go to the last place the Youma strikes. That would be the hidden leaf village, Konohagakure."

"Be careful Kira!"

"I will. This indeed is going to be a nostalgic journey… wonders what happen to that village now."

How was that? That's my version of Naruto Sasuke duel scene. Hate it, like it? By the way, Kira you see here is indeed Kira Yamato from Gundam SEED. I only rip the name, but he will be a little bit OOC here… Anyway, Read and Review. P.L.E.A.S.E. I'm on my knees here… T T help!

By the way, who should I pair Naruto with? Though romance for our blond hero will come later…


	2. Fallen Dreams, Revelation, and the New

I check my story this morning, and lo and behold: 19 reviews! So many reviews on my first debut of Naruto Fanfic! (Kneel down and pray thanks to kami-sama.)

Reviews reply section:

**Demonfox04: **No! Sasuke still have a role to play. I don't really like his angst bastard behavior also. But nevertheless, he's an important character… he won't die that easy… yet. Nuff said. 2nd chapter on the air!

**Deathsyte01: **I see. Indeed there is A LOT of Naru-Hina… But they're not so bad… don't you think? Neeway, here's the 2nd chapter.

**Gandhara hendicrol**: Naruto is NOT invincible though he will become one hell of a powerful shinobi here. But we can't expect less from the most powerful demon in existence right?

As for his transformation: Naruto DOES have a time limit as it already been mentioned by Kyuubi in the previous chapter. About 2 minutes, which will slowly expands as he grows stronger.

As for Naruto summoning Gamabunta, Naruto was only wounded but his youki still remains as his fox feature still there. But he still got some chakra left. Enough to summon Gamabunta. Naruto is only wounded but not used up. When Naruto had summoned Gamabunta, his fox feature is gone. So does all his remaining youki. But he's still wounded. That's when he used up all his energy.

Glad you like my version of Kabuto. He will be the main Asshole in the story.

Here's 2nd chapter.

**Wrath of Air**: Here's the 2nd chapter!

**Firehedgehog:** 2nd chapter right from the oven coming up!

**Surrarin: **I see. I went to check what plover is and found that Plover is a name of a bird which originated from the Charadriidae family. Some short of shore bird with a size that range from medium to small size. Anyway that's a very interesting find. Anyway, do you know where I can get an English-Japanese translator?

Next about Kakashi. Yeah I know he's maybe a bit out of it. But I heard it somewhere that ninja are one of the most psychologically twisted people in the world. Naruto and Obito, from what I can tell have some things in common. 1. They wear goggles, 2. They are both morons (well… that's what Kakashi thinks of Obito.) and 3. They're both had spiky hair, though different color. Obito's death must have left something in Kakashi's mind. A trauma or some short. That's why he act the way he does when he saw Naruto. I just want to show a bit side of Kakashi that is in fact is still only human.

**Biola37**: Here's 2nd chapter!

**Jays Arravan: **This is second chapter. Thank you. I'm honored that you view my work as a good one. I hope this second chapter will be better.

**Couguard**: Thank you for your review! Here goes the 2nd chapter.

**KakashiMorph**: Here goes the second chapter!

**Hells Fox**: Here's the 2nd chapter!

**Goyana**: Thank you for your review. I will try to make the story as interesting as my poorly energized brain could. Enjoy the 2nd chapter.

**Kurayami no Sayokyoku**: I will give it some minor fix when I had time… for now, enjoy the 2nd chapter!

**Little Midnight**: That's right! NO YAOI! I'll sneeze when I read two men kissing each other. I swear! Thank you for your review. Here's the 2nd chapter for you!

**Brooklyn Rage**: Here's the 2nd chapter!

**JoeP**: You really think so? Okay! I'll continue to write as long as everyone enjoys it, and I get reviews. Here's the 2nd chapter.

**-.Hyourin Tenshi.-:** I'm sorry if you're upset of Sasuke finally goes to Orochimaru after all that… But it's really necessary you know… I don't like it as much as you do… As for Naruto, if he's dead already, I wouldn't give you the second chapter now wouldn't I? (Laugh)

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": in Naruto's case, him in berserker mode. However, I will use this format when it's necessary.**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA: Kyuubi demon form speech**

Disclaimer: The chance of me having Naruto and Gundam SEED is like the chance of Naruto burns the Ichiraku ramen… which is never ever happen.

And without further delay, here's the 2nd chapter!

**---------------**

Chapter 2

Fallen Dreams, Revelation, and the New Deal Thingy

In the world of Shinobi, there are known 3 powerful shinobi, called the Sannin (Three Ninja).

One was Jiraiya. The self proclaimed the most powerful Sannin. Being testifying himself as a super pervert, the white haired Shinobi that often introduced himself in a hilarious way also becomes the author of the hentai book: Icha Icha Paradise. The book, sadly, becomes more famous than the writer itself. People hardly connect the famous book with the Sannin who often can be found in Women's Bathhouse.

Another is Orochimaru. Gained the recognition as a genius from the Professor Shinobi, Sandaime Hokage, his talents contradicts his ambition. Obsessed with jutsu, Orochimaru strives to conquer death and become immortal. Many stories revolve around the said Snake Sannin's desertion. But the most popular and accepted story is the fact that he didn't get elected as the Yondaime Hokage angered him. He become jealous and went missing. A few months after his disappearance, a new village with unique fighting style was created under the name of Otogakure.

As both Jiraiya and Orochimaru are both what can be called 'battle purpose' shinobi, Tsunade was another story. People of the non ninja community refer her as the Legendary Sucker due to her constant losing in gambling or betting. People find it odd, that only in her bad days Tsunade becomes incredibly lucky and won all kinds of gambling and bets. If you asked a Sannin, Jiraiya in this case, he will know her for her fat breast. It could be found amusing since Tsunade were always nicknamed as the 'flat chested bitch' by the said Sannin in their genin days. Another thing that every of her enemy knows is probably her temper… and most importantly, her monstrous strength. It is said that the moment Tsunade's fully powered fist connected to your skin will be your last time touching something. Jiraiya of the Sannin might be able to testimony his disapproval as he's probably the only shinobi that is strong enough to receive the fully powered punch and live to tell the tale. After being held in hospital for at least a month that is. One can say that it was also an indirect testimony that the Perverted Sannin is indeed the most powerful one of the Sannin, for even Orochimaru fear the fist of an angered Tsunade.

People of the ninja community however could say her story of life is the most tragic one amongst the three ninja. Being the granddaughter of the first Hokage, one can say that Tsunade came from a very well respected family. However, people respect her mostly because of her unyielding dedication and talent on medical ninjutsu. On one occasion, she propose a creation of four man team, in which at least one member of them must be a high leveled medical Nin. The proposal was accepted, and during the great ninja war, it greatly decreases the death rate of the shinobi in battle. The standard was soon used by every village throughout the ninja world. Ironically, Tsunade being known as possibly the best medical Nin in the shinobi world suffers from a disease of blood phobia. A disease she developed after the lost of two of her most beloved person, her brother Nawaki, and her lover Dan. After some time, it is said that Tsunade ran across a mysterious shinobi that help her cure this disease. Nobody knows. Who is this amazing yet mysterious 'medic Nin' that cures a disease that even the great Tsunade-hime can't cure? Unknown to them that the mysterious Nin was no where near to a medic Nin… And now, the Medical Mistress, who has assumed the title of Godaime Hokage, is dead busy on dealing two critical cases all at once.

'The ingredients and the after effect of the pills… they are well researched indeed… These reports are truly is something…' The Godaime Hokage sat in front of a table, filled with stacks of papers and piles of medical research report book. Behind her, medical nurses run back and forth either carrying more reports or medicine for the Akamichi patient. The said patient was lying in bed, bandage with lots of kanji scripted in it are binding his now deflated stomach. "Bring me an antler!"

"Hai!" one of the nurses does as told. Tsunade began mixing some herbs for the medicine.

On the other room, the situation was a lot more critical. The Hyuuga prodigy, Hyuuga Neji, barely won the battle with his life, is being put on top of massive arrays of seals. 8 medic Nins, under the supervision of Shizune, Tsunade's apprentice, is now working hard on closing the wounds of the Hyuuga prodigy.

"It's been 3 hours… switch with me!"

"Hai!" one of the medic Nin immediately replace his exhausted friend

"Although we use this child's hair as the medium, please do not make a mistake in the cell ratio of the damaged part! Every strand must be affected by the Chakra control!" Shizune instructed the medic Nins.

"Hai!" they all yelled in unison.

Meanwhile, on another room, four people are on sight.

One is Nara Shikamaru, the genius tactician and the leader of the group on their failed attempt on reclaiming a certain Uchiha. He's fidgeting at his broken finger constantly.

Another is Temari, siblings of Gaara of the Sand, and part of the Sand's reinforcement to the Leaf village. Obviously the calmest one in the room.

Another was Hyuuga Hinata. She was also worried, for her cousin and also for Tenten. She knew the weapon mistress had a crush for her cousin. She tried what she could to soothe her cousin's teammate. But still worried nonetheless.

The last one is Tenten, comrade of a certain Hyuuga that is under the critical condition. Her eyes shut tight while tears threaten to fall. She continuously, silently prays for her love's survival.

"Sacrifice is inevitable in missions. Didn't you receive emotional training?"

"…training and missions are different… In actual situations, you never know what will happen next…"

"…"

"…you know what? This is… my first time of being a leader too… but now I realize… I'm not cut out to be shinobi…"

"…such fragility… Men are strange…"

"Yeah, whatever you say. I… should've never been a team leader in the first place… I'm just an excess baggage… I'm not strong enough to become one…"

"You're afraid of getting hurt?" Temari frowned.

"…" Shikamaru start to walk away before being stopped by his father.

"Being talked down by a girl and run away?"

"…I'm not running away…I'm just avoiding a troublesome argument with a girl… since I'm not one anyway…"

"Yes, I can tell. But by running away like this, you're not being a man either. You've become nothing but coward."

"…"

"Consider that you resign, missions will still come, and your friends will get a new leader. They might end up dead, being lead by a leader who doesn't really value them as much as you do."

"…" Shikamaru still silent, absorbing what his father said. 'That maybe true… even if I did resign… they'll still fight…'

"On the other hand, suppose that you're still the leader, you could be prepared and take this day as an example for future. If you really care for your friends, took the lesson and swore that you will become greater and stronger for your friend! That's what it means of being a companion, you genius coward!"

"…" 'Mendekuse (troublesome (did I spell it right?))…'

The door to the emergency room suddenly opened to reveal the grinning Tsunade. "Well, I'll just skip the crap and straight to the point. We managed to stop the continuous destruction of cells caused by the Akamichi pills. We used some of the medicine, which, surprisingly, developed by the Nara Clan. You've guys had studied them didn't you?"

"…Yes." Nara Shikato smiled. His clan had partnered with the Akamichi for generations. It is only natural if they help them in research for the cure of the disastrous effect of the Akamichi pills.

As if on cue, Shizune, drenched in sweat yet grinning appeared and bring out her reports. "Tsunade-sama! Hyuuga Neji's condition stabilizes!" A squeal of happiness from Tenten brought everyone's eyes towards the source of the noise. Tenten was crying happily in relief, while Hinata, despite the tears in her eyes also tried to calm the weapon mistress.

The room went silent again, except for sobs from Tenten and Hinata. "…and?" Surprisingly, Shikamaru spoke. Tsunade ushered Shizune to continue. "Inuzuka Kiba is currently are not in any danger. Most of his wounds are superficial. His dog, Akamaru, though receive quite disastrous damage on all its legs muscles have no life threatening injuries… Sadly, we haven't heard anything from Uzumaki Naruto." Hinata tensed up at this.

"…well it looks like you guys are running into one hell of a mission." Tsunade spoke simply. "But the most important thing, I think everyone's safe and sound. Well, except Naruto no Baka." 'Damn you Brother! Where the hell are you now?'

"…Next time…" Shikamaru spoke. Tears of relief flowing through his eyes… 'Kami-sama… Arigatou…' though he still uncertain about Naruto. "…next time, I swear I will do it flawlessly!" Everyone smiled, even Temari. 'Heh… can't believe I lost to this Crybaby and lazy bum…'

Tenten hurriedly spoke to Shizune. "N… Neji-kun! Can we see him yet?"

Shizune look at the brow haired girl and smiled. "Off course you can. However, refrain from making noises. He needs sleep at the moment."

Tenten's face lightened up a great deal.

Suddenly a loud WHAM could be heard, followed by a medium earthquake.

"Kami! I thought I just said refrain from loud noises!" Shizune caught a bit off balance.

Followed soon after, loud screaming and yelling could be heard outside the room.

"I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK! MY STUDENT NEEDS HELP RIGHT NOW!"

"CAN'T YOU SEE WE'RE ALSO BUSY HERE! BESIDES, I REFUSE TO TAKE CARE THAT… THING!"

"I'M WARNING YOU! ONE MORE WORD LIKE THAT TO NARUTO AND I'LL…!"

"HEY LISTEN, I'M THE DOCTOR HERE. SO YOU NINJAS JUST LISTEN TO WHAT WE SAID AND WAIT! BESIDES, IF IT'S HIM, WHY DON'T YOU JUST LET THAT…DEMON DIE ALREADY!"

That's the last straw. The next second, the jerk who claimed to be the doctor was already in a bloody mess. Stood on top of his chest was none other than the angered copy Nin Hatake Kakashi.

"HATAKE KAKASHI!" Tsunade bellowed at the supposedly veteran Jounin. "WHAT IN THE NAME OF HOKAGE THAT COMES INTO YOU TO MAKE SUCH NOISES!"

"GODAIME-SAMA!" Tsunade could've sworn she saw the supposedly Ninja-don't-cry Jounin was crying. "NARUTO! FOR KAMI'S SAKE HELP HIM!"

Like lightning on daybreak he saw what Kakashi meant. At his back, dying and completely crushed was none other than the one Uzumaki Naruto.

"SHIZUNE!" Tsunade yells.

"Oh! For kami's sake, Tsunade Sama, please don't yell like that! We're in hospital!" Then she saw Naruto on Kakashi's back, realization hit her.

"Operation room. Emergency level 1! NOW!"

Without further ado, Shizune instructed several medic Nin as quickly as possible as she drank several soldier pills for a VERY LONG and dangerous operation ahead.

**---------------**

Meanwhile, somewhere in Otogakure…

The Uchiha avenger woke up with extreme pain all over his body. Then he remembered everything again.

'So… Naruto… you've indeed surpassed me…'

"Ku ku ku ku… you've awaken Sasuke…"

Sasuke was taken by surprise and turn his head before winced in pain due to the sudden movement.

"Ku ku ku… you might don't want to move yet, Sasuke… Kabuto had healed up most of your wound, but they won't be battle ready soon you know…"

"…" Sasuke just went silent as the snake sannin keep rambling.

"Ku ku ku ku… you are the chosen one Sasuke…"

"…Shut up!"

The snake sannin, in his new body, glared at the Uchiha avenger.

"…just shut up… and give me power!" Sasuke glared at the Snake Sannin with intense killing intent as his chakra flared out. 'Naruto… I will surpass you! Itachi… I am NOT your puppet! I don't need Mangekyou Sharingan or whatsoever! No, the price is too great… I will gain strength my own way! Naruto… Itachi… I will surpass you all with my own way absolutely! You just wait!'

Orochimaru was more then pleased. 'That's right… Hate more! It will anger you even more… it will make you even stronger… and more beautiful for my future body! Yes… my future is in this CHILD!'

**---------------**

10 hours had passed. Kakashi was still waiting in front of the emergency room. His hands covering his saddened face. The other Jounin instructor (Kurenai, Asuma, and Gai) came and tried to cheer him up… but he silenced them all with a glare. The room is completely silent, except if you count the constant sobbing from Hinata.

'Naruto-kun… Naruto-kun…' She was still crying. Kurenai tried to soothe him up, along with Tenten. Neji come along after he woke up 3 hours later, using a walking stick before sitting next to Tenten. If the situation wasn't so sad, she would be blushing by now. Chouji come afterwards, his stomach slightly deflated with Kiba, also in a walking stick. All of them know what had happened seeing the saddened look on Kakashi and Iruka.

The chuunin instructor, when heard about Naruto's condition, practically rips off everything in his way to the hospital. When he reaches the hospital, he unleashes his frustration on the masked Jounin.

"WHAT ON EARTH DID YOU DO? YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE WATCHING HIM! WHAT? LOST IN THE WAY OF LIFE AGAIN? LOST IN YOUR PRECIOUS PERVERTED BOOK?"

Kakashi was too sad to retaliate and he just accepts it with more and more sorrow with every word Iruka spat on him. Until finally, Iruka snapped and nearly attack the Jounin if not stopped by Jiraiya who just appeared soon after.

It was 3 pm. The other Jounin had asked Kakashi or Iruka to eat something but they silently refused. Hinata was asked to go home but she shook her head and stubbornly refused until his father Hyuuga Hiashi came. Surprisingly, Hinata took her stand until finally, her father gave up and stay with her daughter. Neji too decided to stay. Tenten simply go around with her love's decisions. The others went home after much persuasion by the nurses.

5 hours later, Shizune get out of the room. Iruka ask her almost instantly. "How's Naruto's condition?"

Her answer didn't enlighten him one bit.

"For one, he lost lots of blood… many of his bones are damaged and fractured heavily… his muscles were completely crushed and some of them burned down… The only problem we had managed to solve now is this huge wound that is on his chest. It missed his heart by a few millimeters, but it fractured the bones on his chest and nearly crushed his lungs. We're still working on it now."

Kakashi's head shrunk deeper in sadness. It didn't take a genius to know what caused that wound that was on his student's chest. It must be Chidori. Sasuke had truly used Chidori on his teammate… his FRIEND. 'If only I knew… I should've never taught you that move… Sasuke…'

"The most horrible wounds though, are the weirdest one. There is this weird burnt mark all over his body. And I mean all over it. Every organ, every inch of his skin in his body seems to be heavily damaged by fire… it appears to be he was… burnt… …inside out…" Shizune had a hard time to mention the last two words seeing the faces of her listeners.

It took all of the listeners' effort not to vomit. How come a child much younger then their age could suffer that kind of damage? The pain when Naruto receive them must be unbearable. Everyone was silent before Jiraiya break the silence… "What kind of burn you mean?"

Everyone remembered when Shizune said something about weird burns. "Well… the burn looks like it was burned by Chakra."

Everyone look confused. But Kakashi shook off all his confusion. His student safety comes first.

"But… is he… alive?"

"…Thank goodness you brought him here immediately Kakashi-san. Your first aid managed to pulse his heart. Right now, he's still alive, but barely. His pulse is still weak, but we tried the best we can to make him alive long enough. Tsunade-sama had used all life supporting machine and jutsu she knew on him. But his conditions are still uncertain…"

Everyone tensed up slightly.

Neji went deep into his thoughts. 'Naruto… what had happened to you? Last time I saw you, you were just fine back there, and now, you returned, barely escape death… Did Sasuke do this to you?' Neji gritted his teeth and his grip on his crouches tightened.

Tenten look worriedly at Neji. "Don't worry Neji." Neji look surprised at Tenten. "Remember who we referring to. We are referring to Naruto, the no 1 most unpredictable shinobi in Konoha… or perhaps in the world. No matter what happens, he will return to us all. I'm confident he will."

"Tenten…"

"Yes… Naruto once said to me… he will become a Hokage that will surpass all previous kages…" Iruka was wiping tears on his eyes. No. He has to be strong. If Naruto saw him now, he might go to scold him. "He already gives me his word… and… and…"

"…and Naruto never go back on his word." Hinata finished. She tightened her grip before continued. "…that's… his Nindo!"

"Yes… All we can do now… is to believe in him!" Neji finished. Faith evident in his words. 'Naruto… you can't die that easily can you? No… even if your death is inevitable you will continue to fight… you made your own destiny. Yes… even it means conquer death. Hang in there Naruto… we all believe in you!'

'Heh… gaki! You better get back soon. I've missed your 'ero-sannin' already!' Jiraiya tried his best to give a confident smile… though barely succeed.

Everyone watched the door in front of them like there's no tomorrow. What would be the fate of the boy who had changed them all will be decided by a flip of a door…

**---------------**

Next morning, in Konoha streets, 5 a.m.

Sakura was completely down. He had heard that most of the team that had come to Sasuke's rescue had returned. Yet he did not hear a single word about Sasuke.

"…Sasuke-kun…"

"Oi! Forehead-girl!"

"huh… Ino-pig? What do you want? I'm not in mood of dealing with you…"

"Nah… I just want to tell you… I heard from Shikamaru… he said mission failed."

"Mission… failed? Does that mean… Sasuke…!"

"Yeah…" Ino look down at this while frowning. "…they failed to get Sasuke-kun back…"

"No… He promised me… Naruto! He… HE PROMISED ME THAT HE WILL BRING BACK SASUKE KUN!" Tears appear in her eyes as she suddenly explodes. Taking Ino by surprise. 'No! Sasuke Kun… Naruto! Why… Why you lie to me… you said you'll bring him back!'

"…Sakura…" Ino was stunned. She never thought Sakura could be so emotional.

"WHERE? WHERE IS HE? WHERE'S UZUMAKI NARUTO?"

"…he's in hospital."

Without further question she ran straight to hospital.

"Sakura! Wait listen there's more!" 'Sakura…' Ino thought for a moment before ran after her pink haired friend.

'Naruto! Why? Why you lied to me? You promised you'll bring back Sasuke! Why?'

**---------------**

Meanwhile, in hospital, same time.

After waiting for whole night the door suddenly flip open, revealing, much to everyone's horror, a very depressed and sad Tsunade.

"Tsunade-sama… the operation…" Iruka was about to cry again. But hold it to his strength.

"Well, Naruto's condition is…" Before the Hokage could finish, a yell from outside the room took everyone by surprise.

"NARUTO!" the yell come from none other then Haruno Sakura.

"S…Sakura-san… p… please don't yell…"

"SHUT UP! WHERE'S NARUTO!"

"HARUNO SAKURA!" Tsunade now is completely mad that the girl not only interrupts her but also making a ruckus in the hospital like a madwoman.

Not taking care of the slightest, the pink haired girl continues to gone to her merry way. "NARUTO! SHOW YOUR FACE YOU LIAR!" She stomp right pass trough her Hokage without even saying sorry.

"SAKURA CALM DOWN!" Ino appear the next second, trying to calm her angered friend.

"HE HAD PROMISED TO ME AND HE BROKE IT! WHERE IS HE!" Sakura stomp to the door behind Tsunade and open it without the Godaime's permission.

"NARUTO! I KNOW YOU'RE IN HERE! GET…" Sakura was cut short when she saw what's in front of her.

Everyone, except Tsunade, had their eyes paled at the sight. The younger Genins tried their best not to vomit, while the older Jounins gone deathly pale. The females, except Sakura, who had her eyes widened and Tsunade who look down sadly, can't stand the sight anymore and turn their heads.

In front of them, completely bandaged in every part of his body including his face leaving only his left eye and his stomach visible is the one and only Uzumaki Naruto. The bandage had lots of kanji written in it. And he was hanged, upside down. A breathing mask is in his nose. Drips of blood, dripping from every part of his bandaged body, smears the ground around Naruto with pools of blood, his blood. If everyone did not see Naruto's blue eyes and a bit of his blond hair protruding from his bandages, they would have mistaken it by someone else. The burned skin that appear on top of his stomach and around his visible eye were the only hint on how badly burnt his body had. The scent of blood and burned flesh was evident in the air.

"…Na…Naruto…Kun?" Sakura was gaping.

"Nee… Sakura-chan…" Naruto's eyes curved weakly. But a slight curve in his bandages was the only proof that he was trying to smile.

Everyone was utterly shaken.

"…Naruto suffers a permanent disastrous damage on all his muscle. Several of his minor organs were burned down beyond help. Most of his bones are completely fractured. He had lost all capability to move. His nervous system is horribly damaged. He had lost all sense of touch, smell, and taste. He hasn't lost his hearing senses, but he could barely hear us now as his eardrums are nearly torn off. His right eyeball's stem was burned down, making it useless unless being somehow fixed. And his left eye had lost half of its sight capabilities."

"STOP IT!" Everyone look at Hinata who scream while crying and closing her ears. Not willing to hear more.

Tsunade too, unbeknownst to them were also crying inwardly. But she knows that truth is not better to be left untold.

"All in all… Naruto can never operate as a shinobi… ever again…" Tsunade closed her eyes. Not daring to see the look on the faces of her subordinates.

Iruka dropped on the floor. He was devastated. The moment he heard Tsunade's explanation he could no longer hold back his tears. He knows that as a Shinobi he must be strong… but this is just… too much. He was on floor crying his eyes out… 'Naruto… you have such a future in front you yesterday… Why… Why must fate to be so cruel to you! Kami-sama! Do you hate Naruto so much also that you treat him like the villagers who hate him so?'

Tenten was crying on Neji's shoulder. Neji was trying to hold back as he pats Tenten's hair. 'Naruto…'

Kakashi was devastated. He drops on his knees trembling. Kurenai comes to him trying to comfort him. Gai gave a pained look at his so-called arch enemy. Having a similar experience with this case, he too knows what it felt like.

Hinata was crying on the floor. Hiashi hugs her, trying to soothe her.

"Tsunade-sama… can you not do something?" Gai spoke.

"…I'm afraid not Gai. Unlike your student Lee, his wounds are permanent. And not only have it damaged his nervous system but also his inner organs and all. However there is a way to heal him…"

"How?" Jiraiya spat.

"Hold one sec, let me finish. There is a way to cure him, but that can only heal his inner organs. It might help him so far of making him a normal person. But! He can never operate as a shinobi ever again. But he'll still life… as long he had a normal non ninja life. But understand this: if he did it again, He. Will. Die. Mark my words everyone."

Iruka look down for a moment. Maybe… Yes. Maybe living a normal life is a lot better then living in such a devastated state. And it's less dangerous too.

"That brings us to the second problem." Tsunade looked pained more than ever.

"We got a lot of problems already right Tsunade Baa-san!" Naruto smiled behind his bandage. Everyone look at him like he's already crazy. "Like… could you put me in normal position?"

"No! I put you upside down so that the blood will flow through your brain. That way, it'll keep you awake! If I put you in normal position, you might faint or worse died. Omae wa baka darou!" Tsunade retorted in her 'professional way'.

Everyone can't help to smirk at the poor blond. 'A big joker till the vary end… even in the direst situation he could still make us laugh…' Jiraiya thought sadly.

'…that's Naruto for you… still joke around… ….even when in such condition… Naruto…' "…What's the problem…Tsunade-sama?" Kakashi spoke…

"…it's not that hard for me to fix a damaged inner organ. However, Naruto's body seemed to be kind of messed up. It's like no matter how much chakra we sent to him, the Chakra just… bounce back… I really don't know what to do about it until we finally gave up and mummified him like this. These bandages will prevent infection and decaying until we found a way."

"Naruto-Kun's body… rejects your Chakra, Tsunade Sama?" Hiashi asked. He's still hugging Hinata who continues to sob, dampening his kimono.

"I'm afraid so. I don't know what's wrong with his inner coil though…"

Hiashi brightened up at that moment. "Tsunade sama, why don't you just say so! We the Hyuugas could also use our Jyuunken (Gentle fist) to send your healing Chakra to his damaged organs right trough his inner coils."

"Hmm it's worth the try… Please then Hiashi sama."

"Right away… Byakuugan!"

What Hiashi saw terrified him to no end… 'Oh no… there goes our last hope to help you… Naruto-kun…'

He deactivates his Byakuugan and look more saddened than ever. This doesn't go unnoticed by the audience.

"Hiashi-sama? What happened?" Iruka look horrified… He doesn't like this one bit.

"I…I'm afraid I cannot help you… Naruto-kun…"

"W…Why father? W…What d-did you see?"

"Forgive me for my uselessness… Hokage sama…"

"F… Father?"

"Hinata… I'm sorry… p-please… don't look… I don't want you to see this…"

"W-What did you see? I'll check it myself! Byakuugan!" Hinata look a bit frustrated before veins appearing around her pearl eyes. She widened at what she saw. She deactivates her eyes before falling on her knees, crying. 'Kami-sama… Naruto… why must he suffers like this…?'

"Hinata-sama? What happened? Oh Kami-sama… Byakuugan!" Neji too activate his eyes and then he gets it. What he saw in Naruto's body is simply… nothing. Not even a coil in his fingers. The only one left is the coils around his stomach, his chest… and nothing else. He remembers when he can't see a thing is when Naruto activate his weird crimson chakra. But given to the condition Naruto currently in, he can't possibly summon that certain chakra; otherwise he will be healed completely… so given to all condition that can only mean one thing…

"He… lost all his ability to channel his chakra… and also had lost the ability of having the chakra channeled to his body as well… because…" Neji cringed at the sight. "…he had lost all his main inner chakra coils… The only coil left is the one on his heart, his lungs, and… his left eye and his throat… and that's it. We can't channel any chakra to those parts since all of them are completely isolated…" Neji started to shake in anger as a chorus of "WHAT?" filled the room. "Naruto… What… What that BASTARD Sasuke had done to you?" He was gritting his teeth in anger while his grip tightened as it threatens to nail his own palm.

Tsunade was loss… At this rate… preserving Naruto's body is futile… the only thing they can do to ease his pain and end it is to… kill… him. Everyone's mind also revolves on the same terrible idea as they silently cursing the Uchiha avenger for what he did to his supposedly comrade.

'Sasuke… I thought you were an honorable man… but to go this far by shattering Naruto-kun's life and dreams…' Hinata was angry amidst her sobs.

Sakura, notice the tension revolving around Sasuke immediately retaliate, "NO! Sasuke-kun couldn't have done such thing!" She was crying now.

**SLAP!**

None could've prepared her for that. She saw the one who just slapped her. It was one enraged Hyuuga Hinata, her teary Byakuugan active. "DON'T YOU DARE TO DEFEND HIM ANYMORE!" with a voice that shocks everyone that never thought that such a shy girl could have such a cold and loud voice. Even Hiashi was gaping.

Sakura, completely thunderstruck could only gape in silence.

"NARUTO HERE IS TRYING HIS BEST TO FULFILL HIS PROMISE TO YOU TILL HIS VARY LAST BREATH! YET YOU SCREAM AT HIM, CALLING HIM A LIAR, AND YOU DON'T GIVE A DAMN OF HIS WELL BEING WHILE HE CARED SO MUCH FOR YOU! ALL YOU COULD THINK OF IS YOUR PRECIOUS BASTARD SASUKE-KUN!"

"Hinata… Sama…" Neji looked wide eyed at the usually timid and shy girl is now screaming and cursing.

Hinata couldn't believe her eyes. In front of them all, Naruto, was completely destroyed, and all of them were saddened, while this girl, whom Naruto was so willingly to sacrifice his life and dream for her happiness, doesn't even thank him for trying and dying. "YOU SHOULD'VE BEEN ASHAMED OF YOURSELF! NARUTO SACRIFICED HIS DREAM OF BEING A HOKAGE BECAUSE OF YOU!" Hinata was still crying. But her fury defeats almost all her sense of rationality at the moment. She really had to fight an urge not to use her Jyuuken on Sakura. Sakura was trembling in her place while continuously sobbing. Sorrow and regret falls down to her with each and every cold words Hinata threw at her. "AND HERE I THOUGHT YOU WERE HIS TEAM-MATE!" That's the last straw. Sakura falls on the ground, crying in agony. 'That's right… Naruto is still my teammate… I should've cared for him too… yet I only care about Sasuke's well being… Naruto… I'm… I'm sorry…' She was trembling while crying her eyes out. This angered Hinata even more. "Just realize it? You should've thankful that one of your teammate survived. You. Selfish. BITCH!"

"…Hinata…" Everyone stop dead when they hear Naruto talking. It was so low, people could hardly hear it amidst the sobs and the yells from the two female in front of Naruto.

"N-Naruto?"

"Hinata… please stop yelling at Sakura-chan…"

"But…!" Hinata nearly retaliate before Sakura cuts her in.

"Naruto! I'm… SORRY! I'M… I'M SO SORRY… I SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT! I… I…" Sakura was kneeling in front of the upside down Naruto for forgiveness from his blond friend.

"Sakura-chan… please stop blaming yourself… in fact… it was me who should've ask for forgiveness…"

"W-What?"

"Sakura-chan… I'm sorry… I can't keep my promise to you… I've promised you that I will bring Sasuke back… yet I almost done a horrible thing… Sakura… I… I… nearly killed him… Sakura… I nearly killed Sasuke…"

"Naruto…"

"Serves him right." Neji snorted. Anger is still evident in his tone.

"No… You got me wrong Neji…" Naruto cough a bit.

"…Naruto… did… Sasuke did this to you?" Sakura tried to calm herself. She too wishes to know the truth. 'Kami… please don't let this to be true…'

"…No… Sasuke didn't do anything to me… heh, you should've seen it… he could barely touch me…" Naruto grinned behind his bandages. 'Heh… finally… I surpassed you… Sasuke-teme!'

Everyone was confused, especially Sakura. Although inwardly she thanked Kami-sama.

"…Then if not Sasuke… who?" Kakashi asked his dying student.

"…Sasuke couldn't even touch me… no it was not Sasuke… it's all… because of my own stupidity… I've inflicted the damage to myself…"

Everyone felt they're jaw dropped. Right, for one they know that Naruto could be a true moron sometimes. But foolish enough to make himself in near death state?

"Kind of lost here Naruto…" Jiraiya look at Naruto, who went silent, as if trying to figure out how he's going to explain this.

"…Have you guys heard about Kyuubi?"

"Kyuubi? Off course we have. The tale of a nine-tailed Fox Demon Overlord who attacked this village, 13 years ago… Said that at that time, Yondaime sacrifice his life to kill the beast. What it has to do with your injuries Naruto?" Neji looks more confused than ever. So does all the Genin in the room…Except all the Jounin and one Chuunin instructor, the Hyuuga head, the super pervert Sannin, and the Hokage. 'Naruto…'

"You got only half truth…" Naruto spoke again. 'Alas… I'm going to die anyway… might as well just to let them know…'

"Half truth?" Neji asked again.

"…Kyuubi didn't die… No, he was too powerful to be killed. Thus…Yondaime sealed him inside a new baby born…"

Neji's eyes widened. Being a genius he realize where this getting at. 'Na… Naruto… you mean… the baby…' "The baby… is… you?"

Every Genin gasped as their eyes went wide.

"…yes… I'm the baby Yondaime used to seal off the Kyuubi." 'That's right… maybe it's better this way… if I die… I will die with them hating me… therefore… they won't be sad if I die… one good thing you get when nobody in this world care for you right Haku-san?'

Everyone jaw dropped. They were too shocked to say anything.

But one Hokage still got something in her mind. "…then… Naruto… your injuries…"

"It is just like what Shizune-san had said… it was caused by Chakra burn… Kyuubi's chakra to be exact. During my battle with Sasuke, Kyuubi offered me his youki (Demon Energy)… He already said that my body has it limits… and shouldn't ask for more than I already had… I was a fool and I ask for more… ignoring his protest. But Sasuke had also gained a defiled power from that Orochimaru bastard. We had no choice… He said that I only had less than 2 minutes… and I'm well away off my limit back there… But I beat Sasuke with it and planned to take him to Konoha… until that Kabuto bastard appears…"

Here Naruto frown. If the bandage removed, they could see him gritting his teeth in anger. Sakura was crying again… 'Na… Naruto… you did keep your promise didn't you…'

"…I tried my best to stop him but the after effect kicking in… Then Gaara and Lee appear, along with Kakashi-sensei… Kabuto ran, along with Sasuke…"

Kakashi tightened his grip in anger.

Naruto looked at Sakura. "…Sakura-chan… Stop crying, please… I'm sorry I failed to bring Sasuke back… but it looks like I can never keep my promise anymore… I'm… sorry…"

"No… I'm the one to blame… I was too weak to stop Sasuke when I had the chance… I'm just a spoiled bitch who can only care for my own interest… I'm not even deserved to be called a Shinobi!" Sakura grab her own forehead protector and threw it on the ground.

"…Sakura… stop blaming yourself… one way or another… Sasuke will go… That curse seal had tampered his mind, true… I keep on asking to him… but… I don't know Sakura… He keeps saying and refusing to return… But I do know one thing… he too… feels bad… I… felt it… somehow…" Naruto cough again. Another drip of blood falls from his dampened bandage.

Hiashi was loss at words. 'Yondaime-sama… Is this the fate of the child you've entrusted with the power of the demon you've saved us from? Being hated by the villager who should've seen him as a hero and now, broken and dying with no means for him to even enjoy a normal life without the risk of dying? This is… too cruel…'

Neji's thought paralleled with Hiashi. 'Such… fate… such suffering…' Neji remember their conversation during the Chuunin exam.

Flashback

Naruto, completely bruised after being attacked with Hakke: Rokujuyonshou (Hakke: 64 hands) stood up with greatest effort.

"…There's no way… I'll lose… to someone who always whining about destiny…"

Neji smirked before scolding at him.

"Ignorant brat like you shouldn't be lecturing…"

The images of his father's last message repeated in his head. "People… are born with a destiny that they cannot oppose…" Veins appeared around his eyes as his Byakuugan went active again. "You can never understand what it's like to be burdened by a symbol that you can never get rid off!"

Naruto smirked matter-of-factly. "Heh… I can… So what's the big deal huh?"

End of flashback

'Naruto… you're more than just understand… you know and you felt what it's like… In fact… it is me who failed to understand you Naruto… the pain you receive… it's even far greater than the pain of the Hyuuga curse seal…' Neji silently crying, saddened by the fate of the one who had saved him from the darkness. 'Naruto… to think you could hold such burden all by yourself, and yet, now, with just one foot from the grave, a selfless being you still are…'

Tenten see her crush cry silently but she could understand why. She too starts crying. 'Naruto… you carry the demon that the whole village hates the most. Yet, instead thanking you… they pay no heed to you… scolding you… Naruto…' She remembers how Neji start to act after being defeated by Naruto. Ever since that day, Neji had become a lot less of an ice block he used to be. He opens up more, and befriended with many people despite his less carefree manner still exist, they're a lot less than before. Tenten, after knowing the cause of the sudden change of the Hyuuga cold demeanor is the said blond in front of him, start to pay some respect towards the master prankster. 'Yet… after all the things he did to us… he never expect anything back… and now… in the time where he needs our help, we can't do a thing about it… Naruto… I'm sorry… We all sorry…'

Tsunade too is crying. 'Naruto… if only anyone of us could do something to you… anything to ease your pain aside from killing you… you purposely told the others about the fact of what you are… knowing that you will die soon, you expect them to fear an hate you, so that when you die, none of us feel sad or anything… Naruto…'

The other Jounin instructors are deeply moved as well as they fully understood the reason behind Naruto's statement. 'Naruto… such a sad life you have… this village had done a great crime… they were blinded by the superiority of the bloodline limit… They fail to see that bloodline limit is not a qualification of a true ninja… they also fail… no, refused to realize… the village is about to lose the true successor of Konohagakure's spirit of fire… Naruto… even until his dream was crushed beyond repair… He still thinks about us… if only things were different… what a Hokage you will be…' Jiraiya silently wept.

Hinata was so sad her tears seem had flooded the floor. 'Naruto… You… were hated for that reason? I always watching you from distance, seeing everyone's look betrayed you... Naruto… You hold all the pain yourself…'

Naruto's visible eye look bewildered at the sight before him. Everyone was crying bitterly. "…guys…? Why are you crying?" He understands if Iruka, Tsunade or the older Jounins were crying or weeping… but he didn't expect the other Genins crying their eyes out as well.

"Off course we're crying you moron…" Ino spoke. Her lips trembling with sadness. "What would you expect us to do when we see our comrade in such state?"

'c… comrade?' "…me… a comrade?"

"A comrade... and a friend..." Neji spoke. He's trying his best to smile amidst all the tears… "Naruto… you've saved me from the darkness hell I went through and help me to get back up and stand tall against all odds…"

"Yet… after all the things you went through for us all… we didn't care about you a single bit…" everyone turned to see the remaining Genins and one Chuunin stand behind them. The Konohamaru corps are also in sight, along with Ebisu. All in tears.

"…guys…" Naruto was deeply moved inside and now shaking.

"How long you've been there?" Jiraiya spoke.

"Long enough to hear all the important points…" Shikamaru had a little tear escape his eyes.

"Naruto-nee-san… no matter what you are… you are still Naruto to us all…" Konohamaru exclaimed trying to hold his tears yet failed miserably. He yells as he broke into tears. "DON'T DIE LIKE THIS, NEE-SAN! OTHERWISE, WHO SHOULD I FIGHT FOR THE HOKAGE TITLE?"

"Konohamaru…" Tears appear in Naruto's visible eyes.

"Uzumaki Naruto." Gaara spoke. He's the only one who doesn't cry while his sibling silently wept, but sadness still evident in his voice. "You… cannot die now… Not when everyone that you know had finally acknowledged your existence… you must life… for the sake of your precious people."

"N-Naruto-kun… W-We all trust you. W-We always b-believe in you. Not K-Kyuubi! Ninetails is ninetails. N-Naruto is Naruto. Y-You're not the w-world destroyer demon that had killed thousands of people! Y-You are T-The proud dropout t-that we all know…" Hinata's lips trembling as it become really hard for her to even speak clearly amidst all her sobs.

"Hinata… Mina (everyone)…" Naruto was crying now. Naruto closed his eyes. More tears appear in his eyes. 'Arigatou… Arigatou gozaimasu… Mina…' Due to his position though, the tears went through his bandaged forehead dampened it. "A… Ah ha ha ha… look at this… now Tsunade baa-san had to replaces the bandage on my forehead…"

Tsunade smiled sadly at his little brother's antique. Tears still in her eyes, she kneels down beside him. "Omae wa Baka darou no Otoutou… (You are damned idiot brother!) That's your own tear there Naruto." Unceremoniously, Tsunade's tears fall on the bandages as well. "A.. Aha ha ha… now there's my tear also… Naruto? Naruto!"

She looked at her little brother. Naruto lose his consciousness…

Hinata screams. "NARUTOO!"

Meanwhile… inside Naruto's mind…

Naruto was standing on the corridor of his mind. No longer bandaged, but still intact with every part of his body. Unlike his actual condition. Heck, this is HIS mind after all. Everything here goes by HIS rule. Well, safe for a certain hell-bent-on-destruction youma. As usual, the place is wet… 'Why am I here?'

**OI! KIT! YOU THERE?**

The voice of the fox demon overlord boomed all over the chamber.

'Kyuubi?'

He walked through the gates of Kyuubi's cage. Stood there, is not a fox anymore… but rather… a man. A VERY HANDSOME DEVIL one.

Naruto was shocked to say the least. "Who… are you?"

"…It's me, Kyuubi."

Naruto's mouth went wide. The man had a long, straight though a bit disarrayed red hair from the top of his head down to his waist. Some of them are left astray on his chest, while some closing his forehead. He was wearing a red battle kimono with some short of… demonic crimson samurai armor on top of it. (Think of it as Kenshin's battle clothes, except this one is blood red all over, and has armor on top of it) The breast palate had engravings of a face of an Oni (demon), complete with its gold horns and fangs and al details. The shoulder protector had several spikes protruding from each plate while the kimono's sleeves were let lose, closing both of his arms. On his back, his hip, and his waist, there are nine swords. Two on his left hip, two on his right hip, two on each shoulder, and the longest one at his back (think on how Jiraiya usually carry his scroll). What surprised Naruto most was his face. His face appears to be no older than 18 or 19 years old. There's a pair of three whiskers on his face that resembles Naruto's but these ones are closer to his blood red slit eyes.

"Yo." He spoke calmly. Pretty different with the usual booming voice of Kyuubi.

"Holy… Shit…"

"Ku ku… surprised kit? I guess this is the first time you saw me in this form. Yes this is my human form."

"…hum… anyway… stupid fox, what do you want?"

"I was thinking about our agreement back there…"

"You mean about me releasing you? Don't worry, I'll ask Tsunade baa-san to burry me outside Konoha so that people won't panic…"

"I was thinking on that… but no. That's not the agreement I'm referring to at present."

"Nani?"

"Remember what I said to you during the battle with Sasuke?"

"…"

Seeing Naruto's look, he could say he's already forget. "Let me remind you…"

Flashes of his previous battle with Sasuke burst through his head in high speed. Then the words come in: Don't like it… …my way… New deal… Naruto drop on the floor, dizzied by the sudden entrance of memories.

"DAMN IT YOU STUPID FOX! Do you really have to do that?"

"Heh heh… I'm too lazy to repeat something I have done…"

"Stupid fur ball!"

"Numskull!"

"Fleabag!"

"Pineapple head!"

"Strawberry hair!" 'Ha! Beat that!' Naruto was smirking.

"Ramen glutton!" 'Your move brat' Kyuubi inwardly smirk. Enjoying the bickering he had with his host.

"Err… fire freak!"

'Lameeee!' Kyuubi thought but replied nonetheless. "Stupid Masochist!"

"Whatever! Just what do you want…Kyuubi?"

The youma made a little victory dance at the back of his mind before smirking. "Well, I was thinking to uphold a part of my bargain."

"The new deal thingy? What do you want from a half dead person like me?"

"Not much… just… let me alter your body."

"…What?"

"I want to change a bit of you to be… more like me."

"HELL no!"

"Considering your condition Naruto, I don't see any reason why you can't agree…"

"I have every right not to! What made you think that I will agree?"

"I thought a chance to see your friend's reaction after they know the true you are evident enough?"

"W… What?"

"One way or another Naruto, they will know. Your fear for what they will do to you was your only barrier to see the truth."

"…What truth?"

"That what they see… is not Kyuubi no Kitsune the demon overlord who could call upon a Tsunami with a sweep of his tail. What they see is a dumb brat, 1000 percent idiot, the one and only… Uzumaki Naruto."

"…What's your point?"

"I need to allay your fears before I could proceed in what I'm about to do to you. The alteration that I'm about to do to you will change your appearance a little. If someone founds it, you might need to explain it to them. This way, now they know what you are, and your fears had been proven to be untrue by their actions… right?" He smirked.

"…You KNOW I will tell them about you?"

"Fox are known to be the most cunning youma on the world kit. We're probably a better strategist than that lazy friend of yours. What I don't really like about you is your affection to others, but I guess it can't be helped. I had foreseen that you will tell them in order so that they will hate you. Thus, they won't be sad of your death, which, unfortunately, proved to be untrue. Otherwise, I could give you _more_ of myself… if you know what I mean… Heh heh heh…" Kyuubi smirking evilly.

"You wish. But why help me?"

"I know you're not a chicken hearted person that fears death brat. That's why I kind of like you. I like that guts of yours. Remember what I said before I mention the new deal thingy?"

"err…" Kyuubi prepared his mind flash again before Naruto blabbered. "Wait! Wait! I remember! You said something about you doesn't like things that don't go with your way or taste or something… What do you mean by that?"

'Honestly you need a memory training…' Kyuubi sigh before continued "What I mean there is I don't like things that goes unfair. If it's me to choose, I prefer a battle that is really worth my wile, a battle where no one will regret the result of the battle. Either one will hold a dire will of vengeance to another. I don't care. So long I get a good and satisfying battle that could really make me enjoy the pleasure of fighting."

"…that will be a very hard qualification for humans to fulfill, judging by your obviously high standards."

"Actually… there is this one mortal that had fulfilled that qualification. Too bad he died. But I respect him as one of the bravest warrior I've ever met. And if I could, I would love to fight him again."

"Who is this… person?"

"You mortals call him Konoha Yellow flash. Yes. He is the Yondaime Hokage."

"Well… he did BEAT you royally… by putting you inside me that is."

Kyuubi chuckled. "feh… I kind off regret it you know. He worried about his village so much. I can sense a great strength in him." 'And so does in you kit' "Yet he did not use it. If it's an all out attack where no other pests involved, I bet he will go all out as well and then..." Kyuubi grins. "…THEN we will have some fun."

"Ceh… dueling freak… Anyway back to the main topic. What kind of alteration you're going to do to me?"

"First thing first. We have to deal with that inner Chakra coil of yours. Get back to your friend and tell that slug woman to get ready."

"Slug woman? What do you mean?"

"You'll see kit. Off you go now." Kyuubi expelled a burst of his chakra which pushed Naruto back to his body.

"Whoa!" Tsunade who was crying for his little brother was greatly shocked when her brother suddenly yells.

"Naruto!" Half blinded by tears, Tsunade almost punched her brother, but hug him instead, which receive a loud groans of pain. "Ack! Baba-san! I'm still wounded here!"

"Oh gomenne, Naruto. What happened?"

"Do you know anyone who is nicknamed the Slug Woman?"

"Huh? What do you mean Naruto?"

Jiraiya, equally confused, look at Naruto, asking for explanation.

"Do you know anyone who is called the Slug Woman?"

"…I AM the slug woman." Tsunade look equally confused just like everyone else in that room.

"…Oh… You… don't look like a slug one bit…" Naruto look amused at the nickname.

Everyone sweat dropped at that. 'He can be a complete idiot sometimes…' the same thought came across every shinobi in the room.

"Though… you act like one." Naruto finished the sentence with a smirk behind his bandaged face.

"Naruto…" a vein appeared at Tsunade's face while she cracked her knuckle. "Give me one good reason before I smashed you out of your misery."

"I'll give you two. One, I'm testifying the truth."

"Not good enough. Rest in PIECES… Naruto kun." Tsunade gave him what seems to be her last smile.

"Secondly, I just talk to that Fox."

Tsunade raised arm stopped midair. Everyone's eyes went wide.

Sensing he got everyone's attention, the blond continue. "He said he can help me… and he needs YOUR help, Tsunade Baa-san."

**------------------**

**Meanwhile, on Konoha gates…**

"Halt! State your id and purpose." A ninja who's guarding the gate of Konoha stop a man that wears a cloak and a straw hat that cover his face. The cloak is colored in black, but had a cool large blue dragon ornament garmented on it. A diagonally gashed Konoha symbol could be seen on his hat.

"Ano… I'm just a humble nameless blacksmith who came here in seek for fortune."

"Blacksmith? Well we already have a weapon shop that sold various kinds of weapons..."

"Oh no, no. I don't make such thing like Kunai or Shuriken. No, I'm only interested in making and selling kitchen utensils such as chef knife, fork, spoon, etc."

"How do I know you're not lying?"

"You may search me if you want to… but… you might be interested to check this out."

The cloaked man pulled a chef knife, and gave it to the ninja on guard.

"Whoa… what's this?"

"That, young one is a chef knife that is specialized for cutting fishes and alike. Your wife often whining about her difficulty in cutting your favorite fish is she not?"

"Sigh… Yes. She often whining saying that her knife aren't sharp enough. Heck she even went so far of trying to use my katana!"

"Poor you. Well this knife is excelled and designed to be extremely flexibility so that it could cut those fishes with no problem at all. It's also stainless and guaranteed to last for the rest of your life. So you needn't worry if you have to buy another one… now may I come in?"

"Oh sure… by the way, how much this thing cost?"

"75 $." (I don't know the currency in Naruto's world so I just made it up)

"NANI? That's expensive!"

"For you young one, it's the cheapest I can give you. Every knife I made is made to perfection. Rest assured that the quality is really well worth the price."

"O… Okay."

"Arigato Gozaimasu. Good luck with those Red Carp fish sushi, Mr. Kizaki." The cloaked men moved pass the gate.

'Yuki will be pleased… Wait the minute… where did that guy know I like Red Carp Fish sushi? And how the hell did he know my name?' "Hey you!" The moment Kizaki turned around, the man had vanished.

'…Konohagakure… it's been truly awhile indeed…'

**-------------------**

(More than 10000 word… my poor fingers…)

Author Note:

Gomen, Gomen, action lovers. No action in this chapter. Heck you can't hope there always be action on every chapter right? It won't be a very good story. Either way… this chapter is some short off my experiment on a **very** sad and depressed emotional situation. Not just like before, but 100 percent sad. Give me your reviews! Praise or building critics are more than welcome.

Well although the event on Naruto bickering with human Kyuubi is quite… hilarious… But I'm short on prank names… Anybody got more? It'll be nice to see Kyuubi get a LOT of prank names as well…

Kyuubi: When this story's over, remind me to kill you.

AJ-writer: Gomen! Gomenasai Kyuubi-sama!

Anyway… I need your opinion on the following matter:

Suppose you were asked to make a three man team which members are taken from our existing Genin teams, what team you would prefer? Remember, the team must consist of Konoha Genins. Here are the handicaps:

Our blond hero must be on the team.

The team may only consist of Genin so Shikamaru is out of the picture (since he's a Chuunin already).

Each of the last two members must come from a different team. (Kakashi's team is out since there's already Naruto, so that leaves with: Asuma, Kurenai and Gai's team.)

I've plan for some team but the idea just don't really mix… any ideas? Just asking.

2ndly… the first question in chapter 1 is still on! Who should I pair Naruto with? I will continue to repeat this question until… say… probably the 4th or 5th chapter, depending on the reviews.

And FINALLY, do any of you know any good website where we can get a good English Japanese translation?


	3. Of Youma and Blacksmith

I'm SOOO HAPPY! First I'd like to give MANY THANKS to **Surrarin and Ghandarah **for telling me a very good English Japanese Translators. Hontouni Arigato Gozaimasu! Thanks to them, now I can give much better Japanese names for new jutsus that will show up. Thank you very much once again.

2ndly, I just watch the Final Fantasy Advent Children. I can only say:

FINAL FANTASY ROCKS ON! OH HELL YEAH!

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": in Naruto's case, him in berserker mode. However, I will use this format for other purpose when it's necessary.**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA: Kyuubi demon form speech**

Disclaimer: The chance of me having Naruto and Gundam SEED is like the chance of Orochimaru atone his sins and giving flowers to orphans while wearing a cloth written: "Watashi wa no baka" (I'm an idiot)… which will never happen.

And without further delay, here's the 3rd chapter!

------------

Chapter 3:

Of Youma and Blacksmith

It has been three weeks passed ever since the failed attempt on retrieving Uchiha Sasuke, everyone back to their daily training.

Nara Shikamaru had taken the accident on his first mission by heart. Although still look like the usual lazy bum he is, his parent had reported to his Jounin instructor that the shadow user is often found with books of battle strategies and history. Apparently studying them (though his mother suspects him to be sleeping behind piles of book he had borrowed from Konoha Library), in an attempt to suck more and more information regarding battle strategies as a way of becoming a top-notch strategist. In his spare time, he often had a shogi match with his father (with various handicaps) or with Temari of the sand.

Akamichi Chouji gained his weight back within a single-lunch time. However, he's no longer become a 'last meal' glutton he used to be, and often used his spare time training with his father or with Asuma (while constantly having 'small' snacks, which is ten jumbo bags of chips per snack session).

Yamanaka Ino had decided to go serious about being a kunoichi. The loss of her crush motivates her enough and she began training a lot more often and took a less care on her looks than before. She focuses more on developing her family jutsu.

After nearly lost his pet, Akamaru, Inuzuka Kiba swore to become a much more useful master for his pet. He trained by himself in his family jutsu while Akamaru still unable to train with him due to its injuries. Once Akamaru healed, Kiba began to train even more extensively. Following his master's example, Akamaru trained with his seniors, Kuromaru and the other Family Ninkens. Kiba also study a bit of pet medical jutsu. Although he's not a vet type like his sister, he managed learn several first aid jutsu.

Shino, who returned later after returning from a mission with his father, were given a 'brief' (or in Kiba's term: blow by blow) explanation. Therefore, he was well aware of Naruto's… specialty and current condition.

Hinata, after seeing what had happened to her crush demands more and more training from both her sensei Kurenai and her father. Apparently, what had happened to the said blond had motivated her enough as she became more determined than ever to become stronger. Hinata had tried her best to pull away her shyness and put aside her habit of stuttering. Surprisingly enough, she progressed rapidly to a level that, according to Neji himself, is even on par with him. This means she could easily beat her little sister Hanabi. However, Hinata still cannot set aside her tendency to hold back. Thus, it appears that she was on equal strength with her sister, much to Hyuuga Hiashi's satisfaction at the moment, and Hanabi's dismay at that.

Rock Lee was, in his way of saying, 'deeply moved' by the outcome of the mission. He began applying his sensei's 'self imposed' rule with the handicap is increased tenfold for every single thing he do (example: if he can't finish tooth brushing in 10 seconds he will have pushup on one hand with his fore finger 1000 times). He put more weights in every place possible including his headband. He even starts using orange (he insists that the color choice is in honor of Naruto-Kun!) jacket on top of his green spandex. The jacket itself had weights on. He clearly intends to become the Taijutsu experts.

Tenten had decided to start studying more and more about weapons. She even starts modifying some of her weapons to her own customization. Aside from being a weapon expert, she began to learn several Nin, Gen, and Taijutsu to help her on mission. She also began to learn several elemental ninjutsu that could make her weapons more destructive than usual. One example in which she had succeeded is the combination of her special Fuuma shuriken and Katon: Housenka no jutsu (fire element, mythical fire flower) where she could make all blades in her Fuuma shuriken are covered in fire, creating a much more 'nasty' damage to its target. When it comes to Taijutsu, she took a leaf out of Lee's book by start using weights on her arms and legs, though not as extreme as Lee.

Neji, having just recovered from hospital were told not to train for the first two weeks he got out of the hospital. Grunting, he spends the rest of his first two weeks by teaching the basic of Hyuuga Hakessho Kaiten (heavenly spin) to Hinata. Much to his pleasure, Hinata absorbed everything quickly, and on the first week managed to create a simple and hollow sphere. Neji had suggested his cousin to start using weights in order to increase her stamina. Then on the end of the second week, Neji was cleared to do any kinds of training, and he began to put weights as well, and start teaching Hinata the Hakessho Rokujuyonshou (Hakke: 64 hands). He himself continues to train with either Hiashi with his Jyuuken, or with Tenten, which he grew fond of, with his Kaiten (in which Tenten enjoyed as well, since she could be with her love while training and testing her modified weapons).

Team 7, the most devastated team among the four, is considered to be disbanded with one is incapacitated at the moment while the other went missing, resulting in the last remaining member, Haruno Sakura, to be suspended from any mission for a while until further decision is made.

**-------------------**

The Godaime took a long sigh after handling another stack of paperwork, which seemingly keep coming and coming.

She remembers that once, she was so frustrated with the continuously coming paperwork that she put a sign on her door saying: "No paperwork through this door for the next 10 minutes, please." Tsunade smiled at that memory. She remember that one of her men 'What was his name? Kotetsu or something?' tried to send the paperwork via the window. That was enough for the poor Jounin to earn a good punch that send him straight through a wall. She was forced to change the sign with: "NO PAPERWORK FOR THE NEXT **20** MINUTES FROM **_ANYWHERE_**. **DISOBEDIENCE IS PUNISHABLE BY INSTANT _EXECUTION!_**" Luckily, her assistant Shizune managed to calm her down and she was ready to face another wave of overwhelming paperwork 10 minutes later.

However, overwhelming number of paperwork is not her reason of frustration at present.

No. Her frustration right now revolves around a certain blond haired Shinobi. She remembered three weeks ago when she made that 'bet'.

Flashback:

"MY help? What the hell do you mean Naruto?"

"I spoke to that fox; he said that he's going to help me. But he needs YOUR help Tsunade baa-san."

"How did you know that fox is going to help you?" Jiraiya didn't trust the demon one bit. So does everyone in the room.

"Well…" Naruto had a problem on telling them about the new deal the fox wish to make with him. Then the Youma spoke to him in his mind.

"**Hei kit. Listen. I'll spoke to them. Act as my mouth and say what I'm saying to you. Got it?"**

"Err… the fox said that he's going to speak to you all guys. The next word I'm going to say will be his words."

"…Speak up." Tsunade tried to calm down, though obviously she's still twitching.

(I'll make the word bold here, since this is Kyuubi's word.)

"**Yo! Namekuji obaa-san! (Slug Granny!)"**

"Don't you dare call me that, demon, my brother and my friends are the only one who can call me that."

"**Whatever. Anyway, just like the kit said. I can help him. But… err… damn, it kills me to say this…"**

"Well?" Tsunade's voice was dangerously low.

"**Well… I need… your…cooperation… …on this." ** The fox demon lord seems refrain from saying the word 'help'.

"Why should I believe in anything you're going to say?"

"**Ku ku ku… This kit said the same thing when I offer him my Youki."**

"In another words, YOU'RE the one who's responsible for the predicament Naruto's in now!" Neji exclaimed with full rage. "How can we know that you're not going to make what had already happened to him worsened?"

"…**I admit… it is my mistake…"**

Neji was slightly taken back. A demon, not just any demon, but Kyuubi the Fox Demon Overlord admitting HIS mistakes? Is he dreaming now?

"…**for lending my power… to a sheer dumb brat… who simply receives anything I gave him without much of a thought…" **"HEY!"(Naruto)

Some dream.

"Then again, I don't know if it's okay if we leave Naruto under a care of a demon like you Kyuubi. You haven't given us good reason to trust you." Jiraiya spoke this time.

"**And this comes from the porn obsessed old geezer who gives the kit the idea of blackmailing me for my chakra. Feh. Big deal. I suppose you will suggest him to become another suupa ero chikan (super porno pervert) like you, hentai jiji (Abnormal Grandpa)?"**

That shut the Sannin's off for a while. Being called ero-sannin (Porn sage) by the said blond was horrible enough, Kyuubi, with his own tone, make it about 100 times worse. **'He he… one down…' **Sadist bastard indeed.

"Naruto's wound is out of our help. What could you possibly do to him now?" Hiashi spoke.

"**Correction, little human. The kit's wound is out of HUMAN'S help. Not demon's. Plus, just like your nephew said. No chakra can be channeled from outside, but it doesn't mean that it can't be channeled from INSIDE."**

"Off course… from inside… that way we can heal Naruto's inner organs… but… that means you can only heal his Heart and lungs…" Neji frowns.

"**Some genius you are… to pick it up now. But don't underestimate my power, little human. I can do much better than that… Remember when you sealed off his tenketsu? Who do you think who opens them?"**

"So it WAS you weren't it?"

"**Hyuugas are truly annoying… Their eyes can do nothing but disturbing one's privacy."**

"Don't disrespect us Demon!" A hint of annoyance is evident in Hiashi's voice.

"**Look who's talking you hypocrite. You keep seeing us as an abomination, an entity that does not deserve to exist. You disrespect us as a lowly being. Who are you to determine what we are from our birth? That kind of thinking is as ridiculous as your outrageous Hyuuga division system!"**

"Wha…" Hiashi was cut short by the next sentence.

"**Ruthless and bloodlust we are, we're still fair with our younglings. All our children are equal. They don't care who's their older or younger brothers or sisters. They are born with a will to become strong on their own. Who's born first, who's born second… We don't give a damn. As long as they become powerful and mature to fend for themselves, we'll see them as our child."**

"…"

"**You, on the other hand, fear something that is without any rational reason whatsoever. Bloodlines can't be copied. You determine one's destiny by the time of birth in just mere difference of a few seconds for a fear that is unjustified."**

"I know it is wrong… I've been trying to stop that tradition for a long time."

"**Yet you continue with that tradition, which result in the loss of your brother! Am I wrong?"**

"DON'T YOU DARE TO SPEAK OF MY BROTHER DEMON!" Hiashi's Byakuugan goes active. His hand prepare into Jyuuken style.

"**What's the problem of me pointing the dysfunctionality of your family, Human?"**

"Why you…" Neji had to grab his uncle to refrain him from inflicting damage to Naruto and hastily tried to calm him down. "YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO JUDGE MY CLAN!"

"**Don't lecture me on what I can and cannot do human! You Hyuugas are NOTHING without your eyes! Admit it! Your clan's Curse Seal tradition is a testimony of your clan stupidity on desperately trying to justify themselves on something that is not worth the price and without meaning or any rational purpose! Now SHUT.THE.HELL.UP!"**

"!..." Hiashi stop struggling. He was at loss at words. He had to admit. The demon HAS a point. His clan had been trying to prove their definite superiority, but for an unworthy price. Neji is a living proof of it. A genius, yet born from a branch Family just because his father is one. Showing that in the end, the curse seal is unable to filter the true successor of the Hyuuga clan, but he still mad at the fox nonetheless. This doesn't go unnoticed by the fox youma.

'**Heh heh… Kyuubi: 2, group of brats and old geezers: big zero… How sweet… ku ku ku…' **Kyuubi was mighty satisfied by this.

Meanwhile Naruto spoke to the fox on his belly. "Oi, Kitsune Darou (Damn Fox)! We need their help right? Try not to upset them would you?

**CHE. SURE I WILL. IF THEY STOP DO THAT TO ME AS WELL.**

"Do what?"

**LOOKING AT ME AS IF A SINGLE FLICK OF AN UPSIDE DOWN DYING DUMBASS' EYE COULD KILL THOUSANDS.**

"Well it can't be helped really… It was YOU who's speaking here… I'm just the medium… SO DON'T PULL ME INTO YOUR FUCKIN' GAME! DAMN IT!"

"WHAT exactly you're going to do to Naruto, Youma?" Kakashi is getting a little bit impatient. As much as they dislike the Hyuuga's division system, now is not the time to discuss this.

"**What I'm going to do… is to create a new inner coil system in his body. At present, the kit is still alive because of ME. Normally, when a person loses more than half of his inner coil system, the person will die. But I managed to safe his important inner coils by strengthening them using a bit of my chakra, which involves several important organs that are necessary for him to live. In this case, it's his heart and lungs."**

"…Continue please." Tsunade spoke in her professional tone.

"**In order to heal him completely, I have to use my chakra to reconstruct his cell by speeding up its regeneration process. Basically, it nearly the same like your Regeneration jutsu, old hag."**

"If you could do it, why not do it yourself then? Why an almighty demon like you needs my help?" Tsunade retorted back, too tired to yell on the use of the forbidden word.

"**Because when I do this, Naruto will be in the most vulnerable condition for some time, puny human. It won't please me one bit when some worthless scum came and kill us both. So I NEED you, first of all, to ensure some protection to our body when the process takes place."**

"Can we speak about this without the puny human or worthless or any words alike? We had a lot of problem here."

"**Then stop calling me demon. Even world conquering demon has a name you know."**

"…What should we call you?"

"…**Call me Kyuusei (Sudden Death)."**

"Kyuusei? Tsunade gulped at the name.

"**Yes. Like the Ichibi (One tail), Sabaku no Shukaku, I too have a name, and my name is Idzuna (Fox spirit) Kyuusei."**

"Ok… Kyuusei… first of, what do you need me for?"

"**I need you too write some seals for me. I will tell you all the required seals in order to put this kit under suspended animation and then…"**

"UNDER WHAT?" Tsunade stared at Naruto as if that was the most absurd thing she ever heard.

"…**Under suspended animation. Meaning, making the patient in a condition that is resemble to being dead, but the truth is they're still alive."**

"TO HELL WITH YOUR REQUEST! I'm a medic Nin off course I know what it means you asshole! Do you know why I put Naruto in upside down position? That's because I don't want him to lose conscious! Do you know how hard it was to bring Naruto back from coma? And now you're asking to put him back to square one?"

"**And you need him awake… because?"**

"Honestly you don't understand about medical treatment aren't you? If one to fall asleep when severely injured like this, their heart rate decrease since their brain will slows it work. A condition like this could cause the brain of the patient to stop working due to lack of blood and the patient will die!"

"**I know what it's like when my brain stops working, literally, thank you very much. I have suffered injuries far more devastating than this, time and again, eons ago during my days as young kittling. No need to remind me about what is brain damage okay?"**

"Your body and Naruto's body is different!"

"**All the more reason why you should shut up and listen to a being that had been through more hardship than any of you in this room. You think losing more than half of my inner coil system is a new thing for me? I've planned to create a new set of inner coil system, based upon youma's system, to be implemented on the kit."**

"But…"

"**The moment your Yondaime sealed me in this kit, his body self adapt its inner coil system to meet the specification of my Youki, making it compatible with my chakra. That's the reason why this boy had several fox traits. Say, his whiskers… and his prankster behavior which I like the most… …since you humans are his constant victims… Ku ku ku..." **Kyuusei chuckled sadistically as everyone deathglared at Naruto, who sweat dropped at that. **'Oh yeah… I love seeing them ALL mad… Another point for me… Heh heh…' **Kyuusei inwardly rolled in laughter at the back of his head.

'Damn you stupid fox. DAMN YOU TO HELL!' Naruto cursed loudly in his mind.

**BEEN THERE KIT… KU KU KU…**

"ANYWAY… How are you going to create the new inner coil system?" Shizune ask this time.

"**I told you that the process will be the same like your sensei's regeneration jutsu. However, since the process is going to be long, I need his body in half dead state."**

"Since when during that time, the brain will work less… and the cell in Naruto's body will be less functional… making it easier for you to alter it." Tsunade concluded.

"**Correct. Finally you catch my drift."**

"But that's absurd! When the regeneration is speed up it will cause his cell reproduction rate to increase tenfold. That, and given to his current body condition, you'll shorten his lifespan!" Shizune spat again.

"**Could you PLEASE, shut up and let me finish my explanation? Stupid fussy girl! Back to the point where Ms. Wonder breast here cut me off…" **

If looks can kill, Naruto would be dead by now by the intense deathglare from a certain female Sannin. "Kyuubi… I'm WARNING you… one more insult and…" Tsunade cracked her knuckle.

"…**Like I said, I need you to write the seal I'm going to tell you. The seal function is not only to put him under suspended animation but also to put in him on cryopreserved state."**

"Cryo… what?" Tsunade soon forgot all her temper. Being a medic Nin, she'll be interested in learning any method of healing she could understand. Shizune, suddenly interested, took notes on her book.

"**Cryopreserved state is a state in which the patient is put under an extremely low temperature. So low, that it will freeze all cell functions and systems. At this rate, the only thing work is his brain, heart and lungs."**

"So basically, it's still the same with suspended animation?"

"**Yes. In a matter of speaking, the process will turn this kit into a huge ice block, which I could refer to as the kit is under cryonics process."**

"How is it going to help Naruto? Can you not heal him in the state he's in just right away?" Sakura asked this time.

"**Well miss fussy girl here had already answered that, little one. If I just speed up the process like that, the kit's lifespan will be shortened. In fact, I doubt he had enough lifespan to spare until all his wound had vanished. When one is put into a cryopreserved state, their time stops. All cell function stops completely. Therefore, that person won't age a bit when in such state."**

"**The seals I will tell you will make the kit to be put under suspended animation. When he's freeze, the body cells won't get out cold completely… but rather… in a semi dormant state, making it possible for me to heal his entire wound by my chakra."**

"**If I concentrate my chakra on one point, I can pulse the cell's chain chemical reaction, making them active for a moment, and alter them the way I please. Also, inner coil regeneration is an extremely painful process. When in cryopreserved state, the kit's senses are completely shut down. Therefore he will not feel any pain."**

Tsunade was more than impressed. She never knew such method existed. And so does everyone in the room. Indeed, having eons old demon fox does have its uses.

"**HOWEVER, the process can only heal his inner organs, vital systems such as respiration and transportation, and of course all his five senses. His muscle function and other nervous systems however, will need outside's help."**

"Once the new inner coils established, we can heal almost every kind of wounds." Tsunade continued.

"**No. I'm not talking about physical injuries. I'm talking about inner body function such as nervous system, and muscle movements. As you said, his body is incredibly different with mine. Could you handle that, Namekuji obaa-san?"**

"I guess I could… How long this… cryonics process will be?"

"**Judging by his wounds and all… I'd say 6 weeks. Remember to put his muscle system on simple restraints as well after the process is complete. After 6 weeks, his muscle will become somewhat weak after not being used for quite a long period. But after that… he'll be as good as new."**

Everyone looks brightened a great deal. Iruka gave a huge sigh of relief. A big warm smile plastered in his face. So does everyone else. Jiraiya, however, still skeptical.

"Why?"

"**?"**

"Why you help him?"

Everyone, except Tsunade, look at Jiraiya as if he's already crazy.

"**Why? You don't like it because I'm the only one here that can do something?"**

"I want Naruto to be alive and well as much as everyone does. But it's still hard for me to believe that the demon that was locked inside a child for 13 years is willing to help his jailor that easily. What exactly you want Idzuna Kyuusei? What it's going to give you?"

"…"

Everyone went silent at this. True, Kyuubi has been locked inside the boy in front of them for 13 years. What make the demon overlord was so keen on helping Naruto after all those years?

"…" Kyuusei still silent

"…Kyuubi?" Naruto asked.

"…**understand this. I do this on my own reasoning whether you like it or not. My benefits are… off your concern."**

"Anything concerning Naruto, concerns me."

"…**How 'bout if I say because he's an Uzumaki?"**

Jiraiya was quiet after that. Everyone look confused by this. However their thought was cut short when Naruto spoke another of Kyuusei's message.

"**Anyway, we'll start the operation immediately. Namekuji obaa-san, could please bring lots of ink and papers?"**

"…Right away. Shizune, Iruka, come with me. I'm going to need some help."

Before Iruka leaves he looks at Naruto again. "…could you really safe him?" Iruka addressing Kyuusei.

"…**yes."**

"…you've killed my parents Kyuubi no Kitsune…" everyone gasped at that.

"…"

"Naruto is my only family left… he's… He's my son. Try anything funny, demon or no demon…I'll kill you. You heard that?"

Naruto silently wept in happiness when he heard that statement. Everyone was also moved by the bold statement. Then suddenly, Kyuusei's message flowed from Naruto's mouth again.

"**According to the kit's memory, you're an Umino?"**

"…yes… …My full name is Umino Iruka…"

The next message surprised everyone. **"Your parents are no fun, Umino Iruka."**

Everyone look at Naruto's belly angrily. Kakashi look at Iruka's reaction and then glared at Naruto's belly also. Naruto too glared at the fox's sealing place.

Iruka was silent.

"…**nevertheless… they are brave mortals… stood in front of me till the very end… Rather than ran and save their own hide like others do, they continue to stand bravely on front line until your Yondaime Hokage came."**

To say that everyone wasn't shocked was an understatement. The next message leaves their jaw on the ground. **"If you are to kill me, then I expect that your parents' traits are passed on to you, Umino Iruka. And prepare to die upright, stand tall and brave… Yes… just like your parent did."**

Iruka smiled slightly. "…yes…"

"…**I have your word?"**

Iruka let a single tear fall. "…yes… and I assure you that I don't go back on my words also…"

"…**I'll hold on to it then…" **

Everyone was at loss of words. To think such words could come from a demon… Right there, they could've sworn that they start to grow a little, A VERY LITTLE respect to the youma.

Tsunade smiled before speaks again breaking everyone from their trance. "Iruka-san, Shizune… hurry up. The faster it's done the better."

The trio soon returns with LOTS of ink, bandages and papers.

"**Remember Namekuji Baa-san, the writing of the kanji is extremely unforgiving, not even a hairline mistake is allowed. You must listen to EXACTLY what I told you to write. Oh, and before I forgot, pour the EXACT SAME AMOUNT of Chakra into every LINE and every DETAIL of Kanji you wrote. Just a little bit would do. But one wrong move and the process could go completely wrong. Demon's healing method is effective, but, alas, it requires an extremely strict rule and regulation as well. Ready?" **

"Hai! How many seals are there?"

"**There are 108 different seals with 64 different types of variation of order; the seals also include 8 Demon's kanji."**

"NANI? And not even a hairline mistake allowed?"

"**Told you it won't be easy."**

"This gonna be long indeed… Naruto are you sure about this?"

"…No."

"…Naruto I swear I will not make a mistake." Tsunade look at her little brother with concern.

"…Tsunade Baa-san, is this your bad-day?"

"…What kind of question is that?"

"Just answer my question."

"Well let see… I haven't sleep since yesterday morning, dealing with three emergency patients all at once; one of them was my stupid brother, which I have to announce that he was unable to become shinobi forever; than I was forced to work together with a sarcastic legendary demon; and now, I HAVE TO WRITE 108 FREAKING DIFFERENT SEALS!"

"**Correction. 108 different seals with 64 bandages with different variation of order. That makes the grand total of 6912 seals to draw."**

"…all in all, my dear brother… YES this is a VERY BAD DAY for me."

Everyone sweat dropped at that.

"…Then bet it." Everyone went jaw-dropped.

"…What?"

"I've heard that you'll win all short off bet when you're in bad mood. Then bet that I will survive this operation. If you win, I'll live, and I owe you lunches for three weeks. If you lose… well… you'll take care of Konoha for me okay?"

"…Stupid brother… okay… I'll take that bet than…" Tears threaten to fall again before…

"**Oh for Enma's (demon king) sake! Not another tear-fest? Hurry up would 'ya? We ain't got all day!"**

Flashback ends.

Tsunade gave a very long sigh after that. Due to the preparation for the so-called operation, the poor Sannin continuously wrote the seals for 2 consecutive days. Finally, when all 64 kanji encrypted bandages is ready, came the most disturbing task. Removing the bandages from Naruto's scorched body, and putting his body back to its normal position. Off course, the other Genins helped. But they really have to fight an urge to cry or to vomit when they saw his wounds. After the last bandage (the 64th variation bandage) had been put, Kyuusei gave the instruction of the 8 demon seals which is required to activate the entire set of seals. After putting several demon sealing papers, they were asked to leave the room. Tsunade then are to activate and redo the 8 demon seal outside the room. She had no idea what happened inside, but when she's done, the entrance door to the Naruto's room were blocked in ice, with a kanji of Fuuin (seal) glowing on it.

The Godaime than issued an order to put a specially sealed metallic door in front of the room. And no one and ABSOLUTELY NO ONE may try to enter that room in any way possible. Disobedience will be seriously punished. There are some Leaf shinobi who knows about the said blond's condition. Thinking that it's the best time to get rid off their village from the demon child, they took the matters into their own hands. They broke trough the hospital, only to meet with a VERY PISSED Hatake Kakashi and Umino Iruka, who taught them the new definition of pain and suffering. The shinobis suffering haven't end yet, as they have to explain their actions to an EXTREMELY PISSED Tsunade. One of the shinobi tried to reason by saying that it's better for the village to have the demon child exterminated. The next second, the jerk met up with Tsunade's fist and sent through several walls and went into coma. The rest of them still have to be introduced with the final hell: a hellish punishment from the INCREDIBLY PISSED Jiraiya. Nobody dares to question Tsunade's decision regarding to the so called demon child anymore.

The sand siblings decide to stay for a while until Naruto's awake. They say that Gaara has some other errands to do in this village. But everybody knew what errands he meant. It is to protect Naruto from any possible attack. The thought of someone like Gaara whose habit is never sleeps thus makes him a perfect guardian of the 'Uzumaki's Frozen Throne room' (The Konohamaru corps and Maito Gai is the one who came up with the name) was more than enough to keep everyone quiet.

Today, the Godaime just checks her lottery only to find she won. Again. Big time. 'This is the first time in my life I thank Kami-sama that I have a prolonged bad day.' Tsunade finally decided to have a walk to let all the stress go.

On the way she met with Shikamaru, who was carrying a shogi board, and several thick books. "Ah! Tsunade-sama!"

"Shikamaru, can I help you?"

"Yes. I was thinking… can I ask you a question?"

"What is it?"

"That mission about that Sasuke. For the level and the difficulties of the mission… aren't we supposed to be assigned together with a medic ninja?"

"I understand what you were saying. I propose the same thing a long time ago when I'm still a jounin. However… it's not that easy to train a medic nin."

"?"

"A medical nin requires a greater amount of skills and training than a normal battle purpose shinobi. A medical Nin requires a vast knowledge of specialized jutsu. Their control and accuracy must also be refined to perfection. They're expected to be absolutely perfect in conducting any kinds of medical operation. One proof here is this: remember Naruto's operation? I tried to implement it to an experimental fish."

"That's pretty troublesome…What happened?"

"It's just like what the Kyuubi said. Not even a hairline mistake is allowed. I purposely made a very minor mistake and the result is disastrous. The fish died of hypothermia soon after."

Shikamaru gulp at that. 'Imagine if it happens to Naruto.'

Seeing the look on Shikamaru's face, Tsunade smiled before continuing. "I assure you, I've check, recheck and redo the checkup all over it again and again when I'm doing Naruto's seal bandages."

"A medic Nin is hard to train, but their existence in battlefield can be very crucial. They have detailed information on the structure of a human on every organ, from the outer skin down to the bone core. In a way, they can become a lifesaver, but in some time, some people can say they'd make a perfect killer. Sometimes they even feared more than an average shinobi."

"…"

"I know I should've got you guys some medical ninja back there. But we're short on people with good qualification of a good medical ninja these days…" Tsunade sigh. "Anyway, I have to go now. Oh and it looks like your girlfriend's waiting." Tsunade smirked when she saw a pig tailed blond girl carrying a large fan coming their way.

"She's NOT my girlfriend." The shadow tactician grumbled.

Tsunade smiled simply before disappearing in a puff, leaving the lazy bum with another handicapped Shogi match with the fan user. Unbeknownst to them, a certain pink haired kunoichi had listened to everything they've said before leaving towards the Hospital.

**---------------**

'I wonder how Tenten's doing.'

That was the last thought of one Hyuuga Neji before he set out to his friend's weapon shop. Being a weapon mistress, the said girl's family owns their own weapon shop. However, these days, Tenten have been interested in making her own customized weapon.

'The last experimental weapon she made was indeed a pain in the ass…'

The last weapon Tenten had created was a spread bomber. A combination of a flash bang grenade, in which Tenten replaced the firework powder with a cannon's black powder, while the surface of the larger explosive ball are embedded with a dozen kunai. Each Kunai have a summoning paper on it that will summon another hordes of kunai and fuuma Shuriken. Some Kunai and the Fuuma Shuriken had one of her own customized explosion tag on it, which will explode at different time while devastating the entire area around them. He had to use Kaiten again and again to avoid the continuous explosion. Finally, can't stand it anymore, Neji fainted due to exhaustion and dizziness. When he woke up, the first image he saw was crying Tenten's worried face. After patiently answering "I'm okay." for the umpteenth time, Tenten also came up with a conclusion: "I promise I won't make that again."

However, that day was indeed an important point for Tenten. Since for the first time ever, she, the weapon mistress of her team, had out bested the Hyuuga prodigy. In the commemoration of the event, Tenten treat all her teammates to a dinner. Tenten also created one more of her "Tenten's M-79 Fragmental bomb: the Hyuuga Buster", as what she named it, in memory of her victory that day. She put it on top of her room. The so called Hyuuga Buster still sent chills to the Hyuuga prodigy when he looks at it.

'I hope her next experiment will be less… explosive…' The Hyuuga gulped at the thought of his female teammate become obsessed with explosions just because she wants to defeat him.

He walks around the street, seemingly aimless, when he came across the said female friend.

"Neji! What're doing here?"

"…nothing in particular…" 'Actually, I was looking for you.'

"…well… if you are not doing anything…"

Neji inwardly tensed slightly, but not showing it.

"…wanna accompany me around?" 'Please say yes!' Tenten mentally pray.

"…sure. Where are you going?"

'YES! You go girl!' "Well… nowhere in particular… No, I'm actually looking for someone who got some unused metallic stuff."

"…What are you going to do with some scraps of heaps of useless metal?"

"Well… you know I've been creating my own customized weapon right? Well, my parents are okay with that. They even ask if they could sell some of my invention as well… Right now I want to create another weapon… but I'm short of raw material… and I feel bad for asking my parents. So I think I could use unused metal trash that townsfolk didn't use anymore."

"…I see… but…"

"Oh! Don't worry! I'll test it on your Kaiten when it's finished!"

Neji sweat dropped at that. 'Well… that's not exactly what I meant…' "Anyway… get what you need so far?"

Tenten frowns. "Well… this is the problem. I've gone around whole Konoha, but most of them said that they already sell it to someone wearing a cloak."

"A cloak?"

"With a big blue dragon garmented on it, and the guy was wearing a straw hat closing his face."

Neji thought for a moment. "…he's probably a junk collector… but with such outfit…"

"Oh no, no, people say he's a newcomer blacksmith. My mother also told me the same thing. That same guy came to my family shop when I was away and asked if he could buy all unused shuriken, broken kunai and other metallic junks we have. He leaves this card to my mother."

"Tetsu Ryuu? (Iron Dragon)" Neji read the little piece of paper out loud.

"From what that guy told my mother, his workshop will be opened soon. Said that his workshop specialized in kitchen and daily utensils like chef knife, pop shredder, fork, etc"

"Tetsu Ryuu is the name of this… person's workshop?"

"Apparently so…" Tenten look at Neji again. "…Say Neji… do you have any unused metallic utensils?"

"…Now that you mention it, I remember this morning a man with similar appearance came to the main family manor, asking any unused metallic stuffs as well… I think it's the same guy."

"…oh well, I guess I'll go to that person's workshop and see if I can buy some irons from him…"

"I've got nothing to do for now… so might as well keep you company." Neji smiled.

"You mean… it's a date?" Tenten closed her mouth for her own daring while blushing furiously.

Neji flush a bit before saying "…well… some… short." 'Wait a minute… why am I nervous?'

"Oh… thank you… …shall we?" Tenten usher both to move. 'OMG OMG OMG! A DATE WITH THE HYUUGA NEJI!"

"…yeah… let's." 'Funny… I'm nervous… but at the same time… I don't feel so bad at all…'

The couple walks slowly throughout the village, chatting happily along the way.

Tenten couldn't be happier. She had wanted to admit her feelings to the Hyuuga ever since he started to change his cold behavior. But often she couldn't bring herself to. Then she finally decided to beat the Hyuuga at least once. Then she will admit her feelings. Now is her chance. 'Ok, Tenten. You can do this. Just take it easy and slow. Chat first, then find a chance and finally tell him how you love him. Okay. Let's go.'

"So Neji how's your family?" Tenten starts.

"Everything just fine. Hiashi-sama has been in a good mood lately. I think mainly it's because Hinata-sama's rapid development. The fact that she could now stand on par with me was enough to shut the elder from the main family counsel for a moment."

"On par with you? But I thought…"

"Hinata–sama is a very kind girl. Perhaps too kind. She was too afraid to go all out. That's why; when Hinata-sama spars with Hanabi-sama, she was holding back thus making it as if she was on par with her little sister. Hiashi-sama had asked me about this, and I set up a sparring match with Hinata-sama, with Hiashi-sama and Hanabi-sama watching in hideout. During the spar, I slowly increase the level of fighting a notch as time went by."

"…and?"

"Only Hiashi-sama and Hanabi notice it. Hinata-sama didn't realize and just go on with the flow… I had some of my important Tenketsu sealed, but she was out of breath already. In the end, I can say we were on tie. That's also enough to greatly please Hiashi-sama. Imagine Hinata-sama's face when Hiashi-sama suddenly appear, clapping his hands for the good match."

"…I bet she nearly fainted." Tenten smiled imagining Hinata's flushed out face.

"Almost correct. She DID fainted. When she woke up, I have to tell him several times that she's not dreaming. Hiashi-sama had spoken with several elders. You know, those old geezers had wanted to put a curse seal on Hinata-sama."

"Funny how your uncle seems to care so much for Hinata. According to Kurenai-sensei, Hiashi doesn't really fond of your cousin."

"A lion throws his beloved cub through a cliff."

"Huh?"

"It's an old expression. Hiashi-sama understands completely that if Hinata-sama continues to become the way she is, she will not survive the judgment of the elders. That's why, he use those harsh words. It means to put a lot of burden to Hinata-sama's pride. Hyuuga clan expects that all their children to be strong. Those who were considered lacking, even if it means they're main family, they will be put under curse seal immediately. Hiashi-sama has been using his authority as the head of the clan just so that Hinata-sama escaped that fate. He knows that he cannot protect Hinata-sama forever. Thus, resulted in his usual scolding and insults to Hinata, making a cold and ruthless father image we all know to be bestowed upon him."

"I see… but it looks like your uncle had taken a wrong approach on Hinata, don't you think?"

"My uncle is the head of the clan, Tenten. As the head of the clan, he must become a figure everyone could look up on and he was expected to be just. People see someone firstly by how he manages his family. Meaning he must apply the rules of the clan to his family also. My father accident was a testimony of that. When my father tried to kill Hinata-sama, Hiashi-sama had to activate the curse seal to save my father from instant execution. A branch family kill a member of a main family is unforgivable and punishable by death. Hiashi-sama had said to me that he was sorry for what happen back there, and he had asked for father's forgiveness afterwards. Hiashi-sama had always disagreed with the use of curse seal. He always brought that up in every meeting with the elders. But, alas, his attempt to stop the use of curse seal had always been put under pressure by those old farts of the council." When Neji finished his sentence, an incredible surge of pain flows through his head. "AAAAAGGHHH!"

"NEJI!" Tenten scream in horror. Everyone look at the scenery.

"AAAAGGGHHH! MY HEAD! GAAAAHH! STOP!" Neji grasp his head in pain. He removes his headband to reveal the Hyuuga curse seal active, with veins appear on his head. Tenten tried to soothe the pain to no avail. Tears start forming in her eyes.

"A member of a lowly branch family dares to speak insults to the main family is also punishable by instant execution. Do you not know that, bunke (branch family)?" a Hyuuga souke (Main Family) member suddenly appears behind them. People back away when they see a main family punishing the poor Hyuuga prodigy. They know of Neji, but dare not to interfere for fear of meddling with Hyuuga affairs.

"GAAAAHHH! STOP! AAAGGAAAAHHH!" Neji continues to scream.

"STOP IT! HE COULD'VE DIED!" Tenten cried at Neji.

"It doesn't matter. He's just a member of the branch family. The Hyuuga clan will not suffer from the loss of a worthless bad seed."

Tenten snapped at that. "He's worth a 100 times than you!"

The Hyuuga smirked. "Really now? You don't mean this is the infamous Hyuuga Neji the genius?"

"So what if he is?" Tenten is still in battle mode when Neji's scream gone louder as the pain escalates.

"All the more I should punish him. A branch family made a mockery of the main family by just being born. I'll teach you to know your place!" The torturer escalates the pain, intending to damage Neji as much as he can.

"STOOOP!" Tenten screams a bloody murder before charging towards the Hyuuga. Weapon in hand.

The Hyuuga was caught of guard and had a little scratch on his hand. "How dare you… DIE!" The Hyuuga attempt to thrust a gentle fist at Tenten's vital points.

"S… STOP! LET HER GO!" Neji yells.

"My, my… What a ruckus…" A man wearing a black cloak with blue dragon garmented on it suddenly appears out of thin air, and grabs the Hyuuga's arm midair.

"?" The Hyuuga look at the one who had stopped him. The man had his face hidden under a straw hat.

"A word of advice..." The man talks extremely calm, ignoring the tense glare from other villagers. Meddling with Hyuuga business is like asking for a death wish. The man seem couldn't care less about it, as he continues to hold the Main Family member firmly. "…young seeds, no matter how bad they are, have a lot of hope in the future that lay before them."

"…and who are you, to interfere with my authority?"

"What authority, if I may know?"

"The authority to administer a punishment to a worthless trash who doesn't know his place."

"Trash? What do you mean trash? I don't see any trash here. When you want to get rid of a trash, you put them on a trash can, not walking in public acting like some cocky hypocritical bastard." Now if the situation was a lot better, they might snort out at the comment. "No… I don't see any trashes here. What I see here is an asshole who exploits his own power on an innocent young child out of jealousy. And I hate it when seeing a child being mistreated like that."

"I don't care what you think, now let go of me or I'll make you regret ever dare to meddling on affairs that doesn't concerns you."

"Anything concerns humanity concerns me, Mr. Hyuuga Zoshi."

"Why… Wha…? How did you know my name?"

"I know because I _could_. I know because I _should_."

"…?" Neji look at the mysterious savior. 'Know because he can… know… Know… because he… should? What the hell is that mean?'

"I don't care about what you could or should do! But you've pass the line, outsider! Now feel the wrath of the most powerful clan of the Leaf!"

"I hate resolving to violence… can we not talk about this, Mr. Zoshi?"

"Too late to ask for forgiveness. Now prepare to suffer the consequences!"

"How childish… The elders don't choose you to be the head of the Hyuuga clan and thus, you exert your frustration by thwarting every decision Hyuuga Hiashi made… and now, you're torturing his innocent nephew in public… honestly, how low can you go?" Almost instantly, murmurs arise from the people around them. The said Hyuuga was red in both anger and embarrassment.

"How… DARE… YOU! DIE!" Zoshi, blinded by anger since his secret was announced openly in public, charged at the cloaked man. The man sighs before seemingly relaxing his stance.

When the Hyuuga was just a foot away from the intended target, the said target bellowed a word that is all too familiar with every people on the scene. "KAITEN!"

A massive purple chakra sphere suddenly appears on the place where the cloaked man had been. The chakra sphere spins with an unbelievable ferocity and speed, creating gusts of wind in the process. The charging Hyuuga Zoshi caught by surprise, and gets slammed royally by the so called Hyuuga-absolute-defense technique. Apparently the technique hit him REAL hard, for the next thing happens, the Hyuuga was shot backwards with extreme velocity for some distance before get slammed on a wall, creating a small crater on it as he sank deep into it and fall unconscious after spitting blood from his mouth. The Hyuuga was stuck in there for good.

Neji gulped at that. After the spinning purple sphere ended, his eyes bulged at the sight. The ground around the cloaked man was charred heavily by intense chakra burn, a testimony that the 'attack' packs a lot of power. 'What… force! It can throw a charging person like that… and the charred ground… that Kaiten could easily put Hiashi-sama's Kaiten down to shame! Is he… a Hyuuga also? What is that purple Kaiten?'

Everyone goes gawking at the sight. They were so surprised that a person, a newcomer could defeat Leaf's strongest clan, using that clan's own ultimate technique so easily. They were so shocked they didn't realize the man talks. "Are you okay young one?"

Neji looks at his supposedly savior with an awe. Tenten look stunned as well before the next question from the man brought her back to mother earth.

"…I don't recall using a Kanashibari no Jutsu (Paralyzing technique) on any of you… so could you please stop staring at me? I kind of embarrassed here…"

Everyone suddenly get their composure back. Neji shook his head off but suddenly the pain of the after effects of the prolonged curse seal went back on him. He frowns at that.

"Neji! Are you okay?" Tenten kneel down next to him out of concern.

"A Hyuuga's curse seal damages one's brain cells, and giving them images of horrible death. He was just being put under heavy pressure for quite some time, so he's definitely NOT okay."

"…Who are you?" Neji look at the cloaked man.

"My identity… is not important at present. What's important now is you young one. Come. I'll take you to my place."

The three walk together, away from the chattering crowd.

After a while, they arrived at a… medium sized tent. It appears like the tents are created by putting together several tents. There are piles of metallic items around, a fireplace, complete with simple chimneys, on the clearing, a few hammers, and an anvil is in sight. A large kanji saying Tetsu Ryuu (Iron Dragon) is written on a small flag on the said clearing. All in all, that place is a simple workshop.

"Hey! That's the workshop we've been looking for! Are you the guy who had bought all iron junks all around the village?"

"Well yes I am… Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Well… I guess my problem could come later. First thing first. Neji!"

"Look Tenten. I'm absolutely okay." Neji stumbled as he walks. 'Kuso… damn curse seal, I can't even walk straight.' This doesn't go unnoticed by both of his companies.

"Well, why don't you come in and have a tea?" The man speaks in his seemingly everlasting gentle and calm voice.

The two nodded before followed the man into the tent. What they saw surprised them to no end. Several tatami set neatly on the ground. A small table set there with a bonsai on the middle. A simple desk is in place. There are several thick books on it. There are several holes, big enough for a person get through, on the walls around them that, apparently, and leads to another room as the person soon walk through one of the hole. The room, which the couple presumes to be a living room, is simple yet perfect. They immediately sit down. The cloaked figure appears with a tray carrying a fuming teapot with several teacups.

"Here you go." The man put the tray on the table. The said guests just stare at him as he put the teacups on place and filled them out. Soon, the tent is filled with a wonderful scent of herbal tea. Yet, the couple still stares at him, as if waiting for something.

The man chuckled. "I didn't poison the tea you know…"

The couple blinked, realized they've been staring. Again. At the same person. They took a sip of their tea, and then suddenly they felt incredibly relaxed, as if all the weight of the world had been taken away from their shoulders.

"Wow… This is a good tea…" Tenten exclaimed slowly.

"Real good." Neji add. He took another sip of the tea. All the pain of the curse seal seems vanish in an instant.

"Why thank you. Take your time and make yourself at home." The man walks away slowly as he put the tray somewhere on the previous room before returning to the couple.

The man sits down on the other side of the table. Neji, can't stand it anymore, finally exclaimed. "Aren't you going to put that hat away? This is your home right?" Neji was quite shocked by himself. He's not normally to be like this. "Oh… Sorry… forget I asked."

The man chuckled again. "It's alright, Neji-kun. I can tell that you're incredibly curious for you cannot see my face beneath my hat. Even with your Byakuugan activated, yes?"

When the man sat that, the Genjutsu that Neji had used to camouflage his veins in his eyes disappeared. "You know I used Genjutsu?"

"Yes. I presume you start using it when I stop Hyuuga Zoshi from attacking your teammate. Well no intention to be impolite, but… I'm afraid your Byakuugan can see through my hat. I've done… something into it that even Byakuugan can't see through. I'm sorry, but you can deactivate it now."

"Yes… Oh… where's my manners. Thank you for saving Tenten."

The man chuckled again. They somewhat didn't mind the man chuckled so often. In fact, they felt relaxed all the sudden. His chuckle sounds so friendly, easing their mind every time they listened to it. "Rather than worried about her, I think you should worry about yourself child. It is you who suffer the most damage here."

"I'm okay now." Neji smiled slightly. 'Felt like I can take on the world…'

"Neji are you sure?" Tenten look worriedly at his secret love.

"Again, I'm okay Tenten. Anyway, what about your own problems?"

"Problems?" the man shifted his gaze to Tenten.

"Oh. Well you see, I've been experimenting a lot about weapons… and I've been short on materials here…"

"Ah… I see… well I'm terribly sorry for causing you a lot of trouble. Indeed, I've gone around the whole village and buy every unused metal item from every household. You see… I'm a newcomer, that's why I've been kind of short on money to buy the ore I needed to start on business. Alas, I resolve on using used up iron junks for materials I needed."

"I see…" Tenten looks down a bit.

"…But I wouldn't mind to share some with you."

"No no! I think you need it a lot more than I do!"

"Please just accept it. Consider it my repayment for all the problems I've caused you."

"…are you… really a blacksmith?" Neji suddenly spurted out.

"…I thought with all the things I've shown you… it's pretty obvious."

"…what kind of… things you make?" Tenten add. Suddenly interested on where this conversation is going and came along.

"Well… knives mostly… but I also make other kitchen utensils."

"…if you make kitchen utensils… what's that weapon catalogue for?" Neji point one of the thick book on the small shelve. He had seen the content briefly using Byakuugan.

"Weapon catalogues?" Tenten looked at Neji, and then to the cloaked figure before them.

"Oh… That?" The man chuckled. "That, young one is not a weapon catalogue; no it's a collection of self customized and invented weapon designs."

"Weapon Designs?" Tenten suddenly interested.

"Yes. A friend of mine is a craftsman. We were buddies in the old times. He loves to makes puppet and then put them on a puppet play for children. During the war, he was forced to invent and designed lots of weapons. Most of them are put in there. He gave the book to me as a gift. You can see it if you like."

Tenten stood up almost instantly before walk to the said shelve and took the book and then sit down and read the book excitedly. Neji sweatdropped at that. 'Tenten is look like a weapon freak here…'

"I don't think she's a weapon freak…I think she's just incredibly obsessed in creating some real new weapons to beat you to pulp."

Neji was shocked again to say the least. 'Is this guy a mind reader?'

"I'm some short of a mind reader. And though I'm not a Hyuuga, the one you saw back there is indeed a Kaiten."

"!" Neji was flabbergasted at that. 'He's really… reading my minds? I did plan to ask him about that blue sphere thing… so it is a Kaiten…' "…You're from Konoha?"

"I originated from Konoha. This Konoha symbol on my hat is for real. As for the gashed part, it's… some accident while I'm on work." The man chuckled lightly.

"How did you know what I'm thinking?"

"…I know because I could. I know because I should."

"What do you mean by that?" Neji was utterly confused to no end.

"That, young one is all up to you to finds out."

"…" Neji was silent. Tenten however was having a time of her life.

"Incredible! I never thought of making something like this! And what is this one's name? J…U…G…G…E…"

"Juggernaut." The man completed for her. The excited weapon mistress turns her head towards the man. "It's a weapon my friend created to deal with overwhelming numbers. Basically it's a heavily modified steam train. Except that he replaced the wheel with spiked caterpillar wheels. It has an Armstrong Cannon on the front and two flamethrowers on each side, making it extremely lethal to incoming enemy battalion."

"Armstrong Cannon?" Tenten look confused.

"See page 352. It's an automatic refilling high explosive grenade launcher."

Neji shivers at the thought of such weapons existed. "Your friend is a pro in creation of tools of mass destruction is he not? If that thing enters a war, it will not be a battle anymore…"

Tenten stop skipping the pages a moment to look at the gulping Neji.

"…it will be a massacre." Neji finish his sentence.

"Which is the reason why we quit doing such things again." The man stated simply in a matter-of-factly manner.

"'We'… does that mean…" Tenten was cut short soon after.

"Yes… I too was a blacksmith of death… I created weapons for killing and taking lives… But no more. At one point we decided that enough is enough, and I live the way I am now." A bit of sadness was evident in his gentle tone.

"…I see… well… I don't really want to make something of mass destruction of a kind really…" 'Safe for my "M-79 Hyuuga Buster".' Tenten inwardly giggled at the thought.

"If you want to, you can have it." The man chuckled again.

"NO! This is your friend's book right? I can't just take it…"

"Just take it. When he gave it to me, my friend told me to burn it. But I feel bad about burning all the designs so I keep it. I don't really use it so you can have the book. After all, I've memorized the entire content already."

"But… is it okay you entrust this book to me?"

"I don't see any reason why I can't. Besides…" The man silent for a moment. "…I believe that book is in good hands when it's in your hand, Ms. Tenten."

"…Thank you! What can I give you in return?"

"Hm… I hope you don't mind but… if your mother had any spare iron ore… can she share up some for me? I'll pay for it I promise!"

"Sure! I'll see about giving you a discount for giving me such wonderful book!"

"Thank you very much. I could give a discount for you too you know. Normally when I sell a chef knife I can give discount on certain occasion say… a new couple or a newly married one…" The man chuckled again a tad louder.

Tenten and Neji blushed furiously at that.

'Why am I blushing?' Neji shook his head furiously. "Anyway… are you a shinobi also?"

"What made you think that?"

"First off, you say you're not a Hyuuga, but you know Kaiten. That move requires a perfect Chakra control even for a Hyuuga. Secondly, you said something about using Kanashibari no jutsu. Kanashibari no jutsu is a jutsu used by ANBU Hunters to paralyze their target. My conclusion is that you were a shinobi. A Jounin level or above that. Who are you?"

"Very bright indeed. Yes, I was a shinobi. Rest assured that I'm no enemy. I'm just tired of a life full of danger. So I decided to drop it and work as a blacksmith."

"Why should I trust you?" Something inside Neji told him it was not appropriate. 'What's wrong with you? He helped you and now you're interrogating him like that? But I'm a shinobi. A shinobi is expected to keep on his guard all the time.'

"Well… I really don't have anything to prove it to you… I can only ask you to trust me. Besides…I did save you, didn't I?"

"I… well… uhh…" Bingo. 'He really knows where to hit the spot.' Neji inwardly thought out loud.

"But then again… if I don't do something in return… I feel bad about this… how bout if we treat you a lunch?" Tenten offered.

Suddenly, everyone's stomach rumbles.

"………"

The three snorted before explode into a full force laughter.

"Well… I guess a lunch wouldn't hurt." The cloaked man chuckled.

"Sure…what do you want Tenten?"

"Huh? Well anything just fine with me."

"Hem. How about you? What do you want?" Neji offered the man.

"…Got…Ramen?"

**--------------------**

Meanwhile, in 'Uzumaki's Frozen Throne' room…

After Tsunade activate the seals, the temperature suddenly gone incredibly low. The bandages suddenly generate a great amount of ice as well, enclosing everything in ice. The next second, the said blond was already engulfed in a frozen coffin. The seals on the bandage dematerialized and reappear on the entire surface of the ice. The seal flash red once before glowing in blue. Meanwhile Naruto had already unconscious.

Inside Naruto's mind…

"Whoa. Where am I?"

"Welcome back kit." Kyuusei's voice came behind him. Naruto turn his head and found himself in front of Kyuubi's cage.

"Oh you… what is it this time?"

"I had bad news."

"What?"

"…Namekuji oba-san made a mistake on the seals and you're stuck inside the ice coffin for eternity…"

"WHAT?"

"Pffftt… BWAHAHAHA! Got you kit! AHA HA HAHAHAHA! The look on your face… It's priceless!" Kyuusei gasped in laughter.

"DAMN YOU! DO YOU KNOW HOW SCARED I AM? IS IT WORKING OR NOT?"

"HAHAHAHA… Don't worry. It's working well… so far." Kyuusei spoke calmly.

"…you… So, why am I here?"

"What do you expect? After all, you're unconscious out there."

"Really? And you said it's going to take 6 weeks? Please don't tell me I have to spend 6 weeks with you? I was hoping I'll just awake at the due day."

"Well, it can't be helped really… Either way… I'm not lying about I have bad news."

"What's the bad news?"

"In fact, I got two news. One bad and another is worst. Pick one."

"Bad things never come alone I guess… what's the first one?"

"Well… you mention it back there… you're gonna have to keep me company for six freakin' week."

"I see…"

"AND, I will train you."

"WHAT? That's your worse news?"

"No… that's still part of my bad news… As for the worse news…"

Naruto gulped.

"…We'll start… NOW!" Kyuusei expelled another burst of Chakra that hit the blond head on.

"Itai!"

"…and they'll be no breaks, no ramen, and no holding back. In six weeks, I'll turn you into the most dangerous and the most unpredictable killing machine in a shinobi's history."

"But… But! We're inside my mind. The training won't affect my body?"

"Ever heard of: What mind believes, the body perceives?"

"?"

"If your mind goes stronger, it will indirectly affect your body. Our training here won't increase your chakra capacity. No, to do that you have to endure a REAL physical training. I will teach you some of my ninjutsu and I'll also give you extensive chakra training. That way, you can use MANY jutsu even if your chakra reserve is low. Off course, when you wake up 6 weeks later, you'll still remember every jutsu you have learned here. I'll save Genjutsu later, since you're not really a Genjutsu type to begin with…"

"Why you help me?"

"I feel bad that the host of the most powerful fox demon overlord have to be so weak. It's bad for my reputation you know."

"…I see…" Naruto frowns in thought before he felt something hit his head. When he looks up, he saw a red whip composed of crimson chakra protruding from the cage.

"For now, every time I find you slacking off, I'll whip you up. Caught twice, I'll whip twice. And so on. Got it?"

"Kuso…" Whack! Whack! Twice, the crimson chakra hit him again.

"Cursing, I'll quadruple it! I told you I won't hold back. Now get ready!"

And so goes for three weeks straight, the poor blond endure an extensive hellish training from the demon fox in his mind. Kyuusei won't hold back and he often slaps Naruto with his whip-like chakra when he was slacking off. However, Naruto managed to learn real fast. Draining everything the fox taught him like a soak. Kyuusei no Kyuubi inwardly pleased by this.

After a crazy three weeks, Naruto's chakra control in his mind had reached a level that far surpasses his previous control. He had also managed to learn many of the Fox's jutsu. Since he's on his own mind, his stamina is absolutely infinite. He had plenty of time to learn all the Jutsu the fox had teach him. And now…

"Oi Kit!"

"What is it?" Naruto came to the cage once again.

"I'm going to give you this." Kyuusei bit his own left thumb. "Oni ninpou, Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

A silver 8 tailed fox appears in front of the cage.

"Kyuubi-sama… it's been a while."

"Same here, Gintsume. (Silver Claw)"

"What do you ask of me? Do you want me to cut those jails that imprison you my lord?"

"As much as I want to be free again, but don't. You can't cut this jail off. You are strong, but not strong enough to break it. Also, I summon you here for another purpose."

"Does it have something to do with this… human?" The silver fox eyed Naruto carefully. Naruto glared at him back. "Ku ku ku… he got some guts to glare back at me. I think I know why you summon me… for I like him also, my lord."

"That's what I thought. Transform now."

"Understood. Henge!" With another pop of smoke, a 1.5 meters long, silver katana suddenly appears on where the fox had been.

"Whoa… What's this?"

"That is Tenrou (Heaven Wolf). The sword of the foxes, wolfs, and dogs."

"Wolfs and dogs?" Naruto look confused.

"Basically, Foxes, wolfs, and dogs are still in one family. What I gave to you, is a summoning contract to summon multi-tailed demon foxes."

"Don't see any scroll here…" Kyuusei smirked… evilly.

"It's right in front of you kit. The sword is the contract."

"Wow! I never knew about this. So… should I write my name on the blade?"

"Correct. Write your name on it, and then slit your contract palm on the blade."

"I have to WHAT?"

"Slit it. Like I said, you have to slit your hand with the blade, and shower it with your blood."

"Really bloody contract." Nevertheless, the blond did as he was told. He bit his left thumb, wrote his name on the katana (as tiny as possible), and then he grabs the hilt with his right hand, while his left arm grab the blade, and give it a long slit it all the way to the end of the blade(ouch).

Blood washed the katana. Almost instantly, the katana absorbed the blood. Then it returned to its previous state.

"There. The contract has been signed. From now on you can summon the tailed demon fox clan any time. What kind of fox you'll get though, depends on your own strength."

"What do you mean?"

"The demon fox had several casts. It's determined by the number of their tails. A fox is considered a demon kittling when it has two tails. Then, as the fox grows stronger and older, the number of their tails multiplied. Take example of Gintsume."

At that, the katana transform into an 8 tailed fox again. "I'm a Hachibi no Kitsune. (Eight tailed fox)"

"In matter of casts, demon fox with tails from 2 to 3 are usually comes in small to medium size. They usually are used as a spy, hunter, or messenger. 4 to 5 is usually medium size. Their use is somewhat resemble what you humans called infantry. 6 to 7 tails are elites. Their size range from medium to large size. You have to learn to summon these. They'll become very handful when you want to deal with summon bosses or if you wish to destroy a village."

"…Let me guess, 8 tails are super elites. In a ninja's ranking hierarchy, they're somewhat… at a Jounin level?"

"Glad you develop some intelligence." Kyuusei smirked.

"Hei!" Naruto burst. "…and I suppose you're on a Hokage rank or some short?"

Kyuusei smiled proudly. Being the only Demon Fox with nine tails in the universe, he crossed his arm in pride.

"Kyuubi-sama is the only nine-tailed demon fox known to man." Gintsume added. He looked at his superior, who gives him a nod once, and the 8 tailed fox disappeared.

"…For an 8 tailed super elite fox, he sure is small."

"Never heard of size doesn't matter?"

"…Who is that Gintsume anyway?"

"That small fox is what you humans called in rank as second in command."

"He's your deputy huh?"

"Yep. And one of my most trusted officer."

"…" Naruto frown again. He's been frowning a lot during the three week period. One, because he got whipped a LOT, literally. Two, a question he had been dying to ask ever since he made the first deal with the said demon fox.

"Oi, baka no Kitsune…"

"What?"

"…There is something I've wanted to ask for quite some time now."

"What is it?"

"…Why… 13 years ago… why… do you attack Konoha?"

"Why do you ask that?"

"Because I want to know the truth."

"Truth?"

"People often refer you as a demon lord hell-bent on destruction and all that crap…"

"I am."

"…But I don't really believe that anymore…"

"…why?"

"When I offer you a release, you refused and instead, you help Tsunade baa-san to save my life, and now… you trained me. I really grateful with what you did. I just don't understand why… But in the end, all that confusion begins… and probably ends on 13 years ago, when you attack Konohagakure. Why do you attack Konoha?"

'Sharp aren't you…' "…" Kyuusei was silent.

"Kyuusei?"

"…Kit… …Uzumaki Naruto… you'll be the one to find out, and decide on what truth you'll believe. That should be enough for you. Now go back to train."

Naruto was shocked. This is the first time the Fox had called him by his name. But that was enough to silence him for now.

And so the training continues…

--------------------

--------------------

I've said this before, and I'll say it again. Thank you for Surrarin and Ghandarah who had told me such a good translator. I owe you guys! BIG time!

Secondly, I've watch Final Fantasy 7 advent Children. Good Lord, I don't regret it one bit! It inspires me so that I will try to make my next action scene to be better than before.

Well, till the next chapter, ja ne.


	4. Masters and Apprentices

Firstly, to **Markami**. I'd like to ask for your sincerest apology for not thanking you to recommend a good translator as well. It was my bad. I was uploading the 3rd chapter in a quite a hurry; I forgot to put your names on my thank you list as well along with **Ghandarah** and **Surrarin**. I've never thought it will upset you so much. Again I'm terribly sorry. I promise to be more careful next time. (Kneel down and show my bare neck begging for forgiveness.)

2ndly, the third chapter reviews reply section will be updated sometime but I really appreciate it. I wish to show you all that I really respect your opinion and reviews. So don't think about me bad for this…

Reviews reply section:

Zac: enjoy the 4th chapter

Steve: well Steve, I had bad news for you: They won't play it in English languange. I think Square-Enix were somewhat traumatized by the failure of the FF: Spirit Within (well, it's their own fault really… the story sucks). Therefore, they sell it in DVD format only… well… that's what I've heard… sorry.

Dark Naruto: The mysterious guy identity is revealed in this chapter. Enjoy.

Biola37: Then become one! Here's the 4th chapter.

Sessrock: Ok. Here's the 2nd chapter.

Markami: I'm sorry. I was careless. Really. I am. Honest. Here's 4th chapter for you. The translator had been a great help. Thank you.

Daniel: 4th chapter, launch!

Hunter Hatake: 4th chapter for you!

Dargon Sheinto: Here goes the 4th chapter for you!

Jays Arravan: as a matter of fact, I have… but I won't tell you. Where's the fun in that? (smirks) Well here's the 4th chapter

FairyQilan: 4th chapter coming.

Bloodless Ace: 4th chapter, launch!

Falonus: I will. 4th chapter on the road.

Sanosuke: 4th chapter coming.

Storms Writer: You're a Sakura-fan? Then I hope you love this chapter… though she doesn't appear much in this chapter. Kira in here is the same one you saw in Gundam SEED. I'll emphasize that with this chapter. Enjoy!

Brooklyn Rage: 4th chapter coming.

Katonus: are you a mind reader? Kisame vs Kira is what will happen next in this chapter! Enjoy!

Starjacker: Really? Well my luck I guess… the plot started at the valley of the end… anyway, enjoy!

Kwisatz Haderach: Oho! You'll be surprised. He won't just surprise a person or two… wait and see… (Laughing evilly) 4th chapter go. Oh and… how do I get a beta reader?

Fox retainer: I have someone for Naruto already in my head… anyway, 4th chapter for you!

Meteorain: Thank you for picking the errors. My bad… really. 4th chapter on the road!

Tenshi no Baka: Coming from the oven!

Madnarutofan: I'll give you three website address: http/ http/ (courtesy of Deathshyte01), and http/poets.notredame.ac.jp/cgi-bin/jedi-inon (courtesy of Markami (Sorry again.) and Gandhara).

Goyana: coming from the oven: 4th chapter in silver platter.

DragonBard: Good question. I wonder why Kyuubi didn't do that? (laugh) It's a joke. Besides, the time in Naruto's mind is prolonged. I'm just too lazy to write it. Anyway, 4th chapter coming.

Addictivejon: NOOOO! NO! Don't bite me! (Runs up a tree) Here's the 4th chapter for you! Please spare my poor butt!

Firehedgehog: Coming from the oven. 4th chapter on the air.

DragoonVBK: Just look and read. Story will tell.

Yumiangel: enjoy the 4th chapter

WorldSoCold: Well, I've been on holiday so I have plenty of time… I'll go back to school soon after so I think I won' be able to update as fast as before…

Pyr00tje: Read this 4th chapter. :D

Surrarin: Surrarin, my dear friend, I'm sad to say that from the last news I've heard, Square-Enix will release the movie in DVD format only outside Japan. Yeah I know it sucks. I got the DVD by sheer luck. Neeway, 4th chapter coming.

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": in Naruto's case, him in berserker mode. However, I will use this format for other purpose when it's necessary.**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA: Kyuubi demon form speech**

The chance of me having Naruto and Gundam SEED is like the chance of Jiraiya burn his entire Icha-Icha Paradise series… which will never happen

4th chapter go!

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Chapter 4:

Masters and Apprentices

Haruno Sakura was walking to the library to kill some time when she accidentally overheard the conversation between a certain Chuunin and a Hokage. She listen to several terms such as "medic Nins, Crucial, perfect, deadly and absolute." She had enough to be registered to her mind before set out to hospital.

Ever since the accident in the hospital, guilt and sorrow had been haunting her thoughts. She realizes that she's the weakest of her team. She always looks up on Sasuke, seeing him the strongest one on their time. Imagine her surprise when Naruto, the dead last, the loser, out best them all? The only one that doesn't change… is herself. No, actually, it was rather… she refused to change. She saw that Sasuke is superior to her, and she intend to keep it that way. But…Naruto isn't. He break the line, and now become what probably the strongest Genin in Konoha. Something that her crush, the prodigy, the Uchiha Sasuke, should've reached. At first she was going to scold on him. But no, that's out of question. Who is she, to limit one's advancement? Yes, that's definitely out of question. If she wants a change, she has to change it herself, and in order to do that, she has to change as well.

Sakura start walking towards the hospital. She was going to check up on her blond friend, see if he's alright (no matter how useless it sound) and the most importantly, she must ask his forgiveness.

She has to change.

Definitely.

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Somewhere else in the depths of the unknown…

9 figures that wear a black cloak with red clouds garmented on it appear out of thin air one by one.

"Ku ku ku… I wonder how long it has been… all of us gather together like this…"

"It's probably 7 years ago, when Orochimaru left the organization…"

"…Zetsu, what's your report?" A figure, who supposedly to be the leader of Akatsuki spoke.

"…Kyuubi last sighted at the valley of the end, he was fighting your brother, Itachi."

"…" Itachi was silent. If other sees his face, you could see he had his Sharingan eye twitching.

"…and where is the Jinchuriki now?"

"Presumably, at Konoha."

"Presumably? Zetsu, you know the rules of Akatsuki do not tolerate information that is uncertain. I'm surprised, you who are often come with accurate information could presume."

"I was going to stay for a longer time… if Kyuubi hadn't found me and shoot a fireball at me."

"Found you?"

"Yes. During the fight with Uchiha Sasuke, he purposely shoots a fireball to him, with me on the line of fire. I have to get out of there soon."

"Perhaps it was just a coincidence, yeah?"

"No. The Jinchuriki is at half transformed state when the Kyuubi's head appears. The head had been targeting me ever since."

"…I see… So we can say that Kyuubi's Jinchuriki's location is uncertain." A short figure with 5 pointy hairs followed.

"You could say that." The Venus trap flower shinobi tilt his head in shame.

"Itachi, Kisame."

"Yes."

"You two are to go to Konoha once more and locate the Jinchuriki."

"Roger." Kisame chuckled.

"…Hai." Itachi obliged, but there is something in his voice that resembles irritation.

"Something troubles you, Itachi?"

"Don't be impatient…yeah. Someday Orochimaru will be killed…yeah. But more importantly, we have three years… yeah. If we do it together, we'll succeed…yeah?"

"…Yes…Our ambition… If we include Kyuubi, everything will be on our hands!"

"…What do we do after we finished our assignment?" Itachi spoke.

"You and the rest of you as well, will report to me after 2 years. After that, you are free to do what you wish, but refrain from doing something that will cause trouble."

"Understood." Everyone replied.

"Also, be preparing for _that._"

"…Hai." Itachi spoke simply.

Soon the figures dispersing one by one.

That was the last memory one Uchiha Itachi had when he finished the meeting with the Akatsuki. And now, together with his shark-like friend, he goes to Konohagakure once more.

'Orochimaru… you after my brother didn't you? If you dare to possess him, prepare to die painfully…'

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'I came here to have a little nostalgia with this village… but it seems I've missed a LOT of things…'

That was the thought of one Kira Yamato when he was walking together with a prodigy Hyuuga and a weapon Mistress. Nobody could see his face with his outfit closing his features. Sure he had been away for quite some time. But he never thought that the village could change so much in just 8 years.

'Sarutobi-san died. Orochimaru had gone missing Nin. Heh, just like I thought… Tsunade-chan is the Hokage now, eh? A woman can finally be recognized as a Hokage…' He had put that in his head when he was chatting with the two genins.

The thoughts keep slithering in his mind that he didn't realize the band had reached their destination: Ichiraku Ramen.

"Ichiraku Ramen! Wow! I didn't know it still open." Kira exclaimed.

"You love them too didn't you?" Neji looked at the cloaked figure beside him.

"Love'em? If I could I'll eat it every day! But… you'll be dead if you keep on eating only ramen."

"At least you're better than Naruto." Tenten giggled.

"Naruto? Who is he?" Kira asked as he sits down.

"Uzumaki Naruto…" Ichiraku Genji spoke up. "…Is our most honored customer."

"Huh?" 'Uzumaki? An UZUMAKI here?' Kira inwardly shocked beyond belief.

"50 bowl per day. He's our main customer and the reason we still keep on running." Genji add.

"Sounds like he's some short of Ramen Glutton here." Kira gulped at the amount. Sure, he loved Ramen, but he only knows one man who loved Ramen that much. 'Could he be…? That Naruto… Uzumaki Naruto… Arashi-kun… is he…'

"You can bet about it. I think he could beat an Akamichi when it comes on eating ramen contest." Tenten add.

"I do wonder where all the calories go though. I mean, sure he moves a lot. Not to mention the number of pranks he did each day. But… with that kind of rate of ramen-feast… how on earth he never gets fat goes out of my understanding." Neji look at the menu and decide to have a seafood ramen.

"Mystery of a lifetime." Tenten sigh as she remembers her blond friend again. Then she picked a veggie ramen.

'…even the same rate of bowls…' Kira picked a jumbo bowl of Ichiraku special. (Basically, it's a ramen where all ingredients (Pork, Chicken, Beef, Shrimp, Shark fin, Miso) are all put into one bowl.) "Sounds like you have a very interesting friend here…"

"He's more than just a friend. He's… well we really can't explain it… but he's truly someone you can look up upon. He always stands up against all odds… no matter what you threw at him. In a way… he's strong."

"But you're also strong, Neji-san. In fact, according to what your girlfriend said…" Kira chuckled as he saw both of his companion blushed like tomato. "…you, who are Bunke, are 100 times stronger than a Souke."

"Well… perhaps that's what you think… but I don't think I'm as strong as Tenten-chan had said…" Neji couldn't be redder. The same goes with his blushing teammate. "…But… see him, and you'll find a new definition of strong." Neji finished.

"…I see… where is this…Uzumaki Naruto now?"

Neji's look saddened at that. "Naruto… was badly injured after a mission we undergo together."

"What mission?"

"We have to retrieve an Uchiha who gone deserting."

"Uchiha… But I thought I heard they were massacred?" Kira's still listening, though his mind drifted somewhere else. 'Itachi-kun… you still has heart weren't you?'

"Yes they were massacred, save for one. Uchiha Sasuke. I don't really know the details, but so far as I know, I think Sasuke had been trying to kill his older brother. His name is… Itachi wasn't it? Uchiha Itachi." Neji explained.

'Great, you spare him only to make him an avenger.' "What happen to the mission?"

"Failed. According to what I hear, we managed to 'secure' Uchiha Sasuke, but a sound shinobi interfere, and the mission fails."

'Sound… Orochimaru's village… So… you haven't forgotten that lunatic dream defeating death and mastering every jutsu in the world have you? Even went so far of killing your own sensei. And also trying to get your hands on Uchiha Sasuke… you've been after Sharingan for years… I even remember you keep asking on how their eyes work that it could copy a jutsu in a flash when you're a Genin…'

"Ano, Mr.?" Tenten looked at their hooded friend curiously.

'Orochimaru… I still found it a bit hard to think that the one who is predicated as a genius by Sarutobi-san must be obsessed with immortality. Cheating death means you're already dead from the beginning. It is death that makes one's life meaningful. Why you… why you undergo the same path like your ancestor did? Sarutobi-san had sacrificed everything in hope for you to change your ways, but you…'

"Hello… anybody there?" Neji called at Kira.

"Hm?" Kira blinked. He had been drifting again. He always does that… Lacus had told him to stop drifting around. He looks to his two companions. They had finished their lunch, while his order is still in the table. Untouched. "What is it?"

"Well… the order had come about 20 minutes ago, we called but you seem… out of it." Tenten spoke again.

"Huh? Oh! Sorry about that. It's a bad habit of mine. So… this must be mine." Kira grabbed a chopstick and prepare to have a feast. Oblivious with the intense glare from both of his companion.

'Okay. Now he's going to remove his god-damn hat off, we might be able to see his face now.' Neji inwardly thought out loud.

'Yes, that's right… Just pull it up now! Just a little bit more…' Tenten's eyes bulging at her mysterious companion. Genji and his daughter Ayame are also wondering out loud. They know this strategy for team 7 had done that before on their teacher. Both of them had luck on seeing the one Sharingan Eyed Jounin's face. And this mysterious person was just as interesting as Kakashi.

'Why do I feel uneasy?' Kira place his hand on his straw hat and start pulling it up a bit to reveal his purple eyes and a bit of his dark brown hair.

Four people glared at him.

'Must be the weather…' Kira snapped the chopsticks. The (God-damn) hat is still on his head.

Four people's eyes are almost out of their socket. They really have to fight an urge to kick that hat off his head.

Kira, still oblivious with the tension around him prepare to eat his ramen while lowering the collar that covers his mouth… "Okay then. Itadakima…" …before he suddenly snapped and slammed the chopstick back to the table. 'What? What was that? This feeling… it's him!'

He immediately stood up; put his attire to its place; pay his ramen without looking at it. "Neji-san, Tenten-san, thank you for the meal. I just remember I have something to do. Later." Then, without further ado, he makes his way out of the place.

"…" Everyone was silent.

"All I know… is that he has purple eyes and brown hair… and that's it." Neji concluded.

"…I learn this trick from Sakura-san… she said we can't do the same trick for some time on the same person." Tenten add.

"…" Everyone was silent again. Then they sigh in exasperation. 'And we're just so DAMN CLOSE!' The same thought revolve on their minds.

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Sakura was walking towards the hospital to visit his blond friend when she has to encounter the Konohamaru Corps who had taken their daily patrolling in Uzumaki Frozen throne room.

"Aaa! It's the plain chested ugly forehead girl!" Konohamaru exclaimed.

"Konohamaru… what are you doing here?" Sakura asked the sandaime Hokage's grandchild.

"We are the proud guardians of the Uzumaki Frozen Throne room. The resting place of our proud leader: the entombed Uzumaki Naruto!"

"YES! THE FLAMES OF YOUTH TRULY BURNS DEEP WITHIN US ALL!" One Maito Gai roared as he made his appearance. Next to him was Rock Lee.

"Sakura-san! Worry not of your visit shall go disturbed, for we, the Konoha Green Beast duo, shall guard Uzumaki Naruto's resting place with our lives!" Rock Lee roared, loader than his sensei a few decibels.

"OH LEE! YOUR UNWIELDING FLAMES OF YOUTH BURNS BRIGHTLY IN YOUR SOUL!"

"GAI SENSEI!"

"LEE!"

"GAI SENSEI!"

"LEE!"

"Stop it or I'll scream!" Moegi exclaimed.

"Yeah whatever." Sakura sweat dropped at the two's antics. 'After all, with Gaara protecting Naruto is like putting a heavily armed fortress around him. So nothing to worry about.'

"Haruno Sakura." A cold voice sounded from behind her.

Sakura turn almost instantly to meet face to face with the red haired sand demon child.

"Hallo there… Gaara."

"What are you doing here? Are you trying to break through on Naruto's room?"

"Oh no, no. I came here to pay him a visit and… and… to ask for forgiveness…" Sakura look saddened again. 'That's right… I owe him a huge apology…'

"…Useless." Gaara spoke again.

"Even so, I'm still going to talk to him."

"No. What I mean is your apology is useless. As useless as your vary self."

"I…!" '…he's right… I AM useless…'

"Gaara-san! You shouldn't disrespect Sakura-chan in such a way!"

"I only tell her the truth. A shinobi life is not easy. Sure you have know that when you join right? Or is it because you're just a fan-girl after a romantic way of life? If that's the case, you're on a wrong address, Haruno Sakura."

"…"

"Uchiha Sasuke. He disappointed me. He failed to prove his existence once, and he denied the fact that he had failed. BIG time."

"Sasuke is not a failure! It's just that Orochimaru bastard tampering his mind!"

"The moment he receive the power from Orochimaru, so gone the Sasuke you knew. He didn't realize it, but he was corroding. Slow but sure, for he was losing himself and become dependant on that power. That, he has failed to prove his thyself once."

"…"

"But what becomes his greatest failure is the fact that he refused to accept that Uzumaki Naruto has out do him. He denied it till the very end, even when he was battling Naruto at the valley. He was forced to acknowledge Naruto's existence in the end."

"…You… saw them fight?"

"Yes. And that, that had surpassed the battle of techniques or wits. It's a colliding of screaming souls. Two warriors clashed each other, drowning themselves in pleasure of fighting, betting one's life on the line…" Gaara look at the pink haired Kunoichi in front of him.

The Konohamaru Corps looked at the sand shinobi with awe. Lee had flames and tears in his eyes. Remembering that 'burning' (well, literally) battle. Sakura, though utterly confused, ask again. "…Why don't you help Naruto?"

"It would be impolite to disturb a duel of two fighters. That's the way of fighting of an honored warrior. Two fighters, one on one, to the end."

"…"

"Haruno Sakura. You are selfish."

"…?"

"You said you wish to ask for forgiveness from Naruto? Doesn't that mean you were asking for his acknowledgement for your existence?"

"…well… in your terms… short of that."

"…You are indeed selfish. Tell me, what makes you think that you are worthy of his acknowledgement?"

"!"

"That's why I call you selfish. Naruto, from what I see during my first fight with him, had shown how much he cares for you. He had shown me how much he acknowledges you as his friend. You have the honor to become his main pillar of everlasting strength. Yet after all that, you still didn't acknowledge him. And here you are now, after all that, asking for more of his acknowledgement!" Gaara growled.

"…" Sakura frowned sadly. He remembered the battle with the said Sand Shinobi in front of him. She was knocked out cold soon after. He remembered thinking that Sasuke had safe her. She was surprised when she founds out that Naruto had safe her. With his life on the line. Gaara's right. She never acknowledged Naruto's existence. All his deeds, he put it as Sasuke's. '…Naruto… I'm not worthy of your acknowledgement am I?'

"…if you want acknowledgement, prove it!"

Sakura snapped out of her thought. "What?"

"If you really thinks that you are worthy of his acknowledgement, prove it!" Gaara flared his Chakra. His sand suddenly appears. The Konohamaru corps back down a great deal. While Sakura… just standing there.

"O…Oi Gaara-san! Don't start a ruckus in hospital!" Gai tried to interfere, only to be welcomed by a cold deathglare from the sand user.

"You've done that already by screaming in hospital, supaa gejimayu (Super Thick browed) Busy Body."

Gai slumped at that comment.

'…prove it?' Sakura was deep in thoughts. 'Yes… I have to prove it. I'm not worthy of Naruto's forgiveness. I wish to change; no I should've change a long time ago. I just couldn't bring myself to do so. That's right. I have to prove it.' Sakura tilt her head. Her green emerald eyes wield a glowing determination.

"If you really think you are worthy, try to break through my defense!" Gaara exclaimed as his sand form a wall in front of him.

Sakura still standing still. Then suddenly she grabs her forehead protector. Gaara looks confused.

"…Sabaku no Gaara. You were right. I'm a selfish person indeed. Right now, I'm not worthy of Uzumaki Naruto's acknowledgment. In fact, I doubt my existence is worthy enough to be acknowledged."

Gaara's chakra flared down as his sand drop down. Lee and Gai looked at the pink haired Genin. So does the Konohamaru corps.

"Therefore, I'm not worthy enough to even see his face, or even worthy enough to wear this!" Sakura grip on her headband tightened.

"Then what are you going to do?"

"Gaara… could you give him this when he's awake? Tell him that I will take it back someday when I've proven my existence!"

A hand made of sand grab the Konoha Hitai-ate and brings it back to Gaara's hand.

"Still… I want to pay a visit to Naruto. I have something to tell him."

"…Go on through." Gaara put Sakura's hitai ate at his pocket.

Sakura continue her walk calmly. She turns around the corner and…

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Yup! That's it! That's the 4th chapter for you.

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Just kidding. Here goes again.

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A few moments ago, in Konohagakure streets…

'I have a bad feeling about this…'

Itachi thought that when he was walking through the streets of Konoha under a disguise. That feeling keeps hounding his mind ever since he saw Konohagakure in his view. The funny thing is, it felt strangely familiar. He didn't felt it when he came there last time. But he shook it off as he continues his walk with Kisame. They have got the information they need on the occasion that had happened lately. With Mangekyou Sharingan: Tsukiyomi (Kaleidoscope Sharingan: Moonlight Hell), Itachi tortured a guard shinobi that just happen to recognize him and force him to spit out everything he knew. The poor shinobi was, accidentally, the shinobi that had incurred the wrath of Tsunade for break and entering the hospital. Now they know where to go. The only problem would be confirming the target. They have to get pass the security. And if he heard right, the infamous Sabaku no Gaara, one of their target, is also one of the Kyuubi Jinchuriki's line of defense.

"Oi! Itachi! Are you sure you're okay? You don't look so good…"

"…I just have a very bad feeling… let's be done with our mission and get out of this place immediately."

"You seem a bit… out of it though."

"Just shut up and let's finish this quickly. I'll breathe again when we left this wretched village."

"Okay, okay. Don't get moody all the sudden."

And so there it goes. The two, under a very powerful henge, enter the hospital when they saw a Jinchuriki, 5 Genins, and finally, a Jounin under the name of Maito Gai. Kisame had to fight an urge to unravel his henge and give the Konoha Bizarre Beast a good piece of his mind or two. However, the Sharingan user managed to hold him off. And convince him not to make any ruckuses in hospital.

First, Kisame create an ice in his palm and crush it into minuscule particles of ice mirrors in the air. Nearly invisible to human eye. Itachi later used a Dou-Genjutsu (Eye-Genjutsu) on one of the minuscule mirrors. The effect of his eyes reflected on the tiny mirrors around the genins. Without them realizing it, they're already engulfed in the Genjutsu. After making as if they were invisible, Itachi and Kisame dropped their henge. He already heard everything he needed to hear.

'So… Foolish brother… you're still so weak after all…' Itachi thought as the two quickly get pass Sakura, who still talking to Gaara.

"Heh, so this is the Uzumaki Frozen Throne Room they're rambling about? Heh! My Samehada could tear off that ice easily." Kisame chuckled.

"If it doesn't work, then I think I'll use Amaterasu." Itachi still had that eerie feeling but tried to shake it off to no avail.

"Ku ku ku… let's get started then." Kisame was preparing to tear down the metal gates with his Samehada. Then they were alarmed when Sakura finish his sentence.

"Still… I want to pay a visit to Naruto. I have something to tell him."

The two Akatsuki members steady themselves at that. 'Kuso, the effect of the Genjutsu is going to be unraveled. They'll see us now!'

"…Go on through."

They heard the Shukaku Jinchuriki spoke.

Then steps could be heard. Slowly but sure, it's coming their way. The pink haired Kunoichi was walking closer and closer. She was just around the corner…

---------------

Sakura continue her walk calmly. She turns around the corner and turns her head and sees the metallic door with seals on it and a writings saying: FORBIDDEN ROOM. TRESPASSER WILL BE EXECUTED ON THE SPOT. Aside from that, she saw nothing else.

Sakura smiled. She walked in front of the door and sit down on the floor right in front of Naruto's room. "It's been a while… Naruto."

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Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame were utterly confused to say the least. Here they was, almost caught wet handed by some rookie Genin. And then suddenly, when the Genin is about to put another final step that will blow their cover, her steps disappeared… and so does all the voice around them. No more voice of people talking, no more voice of medical instrument blinking… simply put, there is not a single sound in the air anymore aside their own voice.

"…What's this? A Genjutsu?" Kisame look bewildered. How can someone put a Genjutsu on them? He gathered a lot of chakra and held a single hand seal to release the supposedly Genjutsu. "Kai!"

Much to his dismay, the 'Genjutsu' remains.

"What kind of Genjutsu is this? Oi! Itachi! Can you unravel it?" Kisame looked at his partner. He's… trembling?

"…I have my Sharingan inactive…" Itachi's voice was… shaky.

"Then activate it!" Kisame look a bit confused and exasperated.

"…I can't. Something makes me unable to. But I know what this is."

"Oh! Good! Than you can break this darn Genjutsu out?"

"The problem is… one, I can't…no human can…" Kisame look confused at this statement. "…and two, this is not a Genjutsu."

"What? Than what is this? Ninjutsu?" Kisame was completely confused to no end. A bit terrified as well as he saw his supposedly cold blooded and merciless partner trembling… in fear.

"…a kekkei Genkai (Bloodline Limit)…"

"Ura Satori: Kami no Angouka (Reverse Enlightenment: Encryption of the Gods). I'm glad you remember that, Itachi-kun."

Itachi's eyes widen to a size, in Kisame's opinion, of a teacup. The Sharingan user was trembling like there is a huge tremor in his place. Kisame was startled. He had NEVER seen his supposedly fearless partner like this. He saw behind him there is a man, slightly taller than Itachi, wearing a black cloak with blue dragon ornament and a straw hat with a diagonally gashed Konoha symbol on it.

"…Of course, you DO remember what would happen now… right?" Kira appear right a few meters behind them.

"Oi! So it was your bloodline limit? Unravel it now!"

"And if I do, what would you do, Hoshigaki Kisame?"

"We got some business to take care off. So get lost!"

"Kisame… Let's get the hell out of here!" Itachi is still trembling. 'Oh no… with him here, it's senseless of trying to kidnap Naruto-kun now…'

"What the hell is wrong with you? I ain't gonna back down without a fight!"

"Kisame! This guy is way OUT of our league! We can't… no… no human can beat him! We have to run!"

"Why, I'm surprised Itachi-kun. You should've known. When one is inside the space of Kami no Angouka, no one can get in or out without my permission… You should've remembered that also. This one is impossible to break, unlike Jiraiya-kun's Gamakuchi no Shibari."

"This place is in another dimension created by our mind. In another word, we're still in the same dimension but in a different dimension where every matter, every thing in this place is affected by the performer's mind, I remember that very well… Kira…shishou (Master or sensei)…" Itachi slumped on the floor. 'That's why I've been having this familiar bad feeling… Kira-shishou… so it is you… you have returned again…'

To say that Kisame weren't shocked beyond belief was an understatement.

"HE'S YOUR SENSEI?"

"Private sensei, actually. Uchiha Fugaku once asked if I could spare some time by giving his prodigal son a private tutelage. That was… 10 years ago. (Itachi is 17 at present. That means, in this story, he received Kira's tutelage at 7) I haven't seen him since I left the Leaf village 8 years ago."

"…" Kisame was out of words.

"Now, I do wish to talk to you Itachi, but I think your friend here wants to do something."

"…Look, I don't know what you have done in this space to Itachi. But you better unravel it or else!" Kisame prepare his Samehada and put away his cloak. Revealing his battle suit. It's a piece of dark blue Jounin vest with two piece of armor on its shoulders. His exposed pale blue arm show some scars. There's a piece of arm protector in his left fore arm with shark fins-like blades protruding from it. He's not going to hold anything back. To hell with not making any ruckuses in hospital. This guy could even make THE Uchiha Itachi tremble in fear. This person, Kira, whoever he is, is definitely someone.

"You better get us out of this Angouka space of yours or I'll make you!" Kisame growled.

"I'm afraid I can't do that Kisame-san. After all, if I unravel the jutsu, you'll be trying to disturb the Jinchuriki's peaceful slumber. I… can't let that happen now, can I?" Kira chuckled again. However his purple eyes, under the straw hat, which is now no longer his usual eyes, but rather a plain deep dark purple with a small black dot as a pupil (Kira SEED Mode), are constantly alert.

"Then I'll force you!"

"Kisame, don't!" Itachi exclaimed but too late, the shark guy had charged at his Ex-shishou.

With a roar, Kisame slash his Samehada on Kira. Kira dodge it with an ease.

"Not done yet!" Kisame gave a horizontal roundhouse slash this time. Kira simply disappear and reappear, standing on Kisame's sword.

"What the…" Before he knew it, he met up with Kira's foot that 'lightly' kicked his chin. Surprisingly, the 'light kick' sends him backwards a few meters off the ground before he hits the wall, creating a small crack on it.

'What…power!'

"Heh… I guess I'll just use one of my arms then. Seeing how my light kick could affect you greatly…"

"GRWAAAH!" Kisame charged blindly at the cloaked figure. The Samehada torn off its bandages, revealing a monstrous sword which is covered with spines all over it. Several spines are longer than others. Making it look more deadly than it already has.

Kira simply unravel his cloak a bit, showing his right arm, which is covered with a darkish blue gauntlet with bright white lines on its surface. And a purple bright orb with a demon eyes-like feature on it.

Kisame start with a vertical chop, which miss the target by a paper-thin margin. He gave another quick horizontal slash which again missed its target by the same margin. Kira keep dodging flawlessly again and again with the same margin, pissing Kisame to no end. All of a sudden, Kira tap his finger on the shark-man's forehead before pushing him off the ground and throw him back to the wall.

"Why you…" Kisame charged again, this time, he throws his Samehada before making rapid hand seals. "Suiton!"

"Kisame! Suiton jutsu is out of question against this guy!" Itachi yell again.

"Same Abarewamaru! (Shark Rampage!)" Kisame burst water out of his mouth that forms a shark before it envelops his sword. The sword, covered in water, turn into a large demon like shark with 4 sharp fins, 3 rear fins and spiky skin. The water demon shark charge out to Kira who simply stood there.

'To cast a water jutsu in a place where there's no water at all… impressive indeed.' Kira inwardly smirked.

The attack suddenly died down when it almost hit Kira by a few centimeters. The water dispersed almost instantly, revealing the floating Samehada.

"Wha… What the? How is that possible?" Kisame had his round eyes widened as veins appeared in his twitching eyes. "…This space must have affected my jutsu. Damn you cheating bastard!"

"Kira-shishou… is a master of Water and Thunder. He doesn't need the power of his Kami no Angouka space to alter water the way he pleases." Itachi explained. Still slumping in disbelief.

"Couldn't explain better. That's right Kisame-san. I'm a master of water. All Suiton jutsu is useless against me. I use Kami no Angouka to trap my enemies, or imprison them here… But I never use it to alter other things even though I could…"

Kisame's skin gone even paler than it already has. Being trained as a mist shinobi, most of his powerful jutsu are comprised of Suiton jutsu. Now he has no choice but to resolve on Kenjutsu and Taijutsu.

"Oryaaaa!" The mist nuke-Nin charges at the figure, raising his fist. Kira tilt his head to the left, missing the punch from Kisame, only to be welcomed with a roundhouse kick to his rib-cage, which he blocks, before deflecting it. Kisame took the chance and grabs the Samehada with his left hand and swing it at the cloaked figure. Kira immediately blocks the roughly spiked sword. Kisame sends another kick to his opponent's head. Kira back down a bit after deflecting the spiky sword, and miss the kick just a few millimeters from his nose. Off course, Kisame didn't see that because the straw hat is in the way. "What's wrong? Maybe you're just so full of yourself?" Kisame taunted.

"I hate resolving to violence…" Kira jerked his palm to Kisame's stomach, and the next second, lightning bolts shot out of his hand, and throw the missing Nin a few meters backwards again, with his legs barely touch the ground. Kisame quickly stomp the ground in order to gain footage and stop his involuntary movement. Much to his dismay, his legs do little effort on holding his body. He tried to put chakra into it and he finally stop after being darted backwards a few meters off.

Kisame look at his opponent angrily. Then he felt a surge of electricity in his right palm. He looks at his hand to see small lightning bolts jumping from his fingers. 'What the? Is this the after-effect of his attack?' He shook it off immediately. Being a user of Suiton jutsu, electricity is his greatest weakness. He looks at his opponent again and saw that his right arm is enclosed in electricity. 'Itachi had said he's a master of Raiton jutsu. Kuso… this just ain't my day…' Kisame make another hand seals again. "Suiton: Kirigakure no jutsu!" Mist filled the room soon after. "Heh. Try to locate me now." Kisame's voice howled from the entire place.

"…can we not just talk about this?" Kira spoke again. His gentle voice doesn't change all the time.

A sudden incoming attack of Samehada, which materialize from the mist behind him, answers it. Kira block it… lazily… without even looking at it. "…I'll take that as no." He sends another spark of lightning that shock the demon shark-nin again.

"What the fuck? Did he have eyes at the back of his head?"

"Kisame, it's useless! With Kira-shishou's Satori, he'll know every movement you WILL make! It's senseless trying to beat him! Stop this now!" Itachi yelled at him.

"N…Never!" there is fear in his voice now. 'Just who the hell is this guy?'

"This takes to long already. Fuuton: Gufuu no jutsu (Wind element: Typhoon)!"

A small typhoon appears at Kira's palm, and then he threw it at the center of the mist. Almost instantly, the mists disappear in a flash, revealing a panting Kisame.

Kira smirked. "Found you."

"(Pant) (Pant) DAMN YOU!" Kisame charge blindly again towards the cloaked figure. Raising his Samehada. He slashed his sword vertically which the target blocks it… with his two fingers holding one of the spines.

"Kisame-san… You are truly worthy of being one of the Mist Seven Devil Swordsman. However, I see that you still can't use the true power of Samehada… No?"

"The hell you know! Samehada, eat his Chakra!" Samehada do nothing. "Wh… What? Samehada, what's wrong?"

Kira smiled calmly. "Of course he can't. After all, I'm his father."

"WHAT?" Kisame's eyes bulging at the statement.

"…That's right… I created Samehada a long time ago, using fangs of shark demons… Your name is Kisame (Demon Shark) right? Samehada is truly suitable for you… however…" Kira sends a surge of ocean blue chakra to Samehada, who start shaking violently afterwards.

"What… What have you done?" Kisame had a bit trouble holding the sword in his hands. "Samehada! What's wrong with you?" The moment the trembling ends, the spiky sword is more horrible than he could imagine. It no longer colored in usual grey, but rather ocean blue. Several huge spines with figures written on them protruding from the sword's base. Near the hilt, several big, long, shark-like fangs grew out. The blunt edge of the sword gone sharper by the second. Finally, to top it all, the entire countless spines that cover the entire sword drop down on the floor, replaced with fewer yet bigger spikes. There is a Dark Blue kanji in the middle of his new sword written: Same (Shark). Kisame was gawking at the transformation of his sword. "What the…"

"Meet SameGiri. (Shark Hunter) The true form of Samehada (Shark skin)." Kira smiled as he released the now transformed SameGiri. Kisame was holding the new sword with a greatest effort.

'What? I never knew that Samehada could do something like this… I know he eats up chakra… but… What is this… it feels like the sword is eating MY chakra! But it holds a great power… right?' Kisame raise the sword slightly, before pull it up over his head with a roar and smash it to where Kira had been. A HUGE explosion occurred when the sword hits the ground.

The two Akatsuki members were gawking. 'Shishou… you're still an impressive blacksmith…' Itachi marveled at the sheer destructive force of the sword. 'But then again… your weapons are always a picky when it comes about choosing their masters…' Itachi look at the spot on where Kisame's standing…

'Holy knobby! This thing destructive alright… but I never thought will be THAT destructive!' Kisame look at the place where Kira had been. There's huge crater in where his sword sank. Funny thing is, the crushed floor looks like appear have been… bitten by a HUGE shark.

"SameGiri, is at least 10 times more powerful than Samehada. If the usual Samehada eats chakra, in this form is where all of them came out. The more chakra he throws out, the more powerful it gets. I see you've feed him well." Kira smiled as he explained at the panting (and gawking) Shark Nin.

"GRRrrrhh…! Wha… I can't pull it out!" Kisame was trying his hardest to pull the sunken sword out.

"The number of chakra you pour on the sword will determine how much chakra he throws out. Judging by the size of that crater… you pour a lot didn't you? Now you don't have much chakra left…"

"You asshole! I didn't pour any chakra into it. This thing sucks my chakra!"

"But you intend to smash me with SameGiri weren't you? Samegiri detects killing intent and bloodlust, Kisame-san. When the intent came from the wielder, he will automatically suck the user's chakra. The amount of Chakra it will suck out of you will depend on how big your killing intent is. And I see here…" Kira observed the crater again. "…you really want to kill me didn't you?" He chuckled again.

"FUCK YOU TO HELL!" Kisame let go of his sunken sword and charge at the chuckling figure. Intent on using hand to hand. He slam both of his hand to the floor, raise a huge piece of floor beneath him, and throw it at cloaked figure before giving it another punch, breaking it to pieces that is thrown towards Kira in high speed.

Kira inwardly smiles as he used his one arm to lazily punch all the smaller rock fragments that is heading his way with equally inhuman speed. Kisame was heading towards him, jumping from one flying rock fragments to another. Kira only continues to smile.

When Kisame reach the point blank range, he dash out, intent on giving Kira a good punch or two… before he realize that the target was nowhere in sight. 'Where the hell is he?'

"Here." A voice from his back stated.

Kisame turn his head and saw Kira was standing on one of the midair rock fragments. His right hand grabs his leg.

'What? I don't see him move?'

Kira jerk the shark Nin's leg and throw him off to a wall.

Kisame managed to land on his legs at the wall and stick there with his remaining chakra. But the force of the throw was so great; his feet sank deep into the wall, creating cracks all around him. He could've sworn all bones in his legs are screaming. Meanwhile, the surviving rock fragments continue to make their merry way and smashed themselves to a wall behind the untouched Kira.

The mist Nin was panting heavier by the second. 'Hell, no wonder Itachi's so strong. This is his teacher?'

"Correction, Itachi-kun is strong because he's a true genius. He absorbed everything I taught him like a soak. Right, Itachi-kun?"

"What? You read my minds?" Kisame was shocked, he land on the normal ground soon after.

"Short off. I can see it from your expression."

'Gah… You've got to be kidding me…' He tried to stand up again. He's not going give up like this! He hasn't planted any solid punches on the so-called Itachi's sensei god damn it!

"You definitely have pride but… I had enough of this… It's time to end." Kira raise his hand, which is glowing with an ocean blue chakra and, "Suiton, Suiryuu Arashi! (Water element, Water Dragon Storm)" a huge water swirl appears on Kira's palm before shot out a ferociously swirling water dragon at the shocked Kisame with blinding velocity.

He gathers all strength he had left on his right arm, and then he smashed the water dragon to smithereens. 'Ha! Who's the bad-ass water master now?' Kisame saw a small single line of purple flash and…

"Gomen ne Kisame-san… I think I'll hold on to that title for now." Kira spoke with his back is right behind Kisame's back. His gauntlet, which once had a flat surface suddenly 'bloomed', making it look like more devilish with spikes and thorns that suddenly appear from the surface. Electricity flowed through the horns.

'!' Kisame didn't even have the chance to say anything as he just realized that the target is not in the vicinity when he felt a huge electricity surge through him.

He drops on his knees. "Ghwack!" Kisame was holding his heart. Veins appear at his hands. The next second, he starts coughing blood.

"With electricity, I've alter the iron in your blood, resulting in the alteration of the flow of your blood as well. I've reversed the blood circulation in your body… it will return to normal soon… until then… don't move too much."

"Cough! Cough! Damn you!" Kisame cough more blood.

"Kisame, I suggest you listen to what Kira-shishou says." Itachi spoke again after being silent throughout the fight.

"…" Kisame gone silent.

"Now… Itachi-kun! Get up! Let me get a good look at you." Kira turn his head towards the other Akatsuki member. Itachi do as he was told. He looks weakly at his sensei.

"The last time I see you, you were just this tall." Kira point a finger below his chest. Kisame who saw that snorted out of his will. 'Itachi's a midget when he was 7?'

Itachi glared at the snorting wounded Shark Nin. 'I'll get you if we survive this, you Same Darou (Damn Shark)!'

"Growth spurt I guess." Kira continue to observe Itachi. Seemingly oblivious with the situation. "You know me. So I'll just straight to the point. What happen 4 years ago? What force you to massacre your own clan Itachi?"

"…Nobody force me."

"Lie."

"…I do that on my own free will."

"More lies."

"…I want to do it!"

"Lying again." Kira smirked.

"I…" Itachi was lost at words. Trust his sensei to see trough someone's façade. He's really good at that.

"Lost at words?" Kira smiled at his former student.

"…Shishou…"

"…Fine! I'm not the type of a guy who forces someone to talk. If you're not ready now, than so be it. However, I've heard of your activity these years. You were with this… Akatsuki? Do you realize that you were trying to tap into something that is way out of human's border?"

"…"

"…If it's going to be like this Itachi-kun. I have no choice. I don't know what have happened to you to have such a…" Kira frowns a bit "…dark thoughts."

"Shishou… are you going to kill me?"

"…" Kira goes silent before electricity start to gather again in his palm.

Itachi silently closed his eyes. 'This is it… farewell… foolish brother.' He waited 2 seconds… 3 seconds… Nothing happened. He dares himself to open his eyes to see that his sensei creates a door at one of the intact wall.

"…This door will warp you straight to where you were before you enter Konoha, which is right outside Konoha forest border. Tell your superior that the Kyuubi and the Ichibi is under my constant surveillance."

"…Hai…" Itachi moved towards Kisame and put him on his shoulder. Using a bit of his chakra to carry the obviously bigger person. Itachi look at the Samegiri… who has transformed back to Samehada. "Kisame, could you…"

"No need. It will answer to your touch as well, Itachi." Kisame speak calmly. Itachi grabs the sword and walk slowly towards the door. Before he grabs the handle, Kira pats his shoulder.

"10 years ago, although we didn't spend much of the time together back there, I understand you very well Itachi. And I still trust you. Meet me 6 months from now on Wave country. You know where. I'll listen to your reason."

"…Hai." Itachi's pale face brightened VERY slightly.

He grabs the handle, pull it down, only to be welcomed with a blinding light. When he regains his sight, he was already outside Konoha forest border. Surprisingly, it still afternoon. It was as if only one second had passed since the match between Kisame and Kira since the sun haven't changed its position even the slightest. 'Time and space distortion. I forgot Kami no Angouka could also do that…'

Meanwhile, in the Hospital, Angouka realm…

"Phew… Look all this mess…" Kira look around. A huge part of the floor was ripped of, a 5 feet crater could be seen, and cracks filled the walls. "You have a very destructive friend here, Itachi-kun. How on earth he could become one of the seven devil swordsman who are experts in silent killing, I don't really want to know." He swept his arm once, and the whole damage disappeared in a flash. He looks at the frozen door in front of him. "Lucky it's not the real world…" There is a slight crack on the frozen door. With a swept, the crack instantly vanished.

"…Kyuubi no Kitsune… …Uzumaki Naruto... Never thought in my mind that both of the fate of both of us will cross like this…"

The frozen door gives its unspoken reply.

"…Be safe…Naruto-kun…for Arashi-kun's sake." Kira muttered again.

He vanish in thin air soon after.

--------------------

Meanwhile, in the Hospital, normal realm…

Sakura smiled. She walked in front of the door and sit down on the floor right in front of Naruto's room. Oblivious with the battle that just happened in another realm at the exact same place she was sitting right now. "It's been a while… Naruto."

She stares at the frozen door in front of her. The door that was nearly torn apart in another dimension…

"How you've been? I bet you were terribly out-cold in there… weren't you?" Sakura chuckled. Yes, Naruto IS out-cold… literally.

"Well I came here, actually to see how you are doing… and ask for forgiveness for treating you like a jerk all this time." Sakura thought again all this time. She dis Naruto, while he loves her so much. It gives a pain in her chest when she thinks about it. "But… someone nearly beat me into dropping the idea… but he was right. I won't ask you to forgive me Naruto, for I'm not worthy of your forgiveness…"

She inhaled for a moment before exhaling again. "But I promise I will try to make myself worthy. I will make myself worthy of your forgiveness, and I will make myself worthy to be called your teammate!" Sakura thought a moment about Sasuke. "…And I promise… next time, we'll do it together! You have my word!" She stood up. Before make her merry way to the Hokage office.

----------------------

Itachi dropped Kisame, purposely, head first. Kisame grunted while Itachi smirked slightly. Kisame sat down below a tree for a moment until his blood circulation back to normal. After a moment of silence, Kisame breaks out.

"Okay. Itachi, explain."

"What do you want to know?"

"Who the F--K is that guy? And I've never heard of you having a master THAT powerful. Also, he said he created Samehada. Who the hell is he actually?"

"…Like he had explained, he was my private tutor. He suddenly shows up when I was only 7 years old. We spend 2 years together, as master and apprentice. Over time, we become good friends as well. Not best, but close nonetheless."

"And then?"

"He left Konoha soon after, and he didn't come back again… until today."

"What about him and Samehada? How on earth he knows the secret of Samehada that even I don't know about?"

"Kira-shishou is a master blacksmith. During the old times, as what he told me back there, he creates swords. He has an incalculable collection of swords. And it just so happens that apparently, he created Samehada or Samegiri as well."

"As for the third question… Who… What the hell is he?"

"…apparently he's the last of his clan. That's all I know."

"What? That's it?" Kisame growled in frustration. He never knew such… being existed.

"…sadly… …yes. But I do know one thing. This guy is almost invincible. With him on the Leaf, only a man without sane thoughts who dare to go there and wreak havoc in there, for I know that he originated from the Konoha, and he's still loyal to the village. No Human being can beat him…"

"To think such a human existed…"

"No… I don't think he's a human."

"What? Than what is he?"

"He's… I don't know… but something in him gives me the idea that he was a human… but now… he is not… I don't want to think what he is now…"

Kisame shivered as well. Being pummeled down like that was enough experience for the shark Nin. "So… what are we going to do? Are we going to report to boss?"

"No. Our job is practically done. The leader only told us to locate Naruto-Kun. You're the one that came up with the idea of capturing him. Things like this are… off his concern. Besides, when he starts doing _that _he can't be disturbed for at least 2 years."

"Are you sure about this?"

"Positive. Besides, why don't you start training using that new sword of yours? Kira-shishou is a perfectionist. Surely he won't make something that weight more on attack power only."

"Really… Well I think I'll do that than. Damn… it's been a while since the last time I train…" He looks at his Samehada again. "Well my friend, I thought I know everything about you. Thought I was wrong. So tell me, what else are you hiding, little shark?" Kisame asked jokingly at his sword. The sword seemingly gave a friendly rumble in reply.

Itachi… _chuckled._ This doesn't go unnoticed by his shark friend, who looks at him as if he was the 8th wonder of the world.

"I… Itachi… you… You CHUCKLED?" Kisame's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Oh? Well I guess I have…" 'Why do I feel easy all the sudden?' Itachi smiled slightly before his face. 'Heh… right… it's good to see you again… Kira-shishou…'

----------------------

Sakura was walking at the Hokage office. She knocked the door and met up with Tsunade.

"Come in!" Tsunade let the pink haired Kunoichi in.

"I… have a request."

"What is it?"

"Please… make me your apprentice!"

Tsunade look at Sakura… '… She's the girl from team 7… right?' "Why do you want to be my apprentice?"

"I want to be a medic Nin."

"It's not easy. What made you think a rabid Sasuke fan-girl like you could become a good medic Nin?"

"First of, because I'm weak, I've let my team become the state they currently in now. 2ndly, I've failed a friend of mine who is a proud shinobi of Konoha. But I've already given him my word that I will become stronger, and make myself worthy of being called his teammate!"

Tsunade was taken back. She never expects the answer would be like that. '…matured haven't you… so you are also troubled… right?'

"Haruno Sakura… I've heard from Kakashi that you excelled in intelligence and have a strong spirit also… guess he's right."

"…I'm not that strong. Not strong enough to believe in my friends… But I promise you, I will be!"

"…" Tsunade smiled again. "From now on, I won't go easy on you!"

"O…OKAY!"

----------------------

Back with Neji…

After parting with Tenten, Neji went to the training field and trained there for some hours before make his way immediately to the Hyuuga compound. When the gates of the branch family manor in his sight, he tensed up slightly when he saw Hyuuga Hiashi walking back and forth in front of the gate.

"Neji?" Hiashi saw him and stop walking around.

"Hiashi-sama?"

"I've been waiting for you. Come, we'll talk inside."

"…Hai."

The two walk inside the branch family's living room. When they had reached the living room, before Neji could say anything, Hiashi dropped on his knees and kneel down to Neji.

"H… Hiashi-sama! What… What are you doing?"

"First of all… As a hyuuga head, I would like to give you my sincerest apology. I'm terribly sorry for what Hyuuga Zoshi had done. You may rest assured that he had been punished. I've heard about what happened to him from Ms. Tenten."

"Tenten did? How…"

"I was taking a stroll when I ran across your teammate. Then Zoshi appeared that evening and said to me that you have disrespect the main family. Ms. Tenten yelled saying that Zoshi had tortured you out of jealousy. Zoshi became angry, and he attacked Ms. Tenten."

Neji run furiously towards the door. "I gonna teach that bastard never mess around with MY teammate!"

Hiashi immediately grab the outraged Neji. "Calm yourself. I've seen through the truth in Tenten's word and Zoshi's action. I stopped him. And Ms. Tenten suffered no injuries."

"…" Neji stop abruptly. He muttered something about kicking Zoshi's butt. Before he calmed down and Hiashi continues.

"Off course, I need proof that Zoshi had done what Tenten said. Than I start gather information, asking some people who saw the commotion. They all said the same thing more or less. I held a court soon after, and Zoshi had been punished severely charged for unauthorized use of curse seal and an assassination attempt on one of a hyuuga member… He objected at that saying that you're not even worthy of being called a hyuuga member… …which earned him an even heavier penalty: banished from the council and Hyuuga clan and the lost of his Byakuugan by severing the nerves on his eyes done personally by Tsunade."

"Serves him right…" Neji inwardly smirked at this.

"Yes… attacking a civilian. Not just once. Twice. TWICE! For Kami's sake. That's was clearly unforgivable. One was when he attacked Ms. Tenten, and then this blacksmith guy, according to the story of the citizens."

Neji chuckled. "…I wouldn't call a former Konoha Jounin a civilian."

"?... Konoha Jounin? How did you know?"

"…One, he had this gashed Konoha symbol on his hat, two, I've talked to him and he somewhat admitted that he was a Jounin… and three… he… performed a Kaiten."

"He WHAT?" Hiashi was inwardly shocked beyond beliefs.

"…and he said he's not a Hyuuga."

"…Did you see his face? His eyes at that?"

"I can't see his face. He was wearing some short of enchanted hat that obscured the view but I did see his eyes. They were just normal purple eyes. Nothing fancy about it."

"…!" Hiashi was greatly alarmed. Never anyone performed a Kaiten without a Byakuugan. Things like that are thought of impossible to do.

"…there is something funny about his Kaiten though…"

"What is it?"

"…his Kaiten… it's purplish blue."

"Purplish Blue Kaiten?" 'Wait a minute… according to the old literature of Konoha…'

"Our normal Kaiten is colored in yellow right? This guy's Kaiten… it somewhat… purplish blue with oceanic blue aura emitting from it. And a very powerful… no offense, but I think it even surpassed yours, Hiashi Sama. Do you know anyone who could do such thing?"

"…Not that I remember of… Anyway, how's your head now?"

"I'm fine. You can check it if you like."

"Byakuugan!" Hiashi checked Neji. "…well I'll be damned. Not even a single trace of wound in your brain cells… Did you meet Tsunade before coming here?"

"No. I… I just drink a tea from that blacksmith. Nothing else."

"…" 'Incredible… Brain cell damage caused by the Hyuuga curse seal can be healed that easily…'

"Is there anything else, Hiashi-sama?"

"Well… I guess that's it… Oh! And yeah, I was thinking of moving you to live in the main branch compound."

Neji jaw dropped. "R… Really?"

"Well, your status is still a bit same… but hopefully, this way we can nullify the division system little by little…"

Neji's face brightened a great deal.

"Well than I say you've agreed, pack up tonight. You'll be moving to my house tomorrow. For now, I'll take my leave."

"Arigato Gozaimasu, Hiashi sama!" Neji kneel down in respect.

'One matter done… now… to the library it is… blue Kaiten… only one man in Konoha history that is able to do that…'

------------------------------

------------------------------

There. Now the 4th chapter finished. Again. Rewritten with the forgotten scene about Neji in the end. (That's right, it supposed to be there, but I forgot to put it.) I never thought Hiashi as a bad guy. And I guess that makes all of us. (Well… I think.) Hope you like the battle between Kisame vs. Kira in this chapter.

Till next chapter, Ja ne!


	5. Awakening, Sound Invasion, Unexpected

Some jerk from the telephone company prevented me from accessing the internet. Thus, it makes me unable to upload any stories… GOMEN! Now, as I've promised, chapter 5 is extremely LONG. Enjoy. Thanks for the reviews!

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": in Naruto's case, him in berserker mode. However, I will use this format for other purpose when it's necessary.**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA: Kyuubi demon form speech**

The chance of me having Naruto and Gundam SEED is like the chance of the great Kyuubi gave birth to a lump.

AN: I told you before that this chapter will be long. This is my first time writing a war scene too. So I'm sorry if there's something misplaced. Also, I've changed the rating from T to M. OK! Behold, FanFicpou: Woru Sken no Jutsu! (Fan Fic art: War Scene no Jutsu!)

5th chapter go!

Chapter 5:

Awakening, Sound Invasion, Unexpected Visitor

It's been exactly six weeks ever since Naruto was put under suspended animation. Little Hinata has been waiting for this day. She keeps counting the days until Naruto awake and was so excited when the day has come. In fact, she was so excited that she nearly forgot to sleep. But the most frustrating part is, when the day come, she seem to be regaining her old habit of shyness and stuttering again.

'COME ON HINATA! Stop being shy and stuttering like that! You want to impress Naruto or not?' Hinata inwardly yelled at herself when she was suddenly gripped by her usual nervousness as she's coming close to the hospital.

After a moment of mental battle, which she won, she resumes her walk to the hospital door only to be welcomed by a person who had already waiting there before her.

"Hinata? Are you here to check on Naruto too?" Sakura welcome her.

"Hai. What are you doing here?" Hinata still a bit mad at Sakura. 'If she dares to insult Naruto-kun again I swear I'll…'

"Well, I guess that makes all 4 of us…" Jiraiya and Kakashi suddenly popped out of nowhere.

"Make that 5… I mean 6." Tsunade too, come to the scene as Iruka follows.

"How are you feeling about this?" Kakashi asks Tsunade.

"Nervous. I just checked today's lottery… and I won… barely." Tsunade look at the other's pale faces.

"…We need all luck we can get today… every single one. So keep the bad mood okay, flat chest?" Jiraiya taunted.

A vein appeared in Tsunade's forehead. "When we're through this day, you got one plate of knuckle sandwich coming, Hentai Jiji!"

"…Let's go."

The band make their way to the hospital, straight to the Uzumaki Frozen Throne Room, where Sabaku no Gaara can be seen. He was standing there calmly, while the Konohamaru corps can be seen leaning themselves on the wall, sleeping. Hinata tensed up slightly.

"…Gaara? What are you doing here?" Kakashi asked immediately.

"I've been here all the time. Most of the people of this village can't really be trusted, so I took the liberty to stand guard here all the time."

"Well thank you, I guess…" Iruka look at the metallic door.

"Why do you come here?" Gaara asked in return.

"Supposedly, this is the day when Naruto wakes up."

"Yep. So we're all come here to see him."

"I see… Very well then. Let's wait together." Gaara concluded.

They wait and look at the metallic door in front of them. A few minutes later, Neji and Tenten appeared.

"Neji-nee-san? You here to see Naruto too?"

"Well… that's the 2nd reason. But mainly it's because Hiashi Sama was taken a bit of surprise when he went to your bed this morning to see you disappeared. He asks me to find you… I know that today is the due date of Naruto's awakening, therefore I know you'd be here." Neji smirked. "As for Tenten-chan…"

"Chan?" Sakura rolled her eyes, so does Hinata and others. The two blushed.

"…As for Tenten, she came here because she too was curious on Naruto's condition and we met on the way. Now STOP STARING AT ME!" Neji exclaimed the last sentence as his face gone bit red of embarrassment. 'What the hell am I SAYING?'

Sakura and Hinata can only giggle. They looked at each other for a moment, before resume their giggling again.

"Oi. Please stop it you two." Tenten was embarrassed. Suddenly Gaara exclaimed.

"…Something's happening."

Everyone dropped silent.

"…What is it?"

"…Shukaku suddenly gone crazy…" Gaara winced as he grabs his crimson hair. "…he keeps yelling saying that he's coming."

"'He'? Does Shukaku mean…"

"I sense a huge chakra start to appear from the inside!" Gaara look at the steel door. So does everyone else.

Suddenly, all the sealing papers in the door were burned instantly. Everyone was greatly alarmed. But more alarmed when the metal door color turn into burnt red. The door starts to tremble before screws start to shot out from the door.

"Whoa!" Jiraiya nearly got hit by one of the screw bullet.

"…" Gaara used his sand shield to protect himself, and then, using the hand of sand, he grabs the Konohamaru corps out of the danger zone while protecting them using the shield of sand.

"What the hell…" Tsunade dodge another bullet of burning red hot screw.

The tremor on the metallic door peaked before it blasted off from its hinges towards the Hokage.

"If this is one of Kyuubi's joke…" Tsunade slammed the door to smithereens. Her eyes bulged at the sight. The frozen door is now filled with red burned cracks. The Fuuin kanji is burning red. The cracks escalate.

"It's as if it's going to explode!" Jiraiya exclaimed.

Truth to be told, the kanji changes shape. From Fuuin (Seal) to Kai (Release). As if on cue, the frozen door explodes to burned smithereens. They can finally see what's inside.

"…So… that's…Cryopreserved state?" Tenten exclaimed.

In the room, which is all covered in cracking ice, a small iceberg could be seen. The iceberg had lots of writings in its surface, which now are also burning red. Inside the iceberg, though barely visible, is none other than the one Uzumaki Naruto.

Inside Naruto's mind…

"Phew! It's done!"

"Yes. And just on time too. It's time for you to wake up."

"It is? My, where does the time go?"

"Don't be childish now. Don't worry, even after you wake up, we can still communicate."

"Ok! I can't wait to show everyone my new jutsus!" Naruto exclaimed in his usual style.

"Baka. What kind of Ninja shows off his own techniques?"

"Huh? Oh well I guess you're right… Really I have to change that habit."

"Right. Now off you go again." Kyuusei expelled another burst of his chakra that sends the blond, again, back to his body.

Back to everyone…

The writings gone redder and redder by the second. The ice around the room are also began to crack down at a faster rate. Soon, the only ice remain intact is the iceberg in the room. The iceberg too, began to tremble at an alarming rate.

"…It's coming!" Gaara exclaimed again.

The iceberg began to… boil? Yes, the small iceberg began to boil inside out. More cracks appear, all of them are fire red. The writings are already at ablaze. The tremor had already reached its peak…

With a huge burst of exploding flames and crimson Youki, the iceberg explodes with inhuman magnitude of force, sending bullets of ice shards to every direction.

-------------------

Somewhere on the town…

Kira crushed the tea cup in his palm when he felt a monstrous surge of Demon's chakra.

"…This… Youki… Uzumaki Naruto… you've awaken at last…"

-------------------

"What the… Kaiten!" Neji dash upfront and performs the Hyuuga absolute defense, shielding Tenten, Hinata and Sakura altogether. Jiraiya perform a "Katon, Karyuu Endan!" to blast some huge ice shards that was coming their way, while Tsunade simply smash the ice fragments that was heading towards her direction. Kakashi and Iruka used kunai to tackle the remaining smaller shards. Gaara, completely still, use his sand defense to guard the ice, which break their way trough his defense of sand and was stopped just a few inches away from his face. Steam filled the room.

"Be careful! There maybe more!" Tsunade commanded.

"…I see something…" Neji, Byakuugan active look at the middle of the smoke, then his face brightened. "It's Naruto! He's… He's looks alright… Thank you Kami-sama… He's ALIVE!"

Hinata squeals in happiness. She was hopping up and down. Tsunade sigh in relief.

"Alright! Let's pick the baka out of there!" Sakura walks into the room, before being stopped by the blushing Neji.

"Err… girls might want to stay out of this…"

"Huh?" All the female in the room look at Neji.

"…Naruto is… well… not in the condition where girls should… Hinata-sama! NOOOO!"

Too late, Hinata activate her Byakuugan and a small trickle of blood flowed from her nose before she passed out soon after. All the female looked at the flushed out Hinata and understand completely what had happened. The older males, chuckling along the way, while Jiraiya began his icha-icha frenzy research once more which earn him a punch from angry yet happy Tsunade that sends the pervert old geezer flying into the room.

A growl later, Jiraiya appeared with the said blond on his back, which is completely intact (save for his burned clothes). Jiraiya put his red robe on Naruto, saving the remaining female from nosebleed.

Iruka instantly check on his "son" well being. "…Incredible… Kyuusei's right… not even a single wound remains… as if he was never wounded before…" Iruka whisper in a low voice.

"…let's save that judgment when I can move again…okay Iruka-sensei?" Naruto spoke in low tone. Shocking everyone.

"Naruto? Can… Can you hear me?" Iruka was nearly blinded with tears.

"…I could hear you just fine… and what is this guy with spiky and greasy hair carrying me? …Ero Sannin… is that you? Your scent reek toad and oil…"

Tsunade is flabbergasted. 'I… incredible… that mean his senses had indeed returned… he could hear Iruka's whisper… meaning his hearing senses have even increased… he could smell Jiraiya's scent… No problem with his smelling senses… he could also feel the greasiness of Jiraiya's hair… no problem with his sense of touch either…' "…Naruto… how are you feeling?"

"…Felt like a hunk of rock… I never felt so weak… I could barely… no I can't move a single part of my body! AND I'm as hungry as hell."

Tsunade slaps her head in realization. "Off course! Entombed in ice for 6 weeks! Your muscles become weak after all that! And all your nervous system, save your senses, is completely malfunctioning!"

"Can't I have a ramen now?"

As if on cue, Shizune and several Jounin appear on the scene.

"Tsunade-sama! What happened?" Shizune look at Tsunade, who's grinning, then to the exploded door, before finally towards Jiraiya, who had Naruto on his back.

Shizune, who were grinning brightly, turns her head on Tsunade. "…Operation room, level 3. We'll get our blond shinobi patched up in no time!"

---------------

Meanwhile… In Otogakure…

Orochimaru was upset. Sure, he had gained the Sharingan. However, his servants had come too late. Now he had no choice but to wait for three years. Three long years until he can grasp his long wished future. Kabuto had told him that at least he could train Sasuke during the time, making the Sharingan user to be more compatible as his future body. However, being an impatient being, he can only grumbling all day.

Most of his reason of agitation is revolving on a certain blond shinobi from a certain wretched (Well, in his opinion) hidden village.

Sure, the blond had almost destroyed his future forever. But he had failed, thanks to his so-called right hand. But apparently, Naruto had somewhat crushed half of his future container's spirit. He had heard from Kabuto that the blond was supposedly to be dead last. Loser in all subjects. 'Just like Jiraiya… and that blond asshole (AN: guess who:D)…' Who would have thought that the brat could be that powerful? Orochimaru had told Sasuke on the truth of Naruto's strength. In another words, the snake Sannin had told Sasuke about Kyuubi. Wrong move. For even the cold and heartless Uchiha was also incredibly moved by this fact. And now, Sasuke was even more unnerved to battle his ex-comrade. The report given by Kabuto weren't much help either.

"…_Last time I saw him, his body was half dead. Burned in every inch of his body. There is no way he could live longer than one day."_

Well, that what he said, 5 weeks ago when Sasuke asked him about what happen to Naruto. That really put the Uchiha avenger's mood down. And Orochimaru just couldn't be more frustrated. Sasuke still learning jutsus, but as the time went by, he become more and more undetermined to learn more. When Kabuto ask him, his answer makes the snake Sannin nearly snapped.

"…_I need to be to be the avenger. I know that. But I've decided that I cannot until I've settled the score with Naruto first. And if what you said is true… I think I've lost some reason of my existence."_

'I thought he was supposed to be the avenger! He supposedly thinks nothing but vengeance! God dammit, it looks like that Blond fox brat had put some of his color on him!' Orochimaru continue to mutter more curses inwardly and building up his frustrations in the last 6 weeks since he gained the Sharingan user. Finally, he can take it anymore and he came up with a final decision:

"I'm going to obliterate Leaf once more." He spoke out loud. Loud enough to his servant, Kabuto, to hear.

"…Again? Last time you do it…"

"No. This time, I'll just send troops. Those assholes from Konoha had interfered with my plan time and again. It's time to put them down for good. Also, Sasuke's actions began to worry me. It's best we wipe off Konoha from the face of the earth before he double-crosses us and return to Konoha."

"Is it wise? Do we have the numbers?"

Orochimaru grinned. "Follow me." The two walked to an underground tunnel.

They arrived in front of a gate after some walk. The gate had a demon face on it. Papers with a kanji of Fuuin (Seal) are plastered on it. Orochimaru make a single hand seal. "Kai." All the papers burned down. The gates open. Kabuto's eyes widened at the sight.

It's an armory. Inside were filled with artillery weapons: Huge Cannons, Arbalests (1), Battering ram, and if Kabuto is not mistaken, there is this larger version of Zaku's (You know, the spiky haired, cocky Otonin who lost his arm in the Chuunin exam) air gun. All of them are enough to arm an army.

"…impressive weaponry, Orochimaru-sama… but… who is going to use them?"

"During our first assault, I only put some of my Chuunins and some genins on the line. Most of the shinobi died during the previous war are sand's shinobi we helped to sneak in to the leaf village under the sound village clothing. We still have our main troops and our elite Jounins ready."

"But I'm afraid you're forgetting one thing. We have two Sannin-level shinobi on the village: Jiraiya and Tsunade. What should we do about them?"

Orochimaru smiled wickedly. "I think it's about time…" He grinned even more sadistically as he starts walking towards another room. "…for me to put my collection into use."

They reach another gate after a quite long walk. This gate is twice as large as the first one. The snake Sannin did another single hand seal. The gate was opened soon after. Kabuto gawked at sight.

It was a pool. There are several pools of formalin. A huge complex of formalin pools and inside the pools were filled with corpses. Tens of thousands of corpses. But not just any corpses. The corpses' bodies were somewhat… modified. One had a huge claw in replacement of its fingers; another had some big guns on their metal shoulders, the other got spikes and blades protruding from their pale skin. Some had a forehead protector from various kinds of hidden villages: Grass, Stone, Cloud, Sand, Leaf, Mist, etc. The corpses, however, have something in common: they don't have any faces.

"…Orochimaru-sama… what… is this?"

"The Underworld Pool. That's what my ancestors called them."

"Ancestors?"

"Do you know why I pick this location to be the place where I build Otogakure? It's because this place is near my Ancestor's experimenting site. I once learned from a scroll that my ancestors are as obsessed in immortality as I am. In their attempt, they collect bodies for human organ experiments. Not just any bodies. But powerful warriors of their time. They also 'modified' some part of their bodies to be an organic weapon. My ancestors often use the re-animated bodies (Using Kinjutsu) as their personal army. Then they kept the collections of bodies here."

"…I guess that explains why I saw some Shinobis whose village origin I didn't even know of…" Kabuto's voice was somewhat… excited.

"Yes…later on, I followed the tradition and add up my own modified collection to beef up the number." 'Thanks to Sasori where I 'lend' his knowledge of trap weapons and human organ modifications… Ku ku ku ku…' "Undead soldiers are effective indeed. They do not know pain, nor do they have emotion. Ruthless and hell bent on bloodlust. I have to admit, my ancestor had some taste. Ku ku ku ku…"

"…that still doesn't explain how you are going to deal with Tsunade and Jiraiya."

"…Ku ku ku… just watch." Orochimaru began making hand seals.

Meanwhile, a pair of Sharingan eyes watches everything before silently storm out of the place.

---------------

"Yo! Naruto! Good to see you again you moronic idiot!"

"K-Kiba-kun! D-don't call Naruto-kun that way!"

"Nope. Kiba's right! He's definitely a moron. Making us all worried sick like that!"

"Incredible, last time I see him, he's already half dead. Now, he looks better than ever!"

"NARUTO-KUN FLAMES OF YOUTH IS UPERISHABLE! NOT EVEN A SINGLE DISTURBANCE CAN PUT DOWN HIS SPIRIT OF YOUTH-FIRE!"

"YES LEE! LET NARUTO-KUN SEE YOUR FLAMES OF YOUTH!"

'Could all of you loudmouth idiots please shut up? I'm trying to sleep here!' Naruto growled inwardly.

**ESPECIALLY THAT SPANDEX WEARING, YOUTH FIRE RAMBLING, THICK BROWED DUO. GOD, I HEAR THAT BULLSHIT 24/7! **Kyuusei follows on.

Having awakened from his slumber in the frozen coffin, Naruto is now inside a glass tube filled with clear blue liquid. Sealing papers, pipes, and other medical instrument cables going out of the topless glass tube. Bandages in his body are the only things that cover his modesty. He was blindfolded with another kanji-encrypted bandage. In his mouth there is a breathing mask, gagging him from any attempt to retort all the words thrown at him. 'At least I'm not hanged upside down anymore. Why the old hag doesn't put earplugs as well? At least it'll give us some peace!'

**AT LEAST IT'LL GIVE YOU SOME CHANCE TO TEST YOUR NEW SENSES. HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR NEW HEARING CAPABILITIES?**

Indeed his new hearing capabilities are astounding. Though it's inside water (or medical liquid or a kind) he could hear everything REAL clear. He could hear the sound of Chouji's eating his chips, he could hear Akamaru's tiny snoring, and he could hear Jiraiya's scribbling in his god-forsaken note about his god-forsaken Hentai book when Naruto start hearing drips of nose-blood on the floor from poor Hinata when she saw him half naked. He wonders how developed his other senses had become.

"T-Tsunade-sama, h-how long will N-Naruto will be like this?" poor Hinata closed her Byakuugan in order to safe her from nosebleeds while asking the Godaime about the said blond.

"Well, rebuilding nervous system is no easy thing. But, thanks to our demon here, we should be able to get our blond idiot here patched up in… I say 16 more hours."

"NANI?" Well, that's what Naruto had tried to say. But since he was gagged, the only thing came out is just some bursting bubbles.

Tsunade saw this and smirked. "That's right, foolish brother. 16 more hours before you can do anything about me having my lunch with YOUR gama-chan." Tsunade swings Naruto's wallet in front of Naruto while shaking it. Causing the sound coins inside to ring out in Naruto's ear.

"WHEN I GET OUT OF HERE YOU'RE ALL GONNA FREAKIN' PAY!" More furious bubbles came out. Naruto's form starts to wiggle inside the tube.

"Well, at least we know that some of Naruto's nervous system is back to its place. Until then… Lunch for everyone! Naruto's treat!" Tsunade smirked again. The group leaves with muffled laughter.

"DAMN YOU ALL!" More bubbles again. If there's no liquid in the tube, you could see Naruto's face burning red with anger.

**WELL LOOK AT THE BRIGHT SIDE KIT. NOW THAT THEY LEAVE, YOU CAN SLEEP AGAIN, AND WE CAN CONTINUE OUR TRAINING SESSION.**

'What can we do in only 16 hours?'

**WHAT? YOU'VE BEEN TRAINING INSIDE YOUR MIND FOR 6 WEEKS AND YOU DIDN'T EVEN FREAKIN' NOTICED? THE TIME OUT THERE AND THE TIME INSIDE YOUR GOD-DAMN MIND IS DIFFERENT! YOU CAN EXPAND THE TIME IN YOUR HEAD AS MUCH AS YOU WANT! 6 WEEKS IN THE REAL WORLD TIME IS TOO SHORT TO EVEN MASTER ONE OF MY ORIGINAL JUTSU. FOR ENMA'S SAKE, KIT, YOU DIDN'T EVEN KNOW YOUR OWN GOD-DAMN MIND?**

'How am I suppose to notice if I got this freaking fuckin' stupid fox whipping me off every single god-damn time?'

**I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU THAT THERE'LL BE NO SLACKING OFF?**

'Sadist bastard!'

**LAZY BUM!**

'Cannibalistic muscle head!'

**RAMEN BRAIN!**

'Fake pretty boy!'

'**Well ain't that the truth…**' **VERMIN SIZED BRAT!**

'HEY! I'M STILL GROWING YOU STUPID OVERSIZED FERRET!'

**OVERCONFIDENT NUDIST!**

Naruto blushed furiously at the current condition he's in. The fox is right. The last 6 weeks, he wears nothing but bandages. 'I'm… not nudist.'

**HA! KYUUSEI: 2 – STUPID MUMMIFIED BRAT: 0! I WON AGAIN!**

'I so hate you.'

**THE FEELING'S MUTUAL KIT.**

------------------

Sakura was walking towards home after having a big lunch (poor Naruto's wallet) with now-her-sensei Tsunade when suddenly; this out-of-place raven came out of nowhere.

"What the… Karasu (Crow)?"

Sakura immediately observed the black bird. There's a small scroll tied on its legs.

"…a message?"

She pulls it out immediately. She open it quickly only to find a ninja code.

"Piece of cake." She grins as she deciphers the code almost instantly. Her grin vanished as she finished reading the message.

She turns her way and storm out to Hokage's office immediately.

Hokage's office…

"Tsunade-sama! You shouldn't be drunk like this all the time! You have lots of paperwork to do!" Shizune is trying her best to carry her roaring-ass-drunk sensei to the office.

"Yauh hsright! (Hic) Schrew the paperh whorkh! (hic) Tis Ish tshe tsime tho shelebrete! (Yeah right! Screw the paper work! This is the time to celebrate!)"

Just then, Sakura blast the door off its hinges (Literally) as she storm in to the room. "Tsunade-Shishou!"

"Syakura! (Hic) Shou wisl fe payling flor trhat. (hik) (Sakura! You'll be paying for that.)"

"Oh Excuse me… uh. Tsunade-shishou! I have urgent news!"

"What's the news?" Shizune spoke on behalf of her drunken sensei.

"Sound village is coming to attack us again!" She bellowed loud enough for everyone in the radius of 5 meters to hear.

Everyone stop dead in their tracks when they heard that. Even Tsunade was silent.

"…snice syoke Syakura. (Nice joke Sakura.)"

"It's not A JOKE!" She roars. "This is the proof!" She starts reading from the piece of paper that is in her hand.

"_To any Konoha shinobi this messenger crow came across to._

_I send this message to deliver a warning. Orochimaru is coming towards Konohagakure with a force amass of tens of thousands of army. All armed to teeth. Prepare yourself immediately. Be warned: they're coming. This message will self destruct if falls to a non-Konoha nin."_

"…Sounds like a joke to me…" Tsunade starts to regain her composure.

Sakura glare at her sensei before finishing: _"Signed: Uchiha Sasuke"_

Everyone was gawking at the girl.

"U… Uchiha Sasuke?" Shizune exclaimed.

"…" Tsunade was speechless.

Sakura look at her sensei again. "Here. Read it if you don't believe me."

Tsunade took the paper and read it over and over again. She also checked the letter for any sign of jutsus or Genjutsus.

"…Well?"

"…She's right. This message was written by Uchiha Sasuke as the letter tells us. And there is this jutsu he told us…but it could be a fake warning."

"Why would somebody lying to us about an incoming invasion? If Sasuke is trying to endanger us, he should've thrown us off-guard! Not giving us a warning like this!"

"Sakura, Sasuke is now considered a missing nin. We can't trust a missing Nin's word that easily."

"Then… Then at least please put his warning into consideration. Prepare our defenses or… anything. We got nothing to lose right?" Sakura's eyes began to water.

Tsunade was silent for a moment. "Shizune."

"Yes Tsunade-sama?"

"Tell all Jounins to stand-by. All ANBUs members are to be informed of the situation. I expect all of them to report to me ASAP. Assemble any battle-capable shinobi we have. The village is at defensive state."

"Yes. At once." Shizune disappeared in a puff.

Sakura took back the warning letter from Tsunade with trembling hands and hug it to her chest. 'Sasuke… I know Orochimaru can't get you that easily… You haven't betrayed Konoha yet… I just knew…'

Tsunade look at her student. "…You still believe in that Sasuke didn't you?"

"…" Sakura look at her sensei. She nodded.

'…if only I had as much fate as you do, Sakura.'

------------------

Hatake Kakashi was reading the Icha-Icha Paradise, in public, as usual when he ran across Kurenai. A vein appeared on her face.

"Kakashi… you couldn't stop reading that (God damn) book, could you?"

"No… Have I met you before?" the silver haired Jounin haven't take his eyes off the book.

"…Don't. Start. With. Me." Kurenai inwardly cracked her knuckles as more veins appeared in her face.

"Sheesh. Calm down… Alright, alright. Here, no book now. Satisfied?" He put the book on his pocket. "What do you want?"

"Well, 1: Stopping you from reading that nasty book in public. 2: I have a request."

"What request?"

"Well, I do know what happened with your students. Sasuke had gone missing; Naruto is still on Hospital for… God-knows-how-long…"

"Hopefully, not for long." Kakashi frowns a bit.

"Sorry… But I heard after he gets out of Hospital, Jiraiya, one of the legendary Sannin will took the boy under his tutelage. Also, from I heard your last student Sakura will be under Tsunade's tutelage as well. In a way… you're short of… err… jobless."

"I still got a stack of S-rank missions. Also, if I want to, I can be an ANBU hunter once more. So I'm not that desperate you know."

"Well. Sorry then. I was just wondering if you had spare time, could you well, train with my team and Asuma's."

"Why you two need my help? Aren't they your team?"

"The problem is: Asuma has been slacking off a bit these days. Causing Chouji gone over weight and failed his so-called diet miserably, Shikamaru had started running out of strategies, and Ino become somewhat… had a trouble with her family's jutsus. So…I took the liberty of helping them a bit."

"It can't be helped. For an Akamichi, diet is a taboo thing to do, and for Shikamaru, it can't be helped as well. He's been challenged 24/7 by his parents, his teachers; that includes you I guess, and also his girlfriend from the sand…"

Somewhere…

"AHHHChooo!" Shikamaru and Temari sneeze in unison as they're having their handicapped shogi match for the umpteenth time under the observation of Kankurou and Gaara.

"Bless you." All four said in unison. Temari address it to Shikamaru and vice versa. While the other two addresses it for both of them.

Back to Kakashi and Kurenai…

"And all of them are with handicaps. I'll be surprised if he doesn't start running out of strategies already. As for Ino…I don't understand a lot about Yamanaka's family jutsus so… sorry I don't think I can help much."

"Well… if you can't help Asuma… maybe you can't help my team a little bit? Taking care two teams is no easy thing."

"Hmmm…. Okay, okay… I'll see if I got some spare time up my sleeve…"

"Thank you. Oh, one more thing."

"What?"

"Don't read that NASTY book in front of my students."

"Hmm? You say something?"

"I'm WARNING you Hatake Kakashi. If I finds out that you dare to read that God-forsaken book in front of MY students especially Hinata, I'll rip EVERYTHING that makes you a man. Got it?"

Before Kakashi could reply, Shizune suddenly appeared.

"Nee? Shizune-san? What's wrong?"

"Kakashi-san, Kurenai-san, the Hokage expect all Jounins to report to her immediately. We just got message from Uchiha Sasuke that Otogakure is coming to invade us."

"Oh I see." Kakashi thought for a moment. When the information sinks in, his eyes widen.

"…From WHO?"

------------------

"I want at least a Jounin level shinobi stand by every 4 feet of the outer wall! The rest stay inside as back-up!" The Interrogation specialist Morino Ibiki gave order to a group of Jounins and ANBUs.

"Set traps all round the Defense walls!" Mitarashi Anko is giving orders to some Jounins on the ground from the walls as some Chuunins are fixing and enforcing it a bit.

They already upgraded the state they're in to battle station at present. As soon as Tsunade held a short meeting with the Jounins, scouts were dispatched around borders of Konoha. One of the scouts returned soon after, and the report he gave was simply unnerving: they're at least several thousands of them. Though the report somewhat contradict what Sasuke had said in his message, a number of thousands are still a lot. All existing Jounins and ANBUs were called off soon after, civilians, underage Genins and Academy students are taken to shelter immediately. Unlike before, they'll try to be prepared this time.

The situation in the Hyuuga compound is just as busy at present. Hiashi is giving orders to all capable Hyuuga Main Family combatants. "Half of you go to the front line to support the defense. The rest, protect the Hyuuga compound with me. And yes, that include the branch compound as well." Hiashi emphasis the last sentence.

"…What about us, Hiashi-sama?" A Hyuuga Branch family asked.

Hiashi looks at the branch and replied. "Take all the children, elders and non-combatant Hyuuga to the Souke's shelter. I'll give you my permission. The rest of you who can fight… kill any enemy who came close to your home. That's all."

"Yes. Thank you, Hiashi-sama." The Bunke bowed his head.

"…you're welcome." Hiashi gave a slight smile. The Bunke left soon after along with everyone in the room.

"I don't care what you think! I'm a Hyuuga and I want to fight too!" A yell can be heard. Hiashi recognize the sound and sigh before start heading towards the commotion.

"But Hanabi-sama, under Hiashi-sama's order, we were asked to take you to the shelter." A Bunke is trying to calm one pissed Hyuuga Hanabi.

"Hanabi."

"Otou-san!" Hanabi turn her head to her father.

"Hiashi-sama, forgive me. I've tried to convince Hanabi-sama but…"

"It's alright. Leave her to me. Take your family to the shelter."

"Hai." The Bunke left.

"Father, I was told that you let my sister leave?"

"That is correct. She's going to support your cousin who decided to go to the front line. And I give her my permission."

"Then why can't I…" Hanabi was cut short soon after.

"I know what you're going to ask, and my answer is no. Hanabi, it's going to be chaotic out there. I need you to go to the shelter, and replace me to take command of the defense squad there since I'm going to defend our compound here. Are we clear?" Hiashi smiled slightly as he said the last sentence and Hanabi's face brightened.

"Take command… I swear I won't fail you Father!"

"I know you won't child. Off you go now." Hiashi smiled. Hanabi ran off the place soon after.

Hiashi sigh before looks up to the blue sky that are soon about to be bathed in blood red.

Meanwhile, Hokage office…

"I still can believe that Sasuke had sent a warning to help us." Jiraiya lean his back on the wall as Tsunade gives instruction to the ANBU Captains.

"…Do you think he's still on our side?"

"Hard to say… and I can't imagine what kind of benefit he'll have by telling us about this…"

"Me neither… His letter does exaggerate a little bit though… 'An army amasses of tens of thousands…' our scout reported that they're 2 to 3000 of them at the most. And they're just less than a few hours from here…"

"I guess Orochimaru had decided to wipe us out after all. I think he feels that this village has served its uses to him: teaching him all its jutsu and Sasuke. But with that number… I think he underestimated us."

"I know… He forgets that there are 2 Sannin here… But, his last attack had left some part of the village still in shambles… I'll consider putting you on the front line. If we lucky, they might won't be able to break through."

"Ha! With me, the frog hermit from Mount Gamayama and the strongest Sannin of the Leaf on the line of defense? Don't worry, my strength is just as powerful as Orochimaru and you combined!" Jiraiya did his pose.

"Said the guy who summon tiny toads in a pinch? Just get lost and move out Hentai-Jiji!"

"Stop calling me that would'ya?"

"Why? Kyuusei called you that and I like it already."

"You fell for Kyuusei too now?"

The next second, Jiraiya was already plastered to a Konoha main defense wall (About five kilometers away from the Hokage tower) with an imprint of Tsunade's fist on his face.

"Heh, she just couldn't take jokes can she…"

"Oi! Jiji-san! We're trying to fix the wall and now you crushed it!" Some Chuunin whines.

"Alright, alright! I'll fix the god-damn wall!" the Ero-Sannin pull himself out off the wall.

As the white-haired Sannin starts fixing the damage he had caused, he looks up to the skies. "Orochimaru, you won't stop the Fire Spirit of the Leafs that easily. I assure you."

-----------------

"So Gaara, what are we going to do?"

"Isn't it obvious? We're allies of the Leafs. And Allies lend his help to his troubled friend."

"Shit! If I knew something like this would happen I'll bring Shanshoujo (Salamander) along. That puppet's heavy armament is designed for fending off a huge-scale attack such as this one…"

"It can't be helped. We came here only to aid the capture and the retrieval of a missing Nin Uchiha Sasuke… We never guess we'll run into a war like this…" Temari bite her left thumb and smear it on a nearby tree. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" The sand shinobi swing her fan once on the tree, and a weasel carrying a huge scythe appeared. "Kamatari, go back to Sunagakure as fast as you can. Tell them that we have a war coming on the Konoha. Request reinforcements."

The weasel bowed his head once before dashed out of the place.

"It took about a day for a summoned creature to get to the Sunagakure. And it took at least 3 days for the Sand Shinobi to get here… you sure it's a good idea… Sis?" Kankurou watches the weasel out of sight soon after.

"Well, just in case we have to fight a prolonged battle… better safe then sorry… right Gaara?"

The crimson haired boy nods silently.

-----------------

A few hours later, everyone in Konoha is already at their post. Traps had also been set. All shinobis in the Konoha are waiting in the village wall. Sound troops will come anytime now. 20 scouts were sent, only one return. The Sound army is only 5 minutes away from the village. Right now, it's nearly 12 o'clock in the afternoon.

Konoha, west main wall, 11:55

"Hey Choza, want something to eat?" Yamanaka Inoichi offers his Ex-Teammate some rations.

"Save it for later. We might need it if the need escalates." Akamichi Choza is honing his staff.

"Just keep your weight on check. We gonna need it soon." Nara Shikaku stands on top of the tower.

"Don't worry. If my weight lacks a bit, my son Chouji will be more than enough to cover it."

"Just don't resolve on 'that' okay?" Shikaku refers to the Akamichi pills.

"The same goes to you too, Chouji." Shikamaru spoke to his friend, who's eating a bag of chips as they stand guard on the tower.

"(chump) don't (Chump) worry. (Chump) But (Chump) if the need escalates, (Gulp) I'll use it whether you like it or not."

"Hey, hey. Our orders are to support the other shinobi to…" Ino was cut short.

"To defend the tower. We know." Sakura finished. "But I'm a medic Nin, so my skill might be needed. So I decided to stay here."

"Good. Medic Nin is always needed in war. Don't worry. If you have to get out of there, we'll cover your ass as much as we can." Temari replied.

"Thanks."

Konoha, east main wall, 11:56

"Hey Neji, is it alright for you to be here?" Tenten asked her white eyed teammate.

"It's alright; Hiashi-sama has given me his permission. So it's okay."

"L-let's do our best, Neji-nee-san."

"Be careful Hinata-sama. This is a war. It's different with training. The enemy will not hesitate to kill you. You have to kill or be killed. It may sound cruel. But that's what truly happens at war."

"O-Okay…"

"Don't worry, if you got out-numbered, we'll try to even the odds a little." Kakashi's eyes curved.

"YES! WE WILL NOT ALLOW ANY OF THE BEARERS OF FLAMES OF YOUTH TO BE TARNISHED!" Gai yell in his usual style.

"I SWEAR IF ANY OF YOU GET EVEN A SCRATCH, I'LL RUN ALL AROUND KONOHA 100 TIMES THE NUMBER OF SCRATCHES IN YOUR YOUTHFUL BODY!" Rock Lee follows on with fire in his eyes.

"Gai, it looks like the inheritor of your impossibly self imposed rule is even crazier than you." Kakashi gave a sigh.

Konoha, South Main Wall, 11:57

"Ok Kiba. Remember: don't be reckless. Understood?" Inuzuka Toboe reminds his son.

"Yes father." Kiba feed his pet, Akamaru, some leftovers.

"Heh, just like old times eh, Shibi?" Toboe address his old teammate, Aburame Shibi.

"…Just don't get lost in fight…" Shibi replied calmly. His son, Aburame Shino only nods silently.

"Be careful not to get caught in some of my puppet's poison." Kankurou warned everyone.

"And don't get in my way…" Gaara finished the conversation as he leaned on the tower wall. This sent some shiver down to everyone's spine.

Konoha, North Main Wall, 11:58

"Let's see… traps set… weapons checked… what else have I forgotten?" Mitarashi Anko recapping everything she had done.

"I think that's it?" Morino Ibiki is preparing his staff.

"Don't forget your soldier pills!" Kurenai warned everyone.

"Speaking about pills… I hope Chouji won't use his family pills…" The chain smoker Asuma blows another smoke off from his mouth.

Konoha, Main Gate, 11:59

Densetsu no Sannin, Jiraiya is sitting on top of the gate. Facing the city that is about to be turned into battlefield.

"…Go ahead Orochimaru. Throw every god-damn thing you have… We're ready."

Konoha, Shelter, 50 seconds to contact…

"Tsunade-sama? Why are you here?"

"I'm here to check up on the civilians. When the war starts, their safety is our first priority. And don't forget, Naruto has been moved here as well."

"I will try my best to protect them." Iruka bows down. 'Naruto… don't worry. We'll protect you!'

30 seconds to contact…

Gaara opened his gourd.

20 seconds to contact…

Anko gripped a Fuuma Shuriken.

10 seconds to contact…

Kakashi prepared his kunai.

5 seconds…

Jiraiya forms a Rasengan on his palm.

4.

3.

2.

1.

Contact.

WHAM!

A loud explosion along with mountains of smoke appears as several dozen snakes came out crashing on the Konoha fields.

'Here they come.' Jiraiya cracked his fist as he stands up and turn around to be welcomed by a huge snake that is trying to swallow him along with a part of the wall.

"RASENGAN!" The toad Sannin slammed the Rasengan to the snake's head, splitting it into bloody smithereens, showering the Sannin in snake blood and limbs in the process.

The traps that had been set by Anko and her teammates beforehand went active. Spikes and huge lances darted out of nowhere. Three snakes disappeared in a puff after being turned into a bloody mess by some activated traps. Explosive traps gone off and burned some of the snakes off their skin.

"Alright. Let's go! Kuchiyose: Yattai Kuzushi!"

North Wall…

"REMEMBER OUR STRATEGY! FORCE THEM TO COME IN SINGLE WAVES!" Morino Ibiki gave orders to some charging ANBU hunters.

Soon, about 100 Sound shinobi appeared.

"Let's GO!" The two forces collide as one of the ANBU split the first Otonin in sight into two.

Asuma charged in with his usual weapon (AN: What is it called?) and killed one in an instant. Suddenly about 3 Otonin appeared behind him and tried to stab him. They stop moving abruptly as Anko performed a Kanashibari no Jutsu on them. Two of them were killed by Kurenai, while one managed to break free, much to the surprise of everyone.

'Hem. They're strong. Jounin level eh?' Asuma engage a fight with the Otonin.

South Wall…

"GATSUUGA!" Inuzuka Toboe does his family's signature jutsu along with his son and their Ninkens, tearing off several Sound-Nins' bodies off their frame.

"…" Aburame Shibi simply stood as his bugs start killing incoming enemies inside out.

Shino let a swarm of bugs enclose his enemies' view while Kankurou used his puppets traps to shoot a few dozen projectiles, killing some in the process. Suddenly, some Sound Jounins jump out of the bug swarm and aim both of their arms on the two.

"Zankukyokuha!" A destructive air blast shot out from the hole in their palms. The blast was stopped soon after by a wall of sand that suddenly appears.

"!" The Otonins didn't even have the chance to scream when a swirl of sand enclosed them all and…

East…

Hatake Kakashi just slammed a pair of Kunai to two Otonins head who tried to butt on Hinata, who just finished performing a Kaiten to shield Tenten.

The weapon mistress continued by using "Soushoryu!" Two dragons made of smoke were replaced by thousands of chakra controlled Kunais and Shurikens soon after. The weapon storm charged at the incoming enemies.

"KONOHA DAI SENPUU!" Rock Lee performs his favorite Taijutsu mid-air, breaking the neck of the first Otonin came in contact.

"YOUTH PUNCH!" Gai slammed an enemy off the wall with extreme velocity.

'Youth Punch?' Neji inwardly sweat dropped as he killed another incoming Otonin who challenged his Jyuuken. 'These two are getting crazier by the second…well; at least Lee's not so crazy…' Neji paused a moment to take a breather. A Konoha Jounin was split into half by some Otonin who were butting on him.

"YOUTH SLAM!" Lee grabs one of their heads and jump up before slamming the Otonin back down to earth.

'Correction, they're both are equally crazy.' Neji killed another Otonin who tried to butt him in with his Jyuuken without turning his head. He looks at Hinata and surprised to find that Hinata had taken out a few Otonin already. 'Impressive… Hinata-sama…'

'Hmm… unlike before, they're tougher and…' Kakashi slit another of enemy's throat. '…they still love to attack from the back.' thought Kakashi as he put another Kunai on an Otonin who tried to stab Tenten's back.

West.

"Hey, I can't move!" 10 Otonin stand still with exact same pose with their captivator: Nara Shikamaru.

"Ninpou: Kamaitachi!" All of them were turned to bloody shreds by the blasting winds from Temari's fan.

"The hell you are doing?" An Otonin is defending himself against his charging team-mates.

"I don't know! My body is moving on its own! WATCH OUT!" Inoichi smirk at his doing.

"Kage Kubi Shibari no Jutsu!" The shadows of some Otonin suddenly form a hand and make its way to the Shinobi's neck, breaking them the next second.

"Nikudan Hari Sensha! (Spiked human Juggernaut)" Chouji, in his meat tank form, shot out after being smashed by his father's staff (Golf style) and torn off some charging Otonin to bloody mess.

"BE CAREFULL EVERYONE! THESE GUYS ARE GOOD!" Choza smashed some Otonins off the wall, breaking their bones in the process, with his staff. Some enemy Jounins, all of them wear this metallic gauntlet in their arm (Kinuta Dosu's sound amplifier) charge out, and one of them plants a fist in Choza's side before exploding the sound waves. "KUSO! BUBUN BAIKA NO JUTSU!" Choza's enlarged arm grabs the enemy's head and squeezes it to bloody smithereens.

------------------

Inside Konoha Forest border…

"Well, those tree huggers are impressive." A cloaked man stands on top of the tree. A musical note on the collar shows that he's from Sound.

"Heh. It's Konoha after all…" Another, with similar outfit replied.

"We'll try to break trough. After that, you two better know what to do… okay?" An Otonin speak up.

The first cloaked figure suddenly had the Otonin's neck on his hand. The Otonin was horrified. He frowns as his captivator's arm smells like… corpse.

"Just do your job. Or I'll kill you." The cloaked man released the terrified Otonin.

"H… Hai." The Otonin start gives order. "Prepare the artillery scrolls. We'll blast those walls."

------------------

At the same time, Konoha skies…

"…Here we go again… Another war broke out… Many humans will be killed…" Kira observed the battleground from the skies as he floats mid-air.

"**It is a human nature… I guess it can't be helped…" **A voice inside his head replied.

"(Sigh)… Can't interfere can I?"

"**No. Sorry, but you know the rules."**

"…Desire spawns madness… Madness creates destruction… Destruction causes pain… Pain turns to hate… Hate leads to suffering… Suffering resolves to desire… the cycle just never ends…" Kira frowns as he watches Jiraiya crushes another snake summon with his toad.

------------------

Meanwhile, Konoha East wall…

Kakashi is panting as he gripped his bloodied kunai. His Jounin vest was drenched in blood. Dead bodies covered the ground. Unbelievable… how many are they? He had lost count already on how many enemies he had killed. They just keep coming and coming.

He look to one side, Neji just threw a pack of Otonins off the air with his Kaiten. He looks to the other side to see another bruised Otonin, dead with at least a dozen Kunai on his head, courtesy of Tenten and Hinata. He turns around again to see… a pummeled Sound Shinobi's face up-close? Acting on reflex; he uppercuts the flying dead Shinobi out of the view to reveal one panting Maito Gai.

"Oi, Gai. Watch where you throw someone, will you?"

"Sorry. I kind of get lost to my surroundings. How many of them really? They're tough! Neji, behind you!"

Neji turn around and aim another Jyuuken to the opponent's chest, which the opponent dodges, and he continues his way to the said Hyuuga. Neji was already too tired to move again. A green blur appeared and kick the charging Otonin off the way.

"Neji, here!" Lee gives his teammate some soldier pills.

"Thanks. They're really tough. Tougher than previous one! Gai-sensei!"

"I know! Kakashi, at this rate, we won't be able to hold on much longer."

"Not to mention these snakes… Jiraiya did his best to prevent more snakes to enter but this is… hey… what are they doing?"

"Huh?" Everyone look at the outer side of the wall. Several Otonin deployed some scrolls on the ground. A puff of smoke later and Kakashi could feel his jaw dropped.

"Those sons of a… EVERYONE, BRACE YOURSELF!"

In front of Konoha walls…

"Ninpou: Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" An Otonin smears his blood on the scroll and after a puff of smoke later, a giant cannon is in place. Other Otonins did similar thing. Soon, Cannons, Air Guns, Arbalests and all kinds of heavy weaponry is in sight.

"Ready… and FIRE!"

All the cannons fire in unison.

"Arbalest… Ready… FIRE!"

Thousands of huge lances with burning explosive tags on them filled the sky.

"Put some chakra and… Dai-Zankukyokuha!"

The ground was torn off as huge destructive air blasts shot out from the Air Cannons.

The walls receive catastrophic damage. Many Konoha Jounins and ANBU hunters, who were caught by surprise, killed.

"Holy… What the heck? At this rate, this wall won't last long!"

"Just hang on! You! Get the Hokage here! Tell her our situation!"

"Sir! We got reports that the Otonins are deploying the same heavy weaponry on every side of the wall!"

"Damn it! At this rate… we have no choice. ALL HANDS! Retreat to the inner walls!" The ANBU hunter shouts out another command.

The Konoha Shinobis do as they were told.

Main Gate…

Jiraiya falls down from his toad, who just receive a barrage of cannons, and disappeared in a puff of smoke soon after.

"Son of a… I never knew Orochimaru got that kind of weaponry." Suddenly, a huge piece of the ground is thrown off the air from beyond the gate. The huge earth fragment squeezes some of the Otonins to their death.

"Wow… what was that?"

"Jiraiya!"

"Tsunade?"

"Jiraiya, leave your post! We're retreating to the inner walls! Protect the retreating shinobis!"

"Roger!"

Meanwhile, the west wall was already half destroyed. Many Konoha shinobi retreat.

"Please just hang-on!" Sakura did the best she can to heal some of Akamichi Choza's wound. The huge man got wounded pretty badly when he tried to shield them from an incoming blast. Thanks to the Akamichi's pleasantly plump body, the wound doesn't get too deep. The young medic Nin would've no trouble healing them if she wasn't interrupted by the overwhelming number of enemies that is keep coming and coming.

"Why YOUUUUUU!" Inner Sakura took control for a moment. "SYANNNAROOOO!" An Otonin was sent trough the crumbling wall with a punch.

"Ninpou: Kuchiyose: Kirikiri Mai!" Temari summoned Kamatari once more. She swings her fan again, and a battalion of headless dead Otonins could be seen soon after. "There! Hurry up and heal him! We have to retreat!"

Without any crazy sound shinobi out for her blood, Sakura healed the said Akamichi in no time. They dashed out of the place soon after.

"Come on! Move it, move it!"

East wall… nearly crumbled to dust.

"CHIDORI!" Hatake Kakashi killed several Sound Nins in line with his signature jutsu as he shields some of wounded Jounins who are retreating.

Another explosion occurred as the artillery sends another barrage, killing many retreating Jounins in the process.

"HURRY UP! RETREAT TO THE INNER WALL!" Gai jumped out of blasting zone as he carrying the nearly unconscious Lee on his back.

A cannon shell and two Kaiten collide. "Hinata-sama!" Neji caught the fainted Hinata.

"Neji! We have got her out of here!" Tenten exclaimed as she dodge a lance, which explodes soon after.

South wall… the only wall that is still somewhat intact…

Gaara is using his sand to create a huge wall of sand. Slowly but sure, the wall began to crumble under the intense barrage. However, it was enough to provide some time for the Konoha Nins to escape.

"Alright! This way! Hurry!" Kankurou use his puppets to help him carry some wounded shinobi as he gave direction to others.

North wall… the most devastated among others. The Sound Shinobi poured in from this site.

"RETREAT! RETREAT!" Ibiki killed some Otonin who tried to attack the escaping Jounins.

"IBIKI! WATCH OUT!" Anko warned the Jounin as a cannon-ball suddenly shot out trough the wall and heading straight towards him.

"Oh shit…" Ibiki prepared himself to be blasted to smithereens the next second only to find that he's okay a few seconds later. He opens his eyes to see Tsunade. Her fist is colored in black, a sign that she just smashed the cannonball with bare hand.

"What are you waiting for? Hurry up and get the hell out of here!"

Sound army…

"Damn! That's Tsunade! And we're start running out of men and ammo. What the hell are those two doing?"

----------------

"And there she is." The first cloaked man pointed at Tsunade.

"…" The other one kept silent.

"…Let's go. We have a duty to do."

"…Hai."

----------------

The Godaime Hokage is now panting. Even with the help of her pervert teammate she finds it hard to protect the escapee and beating the enemy's ass at the same time.

'Well, at least we took a great part of them with us in the process… but they're indeed tough for sure. Their fighting level is slightly above average. However, apparently they're not prepared to take on a prolonged battle… if only I can get as much Shinobi as I can to the inner wall… we still have a chance to win this…'

Suddenly a fuuma shuriken flew out of nowhere straight towards the seemingly unaware Hokage. Tsunade smirked before she slapped the giant shuriken to pieces.

"You don't think that's going to work, are you?" Tsunade look at her attacker… attackers. Two people, their face are not visible due to the cloak they wear. But a musical note emblem on the cloak is enough to tell her that they are from sound. "You two are in charge of this attack, huh?"

The two assailants stay quiet.

"I'll take that as yes." Just then, Kakashi and Gai jump in to view.

"Hokage-sama! We're almost finished with the evacuation!"

"Good. Now let's deal with these two assholes. Ready?"

Suddenly, one of them start to chuckle.

"What so funny?"

"…you haven't changed one bit Tsunade."

"!" Tsunade's eyes widen in disbelief. 'That voice… I… it can't be…'

"But that just so like you, Nee-chan!" The other figure, smaller one exclaimed.

The three Shinobi's eyes widened a great deal. "Nee-chan? Hokage-sama? Are you okay?"

Tsunade start trembling. Tears start to form in her eyes.

The two figures chuckled before opening their coat, revealing a person with a long straight hair, the other revealed a boy, barely older than Naruto, with a light brunette spiky hair that resemble Naruto's.

Tsunade's trembling reaches its peak. "…Dan? …Nawaki?"

----------------

Inside the shelter, medical room…

The ceiling shook as another blast occurred, shaking a familiar tube with one Uzumaki Naruto in it. Iruka, who just went to check up on the said blond, glanced at his student worriedly.

"Naruto it's okay. Don't worry. Everything will be fine."

A bubble blurt out off Naruto's mouth.

"Naruto? What is it?"

More bubbles appeared. Naruto's form starts to wiggle a lot more.

"…?"

----------------

"It's been a while… Tsunade." The Tsunade's boyfriend spoke up.

"W… Why… you two…" Tsunade slumped to the ground. Tears streaming on her face.

"Orochimaru-sama revived us both! You should thank him Nee-chan!"

"He told us that he made an offer once before that he will revive us both if you heal his arm."

Tsunade remembered the deal she made with Orochimaru.

"…He also said that you refused." Dan adds gloomily. "…Tsunade… why did you refuse back there? Didn't want to see us again?"

"…I…I…"

"Nee-chan! You…hate us do you?"

"No! I… I…" Tsunade tried to grab her necklace only to find it isn't there. 'Right… I gave it to Naruto-kun…'

"That necklace." Dan spoke again. "…That necklace of death… you gave it to us because you know that it'll kill us, didn't you?"

"No! I… I… really…"

"Then what Orochimaru-sama had said is true isn't it? You were trying kill us didn't you… and you've succeed…" Dan grabbed a kunai.

"NO! I didn't know that…"

"Liar." Dan takes a step forward.

"Nee-chan! I hate you!" Nawaki also does the same.

The two Jounins immediately stands between them ready to protect their Hokage.

"I don't know what trick Orochimaru had used but…" Gai cracks his knuckles.

"Don't you dare lay a finger on our Hokage you impostor!" Kakashi reopens his Sharingan and grabs a Kunai.

"If we did, you'll do what?" Dan gets to battle stance.

"Prepare to have your butt kicked!" Nawaki gets into battle stance as well.

And the fight's on.

----------------

----------------

Well, like I said, this is my first time writing a war scene. I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.

I was planning to have it finished in this chapter but I guess that's just a dream to be wished for since it could be too long… neeway, that's all for now. The War with the sound seems to be longer than I've expected…

Thank you and Keep up the reviews! BUILDING Critics are more than welcome!

Ja ne.


	6. The Maelstrom

AN: History Lesson time! I forgot to put something in the previous chapter. If you read chapter 5 carefully, you'll came across a weapon called Arbalest. For those who don't know and wish to know, allow me to explain.

Arbalest truly existed in our real world. At the coming end of the Romance of Three Kingdom in China (Sam Kok), Zhuge Liang AKA Kong Ming, the Sleeping Dragon, created this weapon during the last days of his life. It's a weapon designed to shoot multiple arrows at the same time. The purpose of this contraption is to fend off huge army. Not only it could kill a good number of enemy along the way, it could also fool the enemy by making them think that their opponents have a larger number than them.

Arbalest in this story is pretty much having the same function. Except that it throws lances instead of arrows, and they have a good number of explosive tags plastered on the lance's surface.

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": in Naruto's case, him in berserker mode. However, I will use this format for other purpose when it's necessary.**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA: Kyuubi demon form speech**

Disclaimer: I'm bored of repeating the same thing again and again so… Read the first 5 chapters.

Chapter 6:

A Maelstrom Under the Name of Uzumaki Naruto

----------------

"Say WHAT?"

"Like I said, the Snake Sannin's village is invading YOUR village. You have to get up quickly and give these… friends of yours a help or two."

"Damn! It's still a few more hours before my body can go fully functioning again!" Naruto gritted his teeth in anger. He just undergoes a bit more training which mostly consists of explanations about his new chakra system by Kyuusei when he suddenly told the blond about what happen outside.

"By the time you awake, there isn't anything left to save. I'll try to speed up the process a bit. But be careful, some parts of your body might not be able to function properly when you get up. You have to ask that Slug woman again to fix it."

"How long it'll take?"

"Well… 30 minutes or so…"

"Can't you make it 30 seconds?"

----------------

Kunai met with another Kunai. Kakashi charged towards the so-called Tsunade's supposedly-dead boyfriend. Gai just look at the remaining enemy: the Hokage's also-supposedly-dead little brother.

"…You don't want to get hurt young one." Gai give his trademark smile. "I have no intention on taking out such a youthful form of reanimation or whatever you are."

"I'm more then just a reanimation. Allow me to show you that!" Nawaki disappeared soon after; and Gai felt an incredibly hard punch on his gut that sends him a few meters to air. Suddenly the younger boy is already on top of him and sends another kick to his back that sends the older Jounin back to the ground.

'What… the hell?'

Kakashi sends a kick to the long-haired former Konoha Jounin which he dodges it by ducking and then send a powerful kick to his chin. That throws the silver haired Jounin backwards a few meters away. Dan immediately took the chance and throws a hurl of Shuriken. Kakashi managed to dodge all of them, but wasn't ready when the opponent appears right in front of him and sent another solid punch to his face that threw him backwards to where Tsunade slumped down.

Just then, Jiraiya appears.

"What the hell you're doing here Tsunade? We have to help the escapees!"

"J… Jiraiya… t… they…" Tsunade is still trembling after seeing her loved ones returned from the afterlife.

"What are you talking… !" Jiraiya's eyes widen a great deal. "…Dan? Is that you?"

"Whoaaa!" One flying Maito Gai lands right in front of the toad Sannin after being thrown away by little Nawaki.

"…Nawaki-kun?" Jiraiya stared at disbelief.

"Jiraiya-san! Long time no see!"

"…" Jiraiya was at lost of words.

"Jiraiya. I heard from Orochimaru-sama that you had given him quite a hassle back there."

"Sama? Is that what you call him now? I thought you used to call him Hebi-yarou? (Damned Snake)"

"Things changed Jiraiya-kun. He revived me so that I can take my revenge on the village that had betrayed me."

"Betrayed you?"

"YES! After all the loyalty I gave to the village how they repay me? They orchestrated my death and poor little Nawaki! Urgh!" Dan held his chest. A blood red aura arises from that spot. "My pain… my suffering… Taste the pain that I endure!" Dan grabbed a huge scroll from his back. "Ready Nawaki?"

"I want to be a Hokage to protect everyone. But I was wrong. This village isn't worth to be protected!" Nawaki pulled another huge scroll from his back. Both bit their thumb. Black ooze flowed from their thumb before they smear it on the opened scroll.

-----------------

Otogakure, Underworld pool…

"Yes. It should be soon." Orochimaru made a long series of handseals and end it with a snake seal. "Kinjutsu: Shikon Tensai! (Forbidden jutsu: Dead Soul Resurrection!)

The zombies went alive soon after as a Kanji of Kon (soul) appeared on their faceless head. They howled as if they're being tormented.

Orochimaru smiled sadistically. "Ku ku ku ku… ha ha ha… AHA HA HA HA HA!"

The snake Sannin continues to laugh maniacally as a huge group of Zombies disappeared in a huge puff of smoke.

-----------------

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" Both finished their series of seals. From the scroll, thousands and thousands of Zombies appeared.

"T… This is…" Kakashi's eyes widened a great deal.

"I… Impossible…" Gai shivered at the sudden appearance of the inhuman army.

"Destroy the village! Kill anyone who lives!"

The zombie army rush forward.

"Holy shit! RASENGAN!" Jiraiya slam a fully charged Rasengan to the first zombie in contact. The zombie bolts backwards in a huge spherical chakra, destroying some zombies in the way.

"HA! They're not so tough! Gai, Kakashi! Get Tsunade out of here!"

"Jiraiya-san! Orochimaru-sama has thought of something for you too!" Nawaki grab another scroll, perform the Kuchiyose no jutsu. The next second, Jiraiya transformed into his ultra pervert mode, Kakashi's eyes reached the size of a teacup, while Gai closed his so-called 'noble' eyes immediately.

Stood there in front of them, are hundreds of half naked and sexy zombie girls. 'O… Orochimaru…! You…DEVIL!' Jiraiya cursed inwardly.

"Jiraiiiyaaa-Samaaaa! Come! Play with us!" One of the girl zombies starts massaging her barely closed breast.

"I… You… A…" Jiraiya slowly come closer and closer until…

Suddenly their fingers turn into claw as one of them charge towards the said Sannin.

"Whoa! Ladies!" Jiraiya dodge the attack and hurl backwards.

"Jiraiya-sama! Snap out of it! They're all zombies!" Gai yelled. Still closing his eyes.

"Uh but… they're so fucking cute! Aaaaaaahhhh! DAMN YOU OROCHIMARU-TEME!"

"Hey! Don't call Orochimaru-sama like that!" One of the girls pouts cutely. Jiraiya could've swore he's going to faint via nosebleed.

"Yes! We can't forgive you! For that we'll eat you!"

"E… Eat me?" Jiraiya gulped at that.

"Yes… besides…" The zombie girls' looks grew hungrier and hungrier by the second. "…he seems to be the biggest one here."

"Uh… Kakashi, Gai! Change of plan! I'll take Tsunade out of here; you two…!" Too late. The two Jounin had escaped along with Tsunade.

The Sannin look at the escaping figures. He turns around to see the hordes of Zombies. The back of his mind scream the only possible course of action:

'RUN!'

The Sannin dashed out of view soon after. Dan and Nawaki smirk. "All of you destroy this village and kill anyone who tried to stop us. Girls, find the Sannin."

"What about us, Dan?"

"We'll take care of those two. They're taking Tsunade with them."

"Okay! Then… what should we do with Nee-chan after we kill them?"

"We'll make her join the rank of the dead with us…" Dan smiled evilly.

----------------

Kira frowns a bit when he saw what happen. He silently gritted his teeth. "…why can't even the dead rest in peace?"

"**Kira."**

"Screw the rules. I'm going in." Kira gathered electricity in his right arm.

"**Kira you can't! Remember! You can't kill humans!" **The voice warned him inside his head.

"Can zombies be considered human?"

"**Well… no. But… as usual, don't use my chakra okay? You're on your own… again."**

"That settled." Kira vanished in thin air.

----------------

Thousands of zombies flooded the battle field. More screams and wails could be heard as the undead army proceeds with the massacre.

"GOD NOOOO!" One of the female shinobi sunk her bleeding nails to the ground as a Stone Zombie shinobi sunk his claw on her thigh and pull her to You-don't-want-to-know-where.

"N… NOOO AAAAAHHHH!" One of the unwary Sound Shinobi was caught off guard, and one of Zombies grabs his head while other Zombies shredding his lower body parts. The Zombie simply can't distinguish between friend and foe as they attack everyone who breathes.

"By the gods… What the hell are those things?" Kankurou stared wide eyed at the coming zombies.

"Whatever they are, they're certainly not friends! Ninpou: Dai Kamaitachi!" Temari swing her fan, creating a gigantic cutting whirlwind that head straight at the zombies. The whirlwind crashed with the zombie army and blast some of them off the air while cutting the rest in various places in the process. Some of the zombie limbs flew to who-knows-where. Once the whirlwind subsided, the Sand Shinobis smirk seeing a bloody pile of ripped corpses. Much to their horror, the corpses rise again and resume their walk. Some of the zombies continue to walk even without one of his legs or any parts of their body intact.

"W… Well… at least they're mindless… they can't use jutsu like we do… right?" Kankurou smiled nervously.

Suddenly, one of the undead shinobi with a Suna Forehead protector in his belt raises his finger. **"Fuuton. Kaze. No. Yaiba. (Wind element, Wind blade)" **A monotonous voice escapes the zombie's flat face.

The two Sand Shinobi's eyes widen at that. The Zombie swings his arm and shot out several blades made of wind which barely miss the Sand siblings.

"Whoa!"

"Me and my big mouth." Kankurou cursed under his breath. Meanwhile, other zombies do similar thing.

"**Doton. Doryuuhou." (Mud stream cannon) **A huge hunk of soil shot out of the mouth on one zombie Stone Shinobi's stomach. (Remember the mutated Jinpachi Mishima from Tekken 5?)

"**Katon. Housenka." (Mythical Fire Flower) **Five basket ball sized fireballs shot out from the fingers of a Zombie Leaf Shinobi.

"**Hyoton. Hyoryuudan." (Ice Dragon Missile) **Water appeared from the holes around a Snow Zombie Shinobi's body before freezing and forms a raging dragon.

"**Suiton. Suigan." (Water gun) **A zombie mist shinobi shot out a Water sphere from the hole on his palm.

All the zombies performed one jutsu after another and the sand siblings have to dodge the barrage of jutsu. Suddenly, Kankurou slipped and another **"Katon. Karyuu. Endan. (Fire dragon blast)" **heads directly towards him.

"KANKUROU!"

'Shit! This is it…' Kankurou closed his eyes waiting for impact. Nothing happened. When he opens his eyes, he saw a wall of sand, protecting him.

"Brother!" Kankurou turn his head to see Gaara.

"Kankurou, stand aside." Kankurou do as he was told.

"Ryuusa Bakuryu (Desert Avalanche)!" A gigantic sand wave covered the entire area in the vicinity along with all the zombies, creating a small desert.

"You got them!" Temari exclaimed.

"Not yet… Sabaku Taisou (Desert Requiem)!" Gaara presses both of his palms on the sand, compressing the sand while crushing the buried Zombie army underneath.

"Heh… That'll stop them for sure." Kankurou sighs in relief.

"…Shit." Gaara cursed.

"Huh?"

An explosion occurred from underneath the artificial desert as an arm appeared.

"Holy… Mother…"

More explosions occurred and more zombies appear from the sand. However, something is different. Their bodies are all mutated.

"What the heck?" Temari stared at the mutated Zombies. They look more inhuman then before.

"…Orochimaru's curse seal…" Gaara observe the army of mutated zombies.

"Now what?"

Gaara kneel down, raising both of his hands. A huge swirl of sand enclosed all the undead warriors. "…Shinobis of the Sand. I have a mission for both you. It's an S-rank mission."

"Huh?"

"Both of you. Find the Hokage."

"?" Kankurou stares at his brother in bewilderment. "…G… Gaara?"

"…Consider the worst case scenario. If we got too much trouble, I might have to unleash Shukaku." 'Sabaku Rou! (Desert Prison)' Gaara closed his open palms. The swirling sand covers the entire undead warriors, enclosing them in a huge dome of sand.

"Gaara… What do you need us to do?"

'…Sabaku Sousou (Desert Funeral)!' "…After you located the Godaime Hokage, tell her our situation, and then find and protect Uzumaki Naruto at all cost. Once you've found him, send a signal to the air."

"U… Uzumaki Naruto?"

"Yes. Remember, Uzumaki Naruto is the bearer of Kyuusei the Kyuubi. He's the only one who can tackle me when I lost control of Shukaku. If he dies, nobody will be able to stop me. And Konoha will surely perish… under my hand… or theirs."

"…"

"Now GO! I'll hold these Undead Shinobis as long as I can! I'll start using Shukaku form when there is no other way else. SCRAM! NOW!"

"…Gaara… Brother… you stay alive okay? Naruto isn't the only one who has people that acknowledge him as a human."

"…Don't worry… Kankurou… Temari…" Gaara slightly smiled.

The Sand siblings smiled. They dashed out of the place immediately.

Somewhere else, in the corner of the now battered Konoha trading district…

"What the hell… Tenten! Behind you!" Neji throw a kunai with an explosive tag on the zombies. The kunai explode while taking out the Zombie's head in the process. The Zombie stopped for a moment, giving enough time for Tenten to move out of the danger zone. Much to their horror though, the headless zombie charged towards them again.

"Dammit… Tenten… err… Hold me." A blush appears on Neji's cheek.

"…What?" Tenten couldn't be redder.

"Don't think this doesn't embarrass me either! Hurry up!" Neji look worriedly as more and more Zombies come to the scene.

"O… Okay."

"Now… Hang on tight! KAITEN! FULL POWER!" Neji's spinning at top, creating a gigantic chakra sphere that blows away all the incoming Undead Shinobi in vicinity. Some zombies were torn off due to the ferocity of the spin.

Once the Chakra dome vanished, it revealed a panting Hyuuga Neji. "(Pant) (pant) well… I hope that does it…"

"Wow… that's some powerful Kaiten, Neji!"

"Thanks to you and your weapon testing on my Kaiten." Neji smiled weakly.

Tenten smiles widely. "Glad I can help!"

Neji's smile turn into a horror struck expression: About a dozen of undead shinobi rise from the cracking ground, and they perform all shorts of Jutsus on them.

"**Katon. Karyuuhou. (Fire Dragon Cannon)"**

"**Katon. Ryuuka. No. Jutsu."**

"**Mokuton. Mori. Hari. (Wood element, Forest Spine)"**

"**Raiton. Raigan. (Thunder element, Thunder Gun)"**

"NOOOOOOOO!" Losing all his senses of rationality, he ran between him and Tenten, attempting to shield her from harms way.

"Neji!" Tenten screams in horror. Neji look at the incoming wave of elemental attacks. '…farewell… everyone…' Suddenly…

"Suiton, Sousuiryuu Heki (Water element, Twin Water Dragon Barrier)!"

A huge swirl of twin roaring water dragons appeared out of nowhere. The swirl of dragons creates a spinning water cyclone barrier that protects both Genin. All the attacks died down the moment it make contact with the spinning blue tornado. Neji stared in disbelief. '…that's no low level water jutsu! And it was cast in place where there is no water at all! Whoever did this… he's a very powerful one… who…?'

"Neji-san! Tenten-san! You two okay?"

Neji turns his head towards his savior. "It's… you?"

Neji stared wide eyed at Kira. His black cloak shifted a bit to reveal his right arm, which is covered in an electric blue gauntlet with bright white lines on its surface.

"You two hurry up and retreat to the inner walls. Things will be pretty hectic now."

"…O… Okay… did you just do that Suiton jutsu?"

"Now is not the time to talk about that. RUN!"

Neji start to get up when one of the now mutated Zombies breaks trough the wall of swirling dragons and charge at him.

"NEJI!" Tenten exclaimed.

The moment Neji turns his head though; the zombie is already turned to crisp. Bolts of lightning flow throughout its ash black body. Neji's white eyes widened. He looks at the mysterious blacksmith once more to see some lightning bolts jump in between Kira's fingers.

"You… did… that? W… Who are you?"

"Tenten-san. Neji-san. Please leave. This is going to be really dangerous." Neji and Tenten talk no more and do as they were told. Neji see Kira with his Byakuugan as he ran.

Kira raise his arm to the sky. The clouds blacken as it began a swirling motion. "Raiton. Raijin Ryuushouha! (Thunder God Dragon Destruction Wave)" Gigantic thunderbolts form a shape of a gargantuan lightning dragon at the center of the swirling black clouds before it roars and dashed towards the charging Zombies the moment Kira jerked his palm towards the target. The army was reduced to nothingness in less than a second later. That surprised Neji to no end. 'That's… that's no Jounin level jutsu… I never knew such… inhuman jutsu exists!'

"Return to wherever you belong, you who have been awaken from their graves!" Kira gathered more electricity on his palm as more and more zombies appeared

----------------

Kakashi and Gai run as fast as they could with the trembling Hokage on their back. Wails and screams became more and more often as more shinobi are… slaughtered. Kakashi look at one side to see a Hyuuga combatant performs a Kaiten to blast some Zombies away. The next second, a small yet fast undead Grass shinobi with 3 pairs of hand appears on his back and chop his head off. Kakashi turns his head, not wanting to see more. He looks at the shaken Hokage. "Gai. This place is not safe anymore. We HAVE to bring Hokage-sama inside!"

"I know! But there are too many zombies now! What should we do?"

"And I don't have any jutsu that I can use to blast a huge chunk of them in a flash…" 'Only the Fourth that can do something like that…'

"Ninpou, Dai Kamaitachi!" A huge swirling hurricane blasted a huge group of Zombies. The Sand Siblings appeared soon after. "There she is!"

"Temari and Kankurou of the Sand? What are you two doing here? Where's Gaara?"

"What happened to the Hokage?" Temari looks with concern on the shaking Hokage.

"Some tricks played by that damned Orochimaru…"

"You dare to call Orochimaru-sama that way again?" A voice behind them warned them that the enemy had arrived.

"You two again…" Kakashi stared at the two reanimations. Tsunade's trembling peaked once more.

"Now what?" Kankurou look at the two enemies.

"…You two, get the Hokage inside the inner walls NOW!" Kakashi gave his order to the Sand Siblings as he moved the Hokage on the two.

"…Okay." The Sand siblings can only comply. They took Tsunade and disappeared from the view soon after.

"Now, you two. We're going to finish our fight." Kakashi dashed at Dan, preparing his kunai once more. "Oraaaaa!" Gai charged at the obviously smaller Nawaki.

----------------

Hyuuga Compounds…

"Hold fast! We have to hang on!" Hiashi tried to encourage his men. The sudden appearances of the zombie army had turns the table to the enemy's favor. The Hyuuga-manor was already half destroyed, forcing the remaining Hyuuga Combatant to fight inside the nearly battered building. Since the Zombies had already covered any escape route, Hiashi intends to die in battle.

"WHUAAAA!" One of the remaining Hyuuga Combatants had one of the zombie's claw sank into his bleeding leg before he was thrown into the midst of the bloodlust Zombies. Moments later, human limbs could be seen flying off the air. The scene is simply unnerving.

Suddenly, aloud scream of: "OUT OF MY FREAKING WAY! RASENGAN!" A huge swirling chakra sphere blasted out from the back of the Zombie army. Throwing lots of Chakra burned Zombie body limbs to the air while making a path for the Jutsu performer. "OUTTA' OF MY WAY! OUTTA' OF MY WAY!" Jiraiya run for his dear life while screaming a bloody murder.

"Jiraiya-sama?" Hiashi stared at his supposedly savior.

"OUT… Hiashi? Thank goodness! Help me!" Jiraiya look at the Hyuuga head begging for help.

"Uh… well… we need a little help here as well…" Everyone on that room sweat-dropped.

"Tell you what. I'll break off this encirclement if you could save me from those God-damn cannibals!"

"Why would you need MY help? You seem are able to hold of on your own." Hiashi is confused to no end.

"Well… it's because…"

"Jiraiya-samaaaa! Where are youuuu?" The zombie girls spoke in a sweet melodious voice from outside the now surrounded Hyuuga Compound.

"Ulp! Safe me! Please!" Jiraiya pleaded.

"?" Hiashi activated his Byakuugan and understand completely as his cheeks turn red. "I… Understand. Please blast a way from here so we can get out quickly."

"More than happy to. Katon, Karyuu Endan!"

----------------

Meanwhile, inside the inner walls, most of the surviving shinobi had made it inside. Sakura and Shizune are busy healing any Shinobi who got wounded during the attack. The wooden gate that leads to the outside opens once more to reveal a group of Shinobis who were beaten pretty badly by a group of Zombies. Lots of painful screams and wails could be heard.

"What kind of nightmare we got ourselves into?" One of the wounded Shinobi is still in state of shock after he saw his friends were massacred by the undead army.

"We're all gonna die!" Another Shinobi grasped his hair in frustration and despair.

"Shut the fuck up! We're not going to die!" One of the ANBU hunters yelled. His broken mask is bathed in black blood.

"THEN ASK YOURSELF! WHAT CAN WE DO AT THE MOMENT! THOSE ZOMBIES OUTNUMBER US 10 TO 1! HOW THE HELL WE'RE GOING TO SURVIVE NOW!"

"QUIET!" Ibiki yelled. The two shinobi stopped soon after. Ibiki looks around and he had to admit: they're beaten pretty badly. Many of them were killed or wounded during the first wave of attack. Then these zombie warriors appeared and there aren't much left of the Konoha Shinobi who can give a proper fight. But the most unnerving part: the morale of the warriors is now dangerously low.

Anko shrugged off. 'Fourth… If you were here… what would you do?'

"OPEN THE GATE! WE HAVE THE HOKAGE AND TWO GENINS HERE!" A loud yell from behind the large wooden gate brought Anko back from her thoughts.

"Hurry! Open the Gate! It's really are the Hokage!"

-----------------

"Ku ku ku… isn't this fun, guys?" Dan chuckled evilly. He just kicked Kakashi backwards once more.

"Not really!" Kakashi dash forward as he slashed his Kunai on the long haired Jounin. Dan dodges the slash, which was followed with a roundhouse kick by the silver haired Jounin. The kick nearly hit Dan's chin. Dan retaliates by punching Kakashi's gut before continues it with a kick to his chest. Kakashi gritted his teeth as he was thrown a good distance backwards. He rushes once more to deliver another slash, which the target dodges by jumping to a roof.

"Baka. We have been given power by Orochimaru-sama. You can never be able to beat us!" Curse seal start to appear from the side of Dan's neck (The same type with Tayuya's).

"We'll never know till we try!" Kakashi charged forward, running up the walls before jumps and rolls in mid-air, slashing his Kunai on the target as he lands, which the latter dodges.

Gai sends a few punches on Nawaki. He's not going to hold back anymore. Nawaki catches both of his punch and start to push back the larger Jounin. Curse seal began to unravel from the little boy's chest (The same type with Jiroubou's).

"You can never defeat the true form of Youth Power!" Gai gave the younger boy a good head butt, jump up, before he somersaults and dive back to earth, Nawaki's head first, intend on giving the boy a good headache. Much to his surprise, the boy flexibly twist his back and stop his slam to the ground by standing firmly on the ground, both of his hand are still locked with Gai's. Nawaki smirked before start spinning the older Jounin at the top of his head while slamming his head to some objects before throwing him a good distance off the ground.

"What the hell would you do on the Hokage anyway?" Kakashi dashed forward to send a kick to Dan, which he dodges before he catch Kakashi's fist.

"We just want to extract the revenge that is rightfully belongs to US!" Dan twisted Kakashi's fist, earn him a muffled grunt from the copy-nin. Dan pulls Kakashi towards him, giving the Copy Nin a knee, before grant another roundhouse kick on his face that send him flying.

Gai hit the ground with a loud thud. 'Geeze… what freakish strength… Apparently I'll reach the age where youth is impossible, no?'

"Though she's my nee-chan, but she had tricked me! That's why I won't forgive her!" Nawaki appeared.

Gai stood up soon after. But before he could even make another move, a huge metal crate falls right on top of his head. "Shi… that idiot…" Falling Kakashi followed afterward, dropping right on top of poor Gai's head.

"Tche… damn these stupid corpses… what the hell that freaky snake lover Sannin had done to them?" Kakashi muttered under his breath as he tries to stand up along with Gai.

"OI! How many times do I have to tell you! Don't speak about Orochimaru-sama that way!"

"Like we care!" Kakashi charged a Chidori in his palm. Gai jumps up, followed by Nawaki.

Much to Nawaki's surprise, Gai activates his Inner Celestial Gate instantaneously. "Ommote Renge: Asa Kujaku!"

Kakashi create two Chidori on both of his palm and dash with insane speed towards Dan who are caught off guard.

"Raikiri (Lightning Edge)…" Kakashi slammed a Chidori on Dan's gut which sends him to the air with extreme force only to crash with the burning Nawaki mid air. Both are still going upwards when suddenly Kakashi appears on top of them with another fully charged Raikiri ready on his other hand. "…Mugentotsu! (Infinite Stab!)" Kakashi slammed the Lightning Edge to Dan's chest while diving back down to the ground with an unearthly force. The ground shattered into oblivion the moment they reach the destination. Kakashi slowly rise from the dust. He walks slowly towards his so-called eternal nemesis, who gives him a high-five.

Suddenly another figure rises from the crash site. Gai's horrified expression is enough information for Kakashi to turns his head and receives a good solid punch from the now mutated Nawaki.

The punch sends him flying as he collides with Gai and taking him along a few meters backwards off the ground.

They landed near the Inner Wall gate soon after. Panting and grunting, they tried to get up again. Suddenly the two appeared right in front of them. Both Dan and Nawaki are now completely mutated. More and more zombies appeared behind them. Both chuckled evilly. Kakashi and Gai gritted their teeth in anger.

Suddenly, a gigantic Frog appeared out of nowhere, and came crashing right behind the duo. Before they can say anything, the frog grabs them with his tongue and put them on top of his forehead where they meet Jiraiya, Hyuuga Hiashi, several other survivors, and the most shocking one: the panting Gaara. However, he's already at his half transformed state. His right arm had already mutated with a bit of his face, his right eye and ear to be exact.

"G… Gaara?" Gai looks at disbelief at the figure before him.

"Or…"

"I… can… I can still control the Shukaku for now. Naruto. We need Uzumaki Naruto! He's the only one who can stop me if I'm fully transformed!"

"We're the only ones left! Let's GO!" The huge frog leaps over the walls, leaving the zombie army behind.

Dan and Nawaki look at the fleeting Frog in irritation. He turns his head to the zombie army. "Get the Air cannons here. We'll blast those walls off!"

----------------

Inside the inner walls…

"Tou-san!" Hinata ran up to her father. His clothes are covered in blood.

"Hiashi-sama…" Neji stumbled as he walks towards his uncle. Tenten come and aid her teammate.

"Neji… settle down. I'm okay."

"Jiraiya!" Tsunade walks slowly towards Jiraiya.

"I'm okay. How's our situation?"

"Not to good. According to Ibiki, most of us are heavily injured. Only a few who can still stand up and fight. The rest…presumably dead."

"…Any non-fighter casualties so far?"

"No. Thankfully, we manage to evacuate the entire civilian inside. However…"

"Where's Naruto?" The half mutated Gaara spoke again.

"!" Tsunade was shocked when she saw the Sand Shinobi. The half transformed Gaara looks terrible. But he emanates an incredible amount of Chakra along with a great surge of killing intent. That explains why everyone gave a ten feet space from the said Sand Shinobi.

"…Where's… Naruto?" Gaara asked again.

"…He's still inside the medical tube. The healing process is still going to take a few more hours… Why you asked?"

Gaara frowns at that. "…Like Naruto… inside me is sealed a legendary Demon under the name of Shukaku of the Sand… Right now, I'm on half transformed state… If thing get too dangerous, I will unleash him. And believe me… none… None of you can stop the full rampage of the sand demon… except Naruto."

"…!" Everyone's eyes widens at that. Neji stared at the sand Shinobi and then a thought came across his mind. '…that reminds me… during the first attack in the Chuunin Exam I saw this huge… Tanuki appeared out of nowhere… is that Shukaku? And Naruto managed to tackle down such demonic beast?'

'Incredible… Naruto defeats Neji, Sasuke… and even Gaara too! Naruto, you truly are the strongest Genin in the Leaf!' There's a fire in Lee's eyes.

Jiraiya was at lost. Heck he knows that his student is… well okay he's strong. But strong enough to defeat Shukaku? But Kyuusei must've helped right?

"So… you need Naruto in case you lost control of Shukaku?" Hiashi spoke up.

"…Y…Yes." Gaara winced in pain.

"…Odd. Naruto has been living with Kyuubi for more then 13 years… but the effect of being a Jinchuriki had never been this great. Also, Kyuusei and him had gone… well… barely quite along in my opinion. Why you seem to be… tormented?" Kakashi spoke.

"The terror of Shukaku." A familiar muffled voice behind them spoke up. Everyone turn their heads towards the person behind them and all of them jaw-dropped.

"NARUTO?" All of them roar.

Indeed it is Naruto. Still bandaged in some part, he only wears darkish grey loose pants. Iruka carried him by his shoulder. He's still blindfolded and the breathing mask is still in his mouth.

"Tsunade-sama! I don't know what happens, but suddenly the liquid inside the tube boils at an alarming rate before it broke!"

"Na… Naruto, h-how?" Tsunade stared at her little brother.

"Kyuusei fasten the healing process with his youki. The glass tube can't stand it and it broke. My nervous system is still a bit disarrayed though… I'm sorry but I want to help! Don't worry baa-san. I'm always a fast healer!"

"I know you're a fast healer but…"

"I can't just stand by and watch the village being destroyed by that snake bastard. I've lost one of my friends because him. God-damn it to hell if I let that Orochimaru-bastard takes away my village from me too!" Naruto exclaimed again.

Everyone stared at Naruto with awe. Some who had already lose hope tilt their head down in shame. Here they were, healthy and alive, and they despair, while this half dying little Genin is willing to fight till the end even with his current condition. Everyone's morale boosted a great deal. Ibiki smirked at that. 'Heh… Just like during the Chuunin exam… He blasted away all their fears in a swept.' "…Oi… Naruto-kun. What do you mean by terror?"

Naruto frowns for a moment. "…that voice… you're that scar-face Whatchacallit Mori-guy?"

"Yes. And it's Morino Ibiki, gaki."

"…The terror of Shukaku… The bearer of Shukaku is tormented that they will never have a single night of decent sleep. Every time they sleep not only their personality is eaten; bit by bit; by the sand demon via the constant horrible nightmare, the damn Tanuki's power and personality will be unleashed as well."

Ibiki shivered at that and so does everyone else. They stared at the Shukaku's host with pity in their eyes.

"…I thought when a baby is made into a Jinchuriki, the seal should've prevent any bad effect to the host?"

"…" Naruto frowns at that. Heck he doesn't understand about how demon sealing works.

**I CAN ANSWER THAT. LET ME SPEAK.**

"Kyuusei wants to speak." Naruto silent for a moment. Than Kyuusei's message flowed from his mouth. **"You… little kit… Gaara? Can you show us where they sealed Shukaku?"**

Gaara frowns a bit before turn around and show his neck. A single seal is in place.

"**pfftt… you might want to kill whoever made that seal kit. Heck, even a lesser demon could do a simple seal like that!"**

"What's wrong with the seal?" Jiraiya spoke up.

"**When Yondaime sealed me inside this kit, he used at least 64 different seals, creating 5 elephant seals, followed with 8 trigram sealing method, enabling me to at least give my chakra to this kit without the fear of any side effect."**

"And Gaara's?"

"**Feh… even an Oni fodder could do even better! What kind of moron put only one seal and no trigram formation? No wonder Shukaku's could torment you that way!"**

"Perhaps… it is done purposely." Shikamaru spoke up. He remembers his conversation from the said Sand Genin.

"**I can see what you mean. By putting an incomplete seal, Shukaku's power will have a much freer reign over the boy. That's why the boy could unleash Shukaku's true form. But… why human would do that?"**

"…I was created to be a perfect weapon for my village. My Father, the Kazekage had heard about you attacking this village. From what I heard, he's kind of… jealous about the fact that Konoha has a Jinchuriki of a powerful demon… and thus, he purposely put Shukaku in me… so you see… I think I was born to be Naruto's match from the start."

"…**sometimes… it amused me greatly that there's such a thin line between humans and demons. While humans said that they're more civilized than us, their actions often proved otherwise…" **Kyuusei's voice had a little anger tone on it.

"…" Everyone look at Naruto than to Gaara.

'Jinchuriki's… how terrible… to think there's such parent who would do that…' Tsunade look with a pained expression.

'And we always thought we're the one who suffers the most…' Yamanaka Inochi looks at Naruto.

Suddenly a loud explosion could be heard from the wall behind them as the undead army start using their cannons. The Konoha shinobi and the citizens look horrorstruck as splinters of wood flying off the air. Those who regained their senses quickly mobilize themselves as they lead some citizen away from the danger zone while some are prepared to make their stand.

"Oh no…I don't think we have much time until this wall torn to shreds…" One of the remaining Shinobi trembles.

"Tsunade-baa-san! Heal me! Quick!"

"O-Okay hang-on. Well at least about 75 percent of your nervous system is doing fine… This won't take long." Tsunade's palm glowed green as she touches the back of Naruto's neck.

More explosions occurred and this time, a dozen huge snakes suddenly appeared.

"Tsunade! LOOK OUT!" Jiraiya warned his old teammate. A snake slithered over the wall and headed straight at Tsunade. Tsunade gasped at it. The slug Sannin throws Naruto to the side as she cracked her fist ready to punch the accursed snake to bloody smithereens when suddenly, the snake's head exploded revealing two person that the Hokage dreaded the most.

"**Hello there Tsunade. Miss me?"**

It's Dan. And he looks more awful than ever. Horns protruding from his now pale white hair. His eyes are black, with devilish pale white pupils. His skin is no longer his usual human skin but rather darkish grey.

"**Off course you are! We came ahead the others since we're going to take you on personally, Nee-chan!"**

Chouji cringed at the sight. Nawaki's skin is now dark pale brown. His hair is white, and more disarrayed than before since it grew longer. His forehead, shoulders, his arms and legs are covered in tiny spikes. It reminds him with the fat Otonin he fought during Sasuke's mission.

"Wait the minute here, you two are gonna have to take on me too!" Jiraiya step forward. Dan quietly grabs a scroll, perform a summoning, and a running Jiraiya with dozens of half naked cannibalistic zombie girls chasing at him is on sight soon after.

"**There. Now there just the three of us."**

Suddenly a kick that headed towards the said undead Jounin's head was stopped by Nawaki.

"Have you forgotten about us, wretched zombies?" Maito Gai growled. Kakashi appeared soon after drinking a few Hyourougan.

"**Aaa! The guy with thick brow, isn't it? I owe you some good beating!" **Nawaki cracked his mutated knuckle.

"**And I think I owe you some as well copy Nin Kakashi. Say, Nawaki, let's have a small fry before the main dish okay?" **Dan's calm face makes a hungry expression.

Nawaki smack his lips greedily. Both Jounin gulped at that.

"**And… to make it more interesting…" ** Dan pulled another scroll, and soon after hundreds and hundreds of zombies appeared again. The scene simply unnerved the Shinobis.

Meanwhile with Naruto…

'Damn it… Kyuusei? Can't you do something?'

**I WAS AFRAID I MIGHT MESS UP SINCE I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT HUMAN NERVOUS SYSTEM. AT LEAST NAMEKUJI-OBAA-SAN HAD SHOWED ME HINTS ON HOW YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM WORKS WITH HER CHAKRA BACK THERE... THIS SHOULDN'T TAKE LONG. BUT ASK HER TO CHECK IT AGAIN AFTER ALL THIS FINISHED!**

Red demon chakra began to glow.

'Damn it… too much people around here… I can't use Shukaku form here! Too many will be wounded!' "Suna Shuriken!" Gaara swings his mutated arm and shot out hurls of Shuriken.

"KAITEN!" Neji, Hiashi and Hinata performed the Kaiten all at once, blowing off some of the zombie invader. Much to their horror, the zombies stand up again almost instantly. Tenten immediately charged forward: "I've sworn that I'll never use this again but… M-79! Hyuuga Buster!" Hiashi rolled his eyes at the name while Hinata giggled.

"Hyuuga Buster?" Hiashi look amusingly at the blushing Neji, who simply answered: "I need more training."

Tenten throws her prized grenade. The grenade explodes, throwing a storm of Kunais and Shurikens which explodes soon after. Taking out dozens of zombies. But some of them continue to charged forward even with some of their limbs burned down.

"The civilian and the wounded ones is our first priority! Defend the shelter and the medical centers with our lives!" Anko yelled out another order.

"HAI!" All Jounins and ANBUs answered in unison.

In the Shelter…

"They're coming!" A Hyuuga main family reported to Hanabi.

"Okay, get ready everyone!" The entire Hyuuga Defense squad along with some Jounins and mostly Chuunins defense squad prepare to make what seems to be their last stand.

Meanwhile, Kakashi and Gai were being beaten to pulp by the now obviously stronger enemy.

Dan grabs panting Kakashi's leg before spinning him on the air before throwing the Jounin towards Nawaki, who gave the masked Jounin a good kick. That sends him at high speed towards Gai, who just stand up. The two collide.

"**Heh… I thought you two could entertain us…" **Dan smirked evilly.

"Guh… what's wrong my eternal rival? You're not like usual…"

"Spare me… (Cough)… Raikiri, Sharingan… I've used too much chakra already… even with soldier pills it didn't help me much…"

"**Now… let's eat…" **Nawaki smirked evilly showing his canines that could give Naruto some competition.

The two Jounin stared in horror as the two undead starts to walk at them. Tsunade can only slumps on the ground, trembling.

Suddenly a kunai with burning explosive tag embedded on Dan's right shoulder before explodes. Once the smoke subsides, it reveals both undead shinobi, perfectly unscratched.

Dan turns his head to see the attacker, which was one Umino Iruka.

"**Hmph… weaklings…" **Dan disappears and reappears in front of the surprised Chuunin. Iruka gets a good punch on his gut that send him flying before he lands a few meters from the shinobi with a thud. A metal clank is a sign that there's something else falling. Iruka open his eyes to see Naruto's headband in front of him. Kakashi had given it to him when the Jounin asked for his forgiveness for not watching over Naruto.

Iruka tries to grab it, when suddenly a foot steps on his outstretched arm. Iruka winced in pain.

"**Feh… how ridiculous… this is the once powerful shinobi village, the Konoha? Pathetic… your symbol is truly a joke."**

"…It's… not… a… joke!" Iruka retaliates.

"**Huh? You can still talk?" **Dan snorted.

"Konoha's symbol… is not a joke! It's… a symbol… of our… faith!"

"**Trash will always be trash. But it can't be helped… after all; you all came from a trash village anyway…"**

"Grrr…" Iruka growled.

"**You guys are nothing but loser! The symbol of your village just showed how pathetic you are! For me, this symbol is nothing but useless trash just like all of you losers! HA! HA! HA! HA!" **

"You dare… to insult… that symbol again…"

"**You'll do what?" **Dan adds more pressure on the said Chuunin's hand. The Chuunin growled in pain. **"Trash will always be trash. So act like one!" ** Dan gave another insane smile. He bit his thumb, and makes a few handseal before bellowed: "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" a few Giant snakes could be seen soon after, adding up the number of snakes that is already inside.

Nawaki smirked before pulling another scroll again. He smear his black blood on the scroll and then: "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" More and more zombies appear. **"Burn! Burn and destroy everything!"**

Tsunade was speechless. 'This… can't be Dan? And Nawaki… how could he…'

"AAAGH!" Iruka can't stand it anymore. His arm began to bleed.

"Hoi! Stop it!" Gai took a step forward. Suddenly, the zombies stood in front of the two. Other Shinobi could also do nothing as they got their hands full on took care some fierce zombies.

Asuma abruptly appear right next to Dan and sends a punch. The undead jumps off. Kurenai appeared soon after and took Iruka away. Lee shows up with Gaara and the sand siblings and help Gai and Kakashi to stand up.

"Now you're outnumbered!" Inuzuka Toboe comes into view along with his son Kiba, Akamaru, and Shiromaru, Toboe's Ninken. Followed soon after, Yamanaka Ino, and Nara Shikamaru.

"**Ku ku ku… you've think you've won? Our troops will break that gate soon… we'll see now who's outnumbered!" **Dan laughs.

"Damn…" Kakashi gritted his teeth behind his mask. Another explosion occurred on the gate. More splinters of wood flew to the air. 'He's right…at this rate… one more blows like that and the gate will surely crumble…'

Truth to be told, the sound army, all dead ones, are preparing the air cannon once more. This time, they intend to give a full powered blast on the door.

Iruka tilt his head down… 'I'm sorry Naruto… looks like this is it… he raise his head once more and what he saw make his heart stop.

Naruto stand right in front of the nearly fractured gate.

"Naruto! What are you doing there?" Iruka exclaimed. Everyone stopped dead when they saw the said blond. With all the commotion none of them realize that Naruto had already standing there.

"What the hell is he doing there?" Kurenai exclaimed as she dodge another attack from the mindless Zombies.

"Naruto-kun! Stay away from the door!" Hinata yells. Her activated Byakuugan had already seen what's coming from those gates.

"Kid! Get away from there! It's gonna blow!" Asuma exclaimed as he beheaded another zombie to no avail.

"…" Naruto kept silent. But there is this familiar red chakra emanating from his body. He makes a few handseals, and one Naruto soon appeared on every 10 feet of the Konoha inner wall. The last two stood at both left and right side of the crumbling gate.

"…what is he… doing?" Gai looks confused. And so does everyone else.

The Naruto clone on the left side of the Gate bit his left thumb. The Naruto clone on the right side bit his right. Two clones make a long set of handseals lightning fast, much to the surprise of Kakashi.

Meanwhile outside the walls… in the remnants of the ruined village…

"This Youki… Kyuubi… Naruto-kun… Well, I guess that's enough for me." Kira shot another "Raiton. Raijin Ryuushouha!" That blasts out a way. He disappears soon after.

In front of the inner wall gate…

"**Charging. Complete. Prepare. To. Fire."**

The large cannon began to rumble.

"**Ready. Fire. In. The. Hole."**

A massive devastating air blast shot out from the cannon.

Meanwhile, inside the gate…

"Oni Kuchiyose: Makai Nenshou Seimon! (Demon summoning: Netherworld Burning Main Gate!)" The two Naruto at the side of the gate finished their handseals and slammed their palm to the ground in unison. As the real Naruto turns around, a giant burst of flame suddenly erupted from the ground. Once the flames subsided, everyone's jaws are on the ground as a huge demonic burning gate appeared from the flames.

An explosion from behind the demonic gate was the only sign that the attack that went trough the wooden gate had been stopped by this new gate.

The huge gate, which has an ornament of human skulls and bones on it, is burning red with a fiery demonic purple aura enclosing it. The pillars are filled with scorching black spines that are blazing ferociously.

The other Naruto clones along the walls also make a few handseals before slammed their bleeding palm on the ground. "Oni Kuchiyose: Makai Karyuu Heki! (Demon Summoning: Netherworld Fire Dragon Barrier!) A wall of flame dragons suddenly circles along the inner walls. Once the flames subsided, the inner part of the village is already enclosed in thick, burning, fiery red demonic fortifications.

Everyone was speechless.

'What… the hell?' Jiraiya rub his eyes several times.

Naruto walk slowly as he removes his breathing mask. Everyone could see his slightly thicker whiskers now. He drops the mask on the ground. The moment it touches the earth, the sound flowed right through Naruto's ears and continues on to his eardrums and to his brain, creating an image of the said item in his head. 'What was that…?'

**THAT'S THE TRUE CAPABILITY OF YOUR ADVANCED HEARING SENSES. THE MOMENT YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM RECEIVE ANY INFORMATION FROM YOUR EARS, THE INFORMATIONS GIVEN BY YOUR NEW ADVANCED NERVES ARE ENOUGH FOR YOUR BRAIN TO PRODUCE AN IMAGE ON WHAT HAPPEN, EVEN IF YOU CLOSE YOUR EYES.**

'Well… ain't that neat…' Naruto smirked as he grabs his blindfolds, and tears it off, revealing his eyes that are closed by the shadow of his blond hair. Everyone was dazed to see his bright blue eyes glowed brightly beneath the shadow.

Naruto was surprised as well. He can see everything incredibly clear and all of things look extremely detailed. He could see the tiny dust particle flying in the air, he can see some fleas in Akamaru's red fur, and he could even see the tiny blood drip on Kakashi's mask's minuscule holes. His skin could also feel the air around him. He could feel even the slightest move of wind around him.

'Wow…! Hey, what the…!' Naruto closed his nose soon after. "Kuso…the air… stinks…"

Everyone dropped silent. Sweat drop threaten to fall. Indeed. Killing zombies all day long had made them all smell like one.

**WITH MOUNTAINS OF CORPSES AROUND US, I WOULD BE SURPRISED IF IT DIDN'T SMELL THAT WAY! **Kyuusei slaps his face.

"Right… Anyway… it's party time!" Naruto cracked his knuckles. Time to show these zombies whose village they're messing with.

"…**Kill him." **Dan spoke silently. Ten zombies charged at Naruto at high speed. Everyone held their breath.

Naruto looks at the incoming enemies.

**WELL KIT. YOU WANT TO SHOW EVERYONE WHAT YOU MADE OF? NOW'S THE TIME.**

He smirked as he dodges a punch to his face, which he dodges. The other zombie charge at him, he ducks down to avoid a slash to his neck. He purposely tripped the zombie and sends it flying towards the gate. The zombie was burned to nothingness the moment it touches the gate. Everyone cringed at that. Suddenly a zombie throws a punch at him. Caught off guard, he holds the punch that threw him backwards. It took him by surprise that the pain is ten times over than usual. 'Holy… it hurts like hell!'

**WELL… HAVING AN ADVANCED SENSE OF TOUCH IS NOT ALWAYS NICE…** **CRAP! LOOK OUT!**

Naruto turn his head to see a zombie, his stomach opens up vertically, enough to swallow him whole. It did.

Naruto's muffled yell could be heard from inside as the stomach acid from the zombie start to devour him at a fast rate. "OUCH! OUCH! OUCH! IT HURTS! HEY LET ME OUT!"

"**Ku ku ku… it's useless. Orochimaru-sama's undead warriors know neither pain nor remorse… And they will stop at nothing. They are ultimate warriors. Now I must thank you Naruto-kun. Thanks to these walls of yours none of your friends will be able to get out of here… ku ku ku…"**

Hiashi holds Hinata who tried to run towards Naruto.

"**Now… let's finish the party!" **Nawaki evilly chuckled.

All of a sudden, the zombie that had swallowed Naruto starts to inflate at an alarming rate.

"What the…" Before Kakashi finished his comment, a burst of blood red fire with demonic purple aura blasted out through the zombie's mouth and the opening at its stomach. The next second later, the undead warrior was reduced to nothingness to reveal an angry Naruto. Enormous killing intent flared as the demonic flames enclosed his body. His bright blue slit eyes shine more brightly amidst the mountains of fire. Everyone look at the figure before them in awe. The massive infernos make Naruto looks like he's the fire god himself.

"**Ultimate warriors? How ridiculous… All I have to do is to burn them all till there's nothing left. And you got me wrong there. I didn't make these walls so that none of your…friends come in…"**

Everyone cringed as Naruto smiled wickedly. **"No… I created these walls… so that none of you will escape… because the one who'll wish to get out of here is not me… or any of the Konoha villagers. No… you guys will be the one who'll regret ever stepping your stinky foot on Konoha!" **More flames burst from Naruto.

**HERE ARE SOME YOUKI. TIME TO TEST YOUR NEW INNER COIL SYSTEM! **Kyuusei's voice bellowed.

Naruto makes a tiger seal as he gathers the Youki.

"**Oraaaaaaaa!" ** Naruto howls full force. His canine grew longer as his fingers start to grow nails. The whiskers in his face become thicker. His blue eyes remains the same, except the black slit is getting clearer by the second. Much to everyone's horror, thick veins start to appear all over Naruto's body. Small red pulse flowed along the veins. The crimson chakra enclosed him before forming the giant image of a roaring Kyuubi with his 9 tails swishing here and there. The image shrinks to Naruto. Everyone had trouble standing as the intense amount of Youki keep shoving them back.

"What is that on Naruto's body?" Neji exclaimed. Neji use chakra to stick to the ground. Yet, he's still being pushed back. 'So… this is the power of Kyuubi?'

"It can't be blood vein is it?" Choza spoke up as he tried his best not to be pushed back by the crimson Chakra even with his obviously larger body. 'What power… it could still be able to push me backwards this much?'

"Could it be… Byakuugan!" Hiashi gasped at what he saw.

"O-Otou-san?" Hinata squeaks weakly as she holds on to a pole for her dear life.

"…Those veins… that's no blood veins or anything… Kami… that's… that's his new inner coil system!" Hiashi exclaimed.

Everyone look at Hiashi incredulously and then to Naruto, who's so called new bulging inner coil veins had now sink back in.

Naruto is now covered in the crimson chakra. The chakra forms a pair of fox ears and a single tail. Lee and Gaara immediately recognize the half Demon Fox Naruto form. It's the same state he's in when he's fighting Sasuke. Except this time, the chakra that shapes his claws is longer and looks sharper than before. His tail is also appears to be more solid and longer. The Kyuubi's host is no longer crawling on all four like he did before. Instead, he stands upright, cracking his neck like a normal person.

"…**now… shall we continue?" **Naruto smirked.

The zombies rush towards Naruto again. But now, instead of dodge, Naruto raise his palm, and spoke up: **"Jigoku Katon: Kitsune Endan." **A huge blood red fireball shot out from Naruto's palm. The fire ball turns into a raging fox head midway while burning everything it touches. The fox head crashed on the group of girl Zombies that were chasing after Jiraiya and explodes, creating a huge black crater, taking out all the female zombies in vicinity. Jiraiya don't know whether he have to cry in sorrow or dance in happiness.

Seeing that, Naruto couldn't help to smirk. **"Snap out of it, Hentai Jiji! They're only some really cute zombies!"**

"Easy for you to say that…" Jiraiya slumped a bit.

Suddenly, one of the zombies throws a **"Katon. Karyuu. Endan."**

The fire dragon dashes towards the Fox host. Naruto let it hit him as the Youki absorbs the attack with an ease.

"**Well let the fun begins." **Naruto smirked evilly. Although he haven't train with Taijutsu in the last 6 weeks, inducing Kyuubi's Youki is more than enough to make his hand-to-hand fighting skills to be extremely deadly.

He disappears and reappears right in front of the zombie shinobi, throwing a punch to its stomach. The punch, which is induced by a bit of crimson chakra rips the zombie's upper body off its waist. Blood splattered on Naruto's fist. The blond shinobi look at his bloodied fist without even the slightest cringe. He sends another roundhouse kick to another zombie, tearing off its chest and split it to two. He thrust all chakra claws deep into a zombie's stomach, before stretching both of his arms to its side, tearing it off to pieces. Blood flooded the floor as Naruto continues tearing off all the zombies with bare hands.

"**Now! Yami Ketsuton, Shiryuu Shigure! (Dark Blood Element: Death Dragon Rain)" **The pools of blood on the ground suddenly raise as it forms a horde of blood dragons that soars up to the sky before explodes, showering the zombies with red blood spears. The blood javelin goes trough the zombies and melts them down due to the strong blood acid. Jiraiya gulped at the sight. One zombie survived the barrage and dashes towards Naruto.

The blond smirked as the chakra in his palm subsided a little. He raises the palm and forms a perfect Rasengan almost instantly. Everyone who has seen the Fourth Hokage in action gasped at the Jutsu.

"**Youkai Rasengan!" **Naruto slammed the crimson swirling bullet to the attacker's stomach which torn off the zombie's body to million pieces. If it weren't for the red chakra enveloping Naruto, Kakashi could've sworn he saw his deceased Sensei resurrected.

"Impossible… That jutsu… it can't be…" Hiashi has his mouth hang open.

Neji look at his uncle, puzzled. "What's wrong Hiashi-sama?"

"That Jutsu, the Rasengan. It's an original Jutsu created by the fourth. A very high level jutsu mastered only by Jiraiya and the Fourth himself." Hiashi stared at the Fourth's incarnate in awe. "…to think he could master such complicated jutsu at such young age… how long does it take for him to master it?"

"…a week." Tsunade answered.

"…What?" Hiashi stared at the slug Sannin in disbelief. He checks his ears once more.

"…I made a bet with him that he can never master the jutsu in a week… I lost the bet."

"He master the jutsu, that even the fourth need 3 years to do so, in a week?" Hiashi exclaimed. Everyone jaw dropped.

"**Finally… a decent challenge…" ** Dan walked towards Naruto, who glare at him.

"**Wow… so you can talk eh? Who are you?"**

"**I'm Dan. Tsunade's boyfriend."**

"**You are? And who's that little one?"**

"**I'm Nawaki! Tsunade-nee-chan's little brother!"**

"**Really now? Pfft… I heard from Jiraiya-no-hentai we're both look alike…"**

Nawaki smirked. Tsunade couldn't agree more.

"**On second thoughts…" **Naruto immaterializes and rematerialize right behind Nawaki. **"…we have nothing alike at all!" ** Naruto backhands the younger boy. Nawaki blocks the attack, but utterly surprised when he's the one who's being thrown away a few meters off along with Dan, who collided with him on the way.

The two crashed a few meters away from the said blond before stared at Naruto incredulously.

"**You know, both of you had done two things that really piss me off. One, you guys attacked, insulted, and nearly killed all my best friends here…" **Naruto look at the group behind him as he gives a warm smile. Everyone couldn't help but to return it. He looks at Iruka, then to the said Chuunin's bleeding hand, and then to his Konoha headband on the ground. There's a foot print on top of the Konoha Symbol. Naruto growled in anger as his killing intent rise again. He walks slowly and took the headband. **"Secondly… that's my village's symbol you guys insulting right now!" **Naruto's voice filled with rage as he tied his headband back to his head. The killing intent flared up even more.

"**Ceh… what's with that anyway? It's just a stupid sign!"**

"**Not just a sign."**

"**Hng?"**

"**This… …stupid sign…is a sign where one bet their lives and dreams to stand up for their beliefs… AND THIS SO-CALLED STUPID LEAF SYMBOL IS NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN INSULT OR LAUGH AT!" ** Naruto's angry roar echoed throughout the village. Many Konoha shinobi who heard that were deeply moved. The entire zombie army took a step back in fear. Dan and Nawaki were stunned to say the least. The zombies were supposed to know no emotion! Who is this Naruto that suddenly struck fear on the supposedly emotionless dead bodies?

"**And you two had done it. For that, prepare to die once more!" **The Kyuubi host gritted his teeth.

"**Hmph! Big words!" **Dan smirked.

Naruto's enhanced senses pick up a movement to his right. He turns his head to see an opened mouth of a large snake. Naruto prepared to cut the snake's head to pieces when…

"Ninpou Kuchiyose: Yattai Kuzushi! Ikuse! Gama-bunta!"

A huge red frog with a scar on his face landed right on top the snake, squeezing it to a bloody pulp.

"Heh! You owe me that one, Gaki!"

"**Who said I need your help?"**

"OI! JIRAIYA! WHAT THE HELL?"

"Safe the chattering, Bunta! We got a major war in front of us!"

"Hmph! Okay… so he resolves to this after all eh? That Orochimaru…" Bunta examined the situation. There are 35 huge snakes. "This going to be hard… We're terribly outnumbered."

"**You guys forgetting me huh?" **Naruto smirked. Jiraiya and the others look at the Berserk Naruto.

"…" Tsunade still slumped on the ground. Naruto stared at her, then to Dan and Nawaki. He sighs.

The blond walks slowly towards the Hokage. **"Tsunade-nee-san." **With that, Naruto decked her. Everyone gasp. **"…Wake up. Your boyfriend and your little brother are dead. Nothing that snake lover or we could do to bring them back."**

"…" Tsunade stared at her brother's look alike.

Naruto bit his left thumb, making a set of handseals. **"Oni Ninpou: Taiyuu Oni Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" **Swirling flames arise right behind Naruto. The flame subsided to reveal three giant foxes, all the size of Gama-bunta. And not just any foxes. Two of the foxes, whose furs are yellow, had 6 tails. While the remaining dark grey one have 7. Every Shinobi in the scene stared wide eyed at the Blond. Most of the older villagers in Konoha though, watch the Foxes in horror. Hell, Konoha barely survived the assault of one demon fox. Now there are THREE!

'…N… Naruto can do summoning now? And he summons more then one creature?' Ino gawked at the Foxes.

'…Aren't he supposed to be unable to do anything in the last 6 weeks?' Neji inwardly yelled. Having too much surprise today from the so-called the no 1 most unpredictable Shinobi in Konoha clearly frustrated him…quite a bit.

Jiraiya look at Naruto. 'Heh… that brat's strength is probably way above a Chuunin level by now… I wonder…'

The 7 tailed fox, which supposedly to be the leader of the group growled at Naruto.

"**NARUTO-SAMA, WHAT ARE YOUR ORDERS?"**

"**First off, that frog is our friend, so don't hurt him. Secondly, don't hurt any living being in this village, and try to help the villagers as best as you can."**

"**UNDERSTOOD. WHAT ABOUT THE SNAKES?"**

"**The snakes…" **Naruto smirked as he sees all his friends gawking at him in awe.** "…Crush them."**

"**PIECE OF SNAKE."** The foxes' killing intent flared up in an instant as they grinned. A few seconds later, 4 snakes in vicinity were turned to bloody shreds.

Bunta smiled. "Okay. NOW, I know we can win this!" The boss of toad pulled his sword.

Naruto smirk as his foxes do their job. He looks back at Tsunade. His voice leaves its battle mode for a moment. "…Tsunade-baa-san… I know you miss your loved ones… but look around you. Is this really what your brother and lover's dream? Do you really think this is what they want?"

Tsunade stared at Naruto, and then turn her head as she observes the village. Everything is barely intact. Some of those snakes had smashed many of the civilian houses. She turns her face to see the faces of the fighting shinobis. They look so… tired and exhausted… She came across the Hokage monument. Then everything went back to her memories.

"_The village is grandpa's necklace! I'll protect it! I'm the grandson of the first Hokage!"_

"_I want to bring peace to calm this warring world. I love the people in Konoha. So I will protect them. Ever since my sister died… this has been my motivation. So I wish to become a Hokage… for the sake of everyone's safety…"_

"_Unlike you… I really want to succeed the title of Hokage… and I assure you I will…"_

"…_since Hokage is my dream."_

Tsunade's eyes widen. 'That's right… I'm being a fool again… it's their dream…' She looks at 'Dan' and 'Nawaki'. 'No… they're not my brother nor they are my lover… they're…' Tsunade gritted her teeth in anger. "…they're both dead." Tsunade start to rise up. She cracked her knuckles. "Naruto. Tell your foxes. I'll summon Katsuyu, so don't let them attack her."

Naruto look at his older sister, and give her a thumb's up.

"Ninpou, Kuchiyose!" A puff of smoke later and a slug with the Sannin on top of it appears. The two undead look at the slug before dash out of the view, followed close in pursuit were Kakashi, Gai, Asuma and Kurenai. The foxes observe the new creature. The Sichibi (seven tails) looks at Naruto, who nods his head and mouths: "It's okay." The fox nods, and resume its task as he chops down another snake's head into pieces.

"**Now… since our favorite slug granny had returned to her former self… lets… even the odds a little shall we? Somebody, lend me your kunai." **Tenten toss a kunai.Naruto smiled before performing his favorite jutsu after catching the kunai in his mouth: **"Taiyuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"**

Thousands and thousands of Berserk Naruto, with Kunai in their mouth, filled the space. All the shinobi gaped at the number.

One of the zombies tested the Bunshin. The bunshin, much to everyone's surprise, rush forward with incredible speed and sliced the zombie into two with the Kunai before burns them to nothingness.

'…what a sick amount of clones…' Hiashi look at the clones.

'Each of them has enough strength to equals at least a Chuunin!' Neji examines one of the clones.

'…you got to be kidding… we've train harder than before during the last six weeks. We thought we've grown a lot stronger… and now this guy who just came out of suspended animation puts everything we have achieved in six weeks down to shame… Naruto… is the sky is your only limit?' Kiba look at the supposedly dead last has become a powerful bastard.

The additional numbers increase everyone's morale greatly. "Alright! Good job kiddo!" One of the shinobi suddenly cheered. Hope returns to everyone's face.

'Look at them… back then they despair… they look like they've resigned to death… and then… a storm… a maelstrom under the name of Uzumaki Naruto came and everything goes the other way around again in an instant… what kind of storm are you… Uzumaki Naruto?' Kankurou stared in awe at the blond army.

**These assholes weakness are fire, lightning or anything that can burn something! TELL Anyone who can do Katon jutsus and have some guts in their vein to go to the front! others can act as the support. **

Naruto give up the instruction as told by Kyuusei. The group forms the said formation. A battalion of Naruto leads upfront.

"**Let's kick their butt!" **The two forces collided once more…

----------------

AjWriter: I'VE SURVIVED! AFTER ALL THOSE MOMENT WHERE I NEARLY KILLED MYSELF DOING LOT OF ASSIGNMENTS… I SURVIVED! YEEPEEE! HIP HIP HURRAY! (Laugh maniacally)

-------- Naruto appear and shove a Youkai Rasengan on Aj's chest ---------

Naruto: Snap out of it! Why the hell you cut it when I'm about to show off? You better continue it or else…

AjWriter: (Stood unscratched and laugh maniacally) Mwua ha ha ha ha! In this story, I'm the king! Everything goes by my RULE! Mwua ha ha ha ha ha! Cliffy cliffy…. MWUA HHA HA HA HA! CLIFFHANGER RULEZ AHYAAA HYAH HAH HAHHA HA HA! How sweet… AH HYAHYA HYAAHHH AHYAHYAHYAHYAHYAHYAHYAHYA!

Mashashi Kishimoto-Sensei: Leave him be Naruto, I think he's stressed out…

Kyuubi: … (Creates a giant 999 tons chakra mallet and slam it on Aj's head.)

AjWriter: Twinkle twinkle little stars… (Spiraling eyes)

Kyuubi: I hope that wake you up?

Naruto:… Oi, Aj, how many fingers I have? (Showing 2 fingers)

AjWriter: twinkle…hng… 200?

Naruto, Kyuubi, Kishimoto-sensei: (Sweatdropped)

-------- After drinking some aspirin… --------

Naruto: Is he okay now?

Ajwriter: …

Kyuubi: I don't know… does he **ever** look okay?

Ajwriter: I heard that.

Naruto: Anyway… why you stopped?

Ajwriter: Because I want to. Like Mashashi sensei had said, I'm stressed out on making too many fighting scenes. I need to recharge. GOD, I don't have your stamina Naruto!

Kyuubi: Whatever…

Anyway…

This update is quick if I may say so myself. That's because, half of this chapter's story was originally written in chapter 5. But I decided to put it here. So with the little sanity I have left (the aspirin's effect start to waver)… Read, Review… and… And… MWu.. mu… MWUA HA HA HAHA H AHA HHA HA! JA NEEEE! (Grasping the hear while yelling a bloody murderous laughter)


	7. Regards from Hell

AN: It's Christmas already in my place so, MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! HO HO HO HO HO!

I keep reading the reviews. Thanks guys! You're the bests! Ha ha… Anyway… this is chapter 7, the end of battle with the Sound. Enjoy!

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": in Naruto's case, him in berserker mode. However, I will use this format for other purpose when it's necessary.**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA: Kyuubi demon form speech**

Disclaimer: I'm bored of repeating the same thing again and again so… Read the first 5 chapters.

**Chapter 7:**

**Regards from Hell**

"**Yo, Kira! I thought you've decided to drop in?"**

Kira had returned to his place in the skies of Konoha. Now, the mysterious being is watching the war unfold before his eyes.

"Well I am. But I did my part already. Also, Kyuusei's and Shukaku's Jinchuriki are on action now. This is a perfect chance for us to observe their true capabilities, and how far the Bijyu affect them. That's… our job. Right?"

"**Indeed…"**

----------------

In the village, the Jounins are on hot pursuit of two supposedly dead shinobi. Before they realize it, they've lost track of the enemy.

"Where are they?" Gai browse their surrounding.

"…maybe if I…" Kakashi immediately slit his thumb, make a few hand seals, "Doton: Kuchiyose: Tsuiga no Jutsu!" A group of Ninken appeared. "Find them!"

Awkwardly, the group steady themselves towards Kakashi. A realization hit the said Jounin. "JUMP!"

"**Doton, Sanjuu Zanju! (Earth element, inner decapitation)" **Two pair of mutant arm burst out from the ground right where Kakashi had been. The Ninkens jump as well, gripping their weapon (Two sided Naginata) in their mouth. The shinobi dogs dash towards the emerging undead shinobi only to be knocked back in an instant.

"Time to send you guys back to wherever you belong." Asuma prepares his knuckle blade.

"**Ku ku ku… even with that blond brat appeared, we still have what we wanted… Konoha is engulfed in flames… even if we perished, many of you will die with us!"**

"Well… this is where you accursed zombies are going to pay for all Shinobi who died today!" Kakashi grip his kunai tighter.

"**ku ku ku… GOOD! Then I can kill you all at once!"**

"Confident aren't we… Look around you… no more zombies to help you… It's 4 Vs 2!" Gai cracked his knuckles.

"Wait the minute… there's only one here!" Kurenai look around.

"Wha…?"

"Where's… Nawaki?" Kakashi's eyes widen.

-----------------

Meanwhile, in the battlefield…

The sudden additional number changes the wind of battle almost instantly. The armies of Naruto charge upon the undead army. Slowly but sure, the tides turn towards Konoha Shinobis favor. However, the Undead and the snakes had caused too much damage. Some of the shelters' defense had been breached and some civilians had been killed.

Shelter…

"Damn it! They keep coming and coming!" A Chuunin burst a flame from his mouth.

"We're losing here…" A female Jounin is throwing a hurl of Shuriken towards the endless zombies.

"Just hang on! I heard reinforcement is coming in a minute!"

"I doubt we have a minute. We'll retreat in order! Tell the civilians to evacuate from this shelter to the Hokage tower! A.S.A.P!" Hanabi give some instruction.

"Roger! Hanabi-sama, please come this way!"

"Don't you hear me? My orders are: Evacuate the civilian! I'll come last! You guys go first!"

"B… But… Hanabi-sama!"

"My Father had entrusted this place to me! I will DIE fulfilling it if I have to!"

"**Really? Then die."**

"!" Hanabi turns her face to meet up with Nawaki's punch. The punch sends her flying.

"What in the name of all that is holy…" The shinobi stare wide eyed at the inhuman form before them.

"**Heh… now that blond-asshole appeared, it seems our fate is sealed. So be it, than there will be no mercy. We'll take everyone who breaths, even if it's a baby, with us!"**

"Why you… don't you DARE!" The entire shinobi charged at the Godaime little brother.

"**Shou Geki Ha! (Destruction Palm Wave)" **Nawaki slam his fist to ground, generating a huge circular destructive shockwave that rip all Shinobi in vicinity apart. Hanabi stared in horror.

Nawaki smirks as he walks slowly towards the said Hyuuga. Hanabi can only grit her teeth. Suddenly a hurl of Kunai flew out of no where and entrench itself on Nawaki's back.

"Oi! Didn't your mother ever teach you never threat a woman like that?"

Nawaki turn his head to see Konohamaru.

"What the hell you're doing here, little brat? You're supposed to be in the shelter!" Hanabi yelled.

"Look who's talking here?"

"**Shou Geki Ha!" **Another shockwave hit Konohamaru full, who just finished making a set of hand seals and pop out into a pebble… with an explosive tag on it. The small explosion engulfs the undead shinobi in smoke.

The said Genin appeared right next to Hanabi.

"Come on! I'm getting you out of here!" Konohamaru grab the Hyuuga on his shoulder.

"B… But…!"

"This place is lost! The shelter had been breached from the back. But before those zombie gets in, some gigantic fox suddenly appeared out of no where, and slam those zombies to kingdom come! Right now, the huge fox is waiting to carry all survivors to a safe place… But it doesn't seem really know where to take us…"

"Hokage Tower! We have to bring them to the Hokage Tower!"

"**Don't think you can escape that easily! Shou Geki Ha!" **Nawaki sends another shockwave. Hanabi's eyes widen. She dashed out front.

"Hakkesho, Kaiten!" The two techniques collide, and an explosion occurs. "KYAH!" Hanabi falls down, exhausted.

"Oi!" Konohamaru run towards the falling Hanabi. He checked on the Hyuuga's well being before turning his head and glares at the smirking Nawaki.

"Damn YOUUU!" Konohamaru charge at the undead shinobi, who simply disappear and reappear right behind the said Genin. Nawaki slaps Konohamaru back to where Hanabi lay.

The said undead shinobi smirks. **"I'm going to enjoy eating you… piece by piece…"**

Konohamaru, despite his trembling tried to stands up. Meanwhile Hanabi regained her consciousness. She looks in horror at the undead before her, than to the trembling Konohamaru. He had this horrible bruise on his cheek.

"…B… Brat…" Hanabi look at Konohamaru.

"…Run."

"W… What?"

"…I'll… I'll try to hold him off… there is a huge fox waiting, carrying the survivors, inside the ruins of the shelter… get on it… tell it where to go… it understands human language… hurry!"

"No way! You can't stay here! The level between you and him is terribly different! He'll kill you in an instant!"

"Who knows? I don't know about you… but I'm bad at giving up."

"…Don't joke around!" Hanabi inwardly thought that she have heard that sentence before.

"**Finished your last chatter?" **Nawaki cracked his knuckles

"Grr…" Konohamaru gritted his teeth.

Hanabi stares at the undead Nin.

"**Die! Shou…" **Nawaki raise his arm once again when suddenly, an iron-hard-grip stops his arm mid-air.

"**Why don't you bullies pick somebody on YOUR size?" **Naruto suddenly appears and give Nawaki's face a REAL good punch.

Konohamaru squeals like a little child. "NARUTO-NII-SAN!"

"**Hiya, Konohamaru! Long time no see."**

'!... Father speaks quite often these days about this Naruto guy… so… He's the guy that has defeated even Neji?'

"**Why you…"**

"**Just shut the fuck up. Jigoku Katon, Kitsune Endan!" **Naruto shot another burning fox head that crash the undead shinobi with blinding speed.

'Wow… so cool! As I expected from my arch-nemesis!'

"**Grrr… come forth!" **Nawaki yells, and a dozen zombies crash down to view.

"Oh no… now we're out-numbered." Hanabi mutters.

Naruto smirks while he whistles.

The zombies were charging at him when suddenly a gigantic six tailed fox claw landed on them, crushing the zombies underneath.

Both Hanabi and Konohamaru gawked.

"**You! Take'em!" **Naruto motion the fox to take Hanabi and Konohamaru away from there. The fox obeyed as it kneels down, using his tails to grab the two shinobi and put them on his back. Naruto could see there are some living humans on the fox's back. All of them are horrified. Several of them even point and yell at Naruto angrily. Naruto sighs. 'I guess explaining to them later will be rather pointless…'

The humans that were on top of the fox's back are terrified to no-end. Not just because they were almost killed by cannibalistic zombies, but also because right now, they are on top of a giant DEMON fox that once had nearly destroyed Konoha. Some of them who see Naruto, misunderstood as they start yelling at the said blond angrily.

"Oi! Demon Child! I knew it! This is your doing right! Put us down damn you!"

"Come here! I'll kill you… you DEMON!"

"You've destroyed Konoha before and now you do it AGAIN! I'LL KILL YOU DEVIL BASTARD!"

Naruto's enhanced hearing caught those words. The corner of his eyes twitched but he decided to ignore it.

Some of the men tried to find something to be thrown at the blond. This infuriates the fox that carries them. **"SHUT UP YOU UNGRATEFUL ROTTEN FODDERS!" **The fox emanates a killing intent as its tails swirls wildly that it scared them all out of their wits.

Naruto sense the rising killing intent and immediately yells. **"Rokubi! (Six Tails!) You have your orders!"**

"…**YES… …NARUTO-SAMA… AS YOU CAN SEE… THERE IS SOME…LIVING HUMANS AT MY BACK. I'VE TRIED TO TAKE THEM AWAY FROM HARMS WAY…PER_ YOUR_ INSTRUCTIONS. BUT…WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH THEM NOW?"** The survivor on the fox's back jaw-dropped when they hear the statement.

"…**ask the girl that you've just lift up."**

"**WELL, LITTLE HUMAN, WHERE TO?"**

"A… E… H… Hokage… Hokage tower! To the Hokage Tower!" Hanabi point at a massive tower in the middle of the village.

"**TO THAT STRUCTURE IT IS." **The Rokubi dashes towards the tower, leaving Naruto.

Naruto turn his head towards the fuming Nawaki. **"Now, let's finish this."** Naruto wave his arm, and tens of Naruto drop to scene soon after.

"**That's my line! Shou Geki Ha!"** Nawaki sends another shockwave at the Narutos. A huge smoke arise as several dozens of Naruto pop out of existence.

Abruptly one Naruto dash forward and punch the zombie right on the gut. It sends him flying for a while before suddenly 2 clones drop in and kicks his chest that shot him backwards. Before he could even land, another clone grabs his ankle and start swinging the said undead on top if the blonde's head as he smashes the zombie's head several times to the ruins around them before send him crashing to a broken wall. The zombie didn't even had a chance to take a breather, 5 Naruto shot a barrage of **"Jigoku Katon, Kitsune Endan!" **

The gigantic explosion shook the entire village.

-----------------

"Well, what do you know… Naruto can do a Jounin level jutsu at such a young age and he's doing pretty well with his Shadow Clone jutsu." Kira smiled lightly behind his attire.

"**True… but his performance up until now… is all due to the Youki Kyuusei had given to him. I can say the same with Shukaku's host." **The voice from the unknown echoed at the back of his mind.

"Yes… I can see that… I guess we have to test him again afterwards… but I think we don't really need to worry about him for now… yes?"

"**You're worried about the village?"**

"Short of… One of such I kind of worried… is Kakashi-kun."

"**Kakashi…?"**

"HATAKE Kakashi. Ring any bells?"

"**You're not talking about the son of Hatake Sakumo-kun?"**

"The very one."

"**Hmm… well… that's… pretty…alarming… You DO know how the Hatake's…Bloodline limit… especially his… works… right?"**

"Yes…" Kira shifts his gaze to the masked Jounin. "…I do."

-----------------

On the village…

In front of the 'new' gate created by Naruto…

"**Heh… those Kyuubi Kage Bunshins should be more than enough…" **Naruto rise from the ground. After he creates the army of his clones, he quickly hid himself underground. Not because he's afraid to get hurt, but he have 'other' errands to deal with.

Naruto walks slowly, cracking his knuckles towards the gate.

"Now where are you going Uzumaki Naruto?" A voice suddenly spoke behind him.

Naruto turn his head and meet up with Gaara.

"**Nee Gaara. Why are you here? Aren't you…supposed to help your siblings?"**

"They are more than capable of handling themselves, thanks to your clones. Why are you here?"

"**Well… I don't see why you can't join… I want to greet our 'friends' out there…" **More Youki sent by Kyuusei. He too is utterly pleased. This is going to be a REAL bloodbath.

Gaara gives a wicked smile. The sand covered him further, transforming both of his hands and the upper part of his body. **"Count me in…"**

Somewhere inside the village…

Right now, a certain silver haired Jounin is panting heavily. By the gods, even if it's 4 to 1, they're still being pushed back! Kakashi glared angrily at the Undead Jounin as Dan grabs Asuma's head and give the chain smoker a punch that sends him colliding with Gai, who just stood up.

"**Ku ku ku ku… I'm going to enjoy finishing you guys… nice… and slow…"**

"Not before we lop your head off!" Kurenai charge at the undead. Kunai in hand.

"**Ku ku ku…" **Dan dodges the stab, grabs Kurenai's hand, and twists it so that the female Jounin dropped the Kunai in a clatter. Kurenai grunted. She tries to punch the undead when he sends a knee to her gut. **"Just be quiet!" **Dan grabs Kurenai's face; raise it to the air, before slamming it back to earth, crushing her head to pieces… of Sakura petals.

'Genjutsu…'

The Sakura petals enveloped the undead Jounin and, before the Jounin realize it, he's suddenly 'hugged' by a Sakura tree.

"**Don't think such low level Genjutsu will work on me! Katon, Karyuu Yaiba! (Fire Dragon Blade)" **Dan's fingers shots out several red hot, razor sharp, crescent blades of fire. The Genjutsu vanishes, revealing the nearly burned Kurenai. **"Heh, you can't kill me with that kind of Genjutsu bitch."**

"Well maybe so but…" Kurenai smirks.

"…at least it gives me enough time to do this!" Kakashi dash towards the Undead, his last Chidori in hand.

Dan, caught by surprise, gets impaled squarely on his stomach. Black blood splattered on Kakashi's vest, and some splattered on his mask. Kakashi's smirk faded instantly as the target glare at him back while smiles sadistically.

"**You caught me off guard…" **Dan clutch Kakashi's sunken arm and then crush it with his grip. Kakashi let out a muffled howl. **"…still, you're going to pay for that."** Dan grins evilly. He tightened his grip, practically crushing Kakashi's bone. Then, without mercy, Dan gives the Jounin a powerful punch right on his chest. A sickening crack sounded from Kakashi's ribs. Then, throwing the Jounin upwards, Dan followed with extreme speed before mercilessly kicks the said Jounin's crushed torso several times, disappears and reappears on his back, giving an elbow on his nervous system. At this point, the Jounin felt all his body gone numb with pain. Suddenly, a knee falls on his head and sends him crashing; face first, on the ground.

"**That's for those accursed jutsu you used on me." **Dan smirks as he shot another **"Katon, Karyuu Yaiba!" **towards the half conscious Jounin. The attack hit Kakashi back full, slicing off his Jounin vest, while tearing some of his skin. Dan grins evilly as he dive back and came crashing, knee first, on Kakashi's burned back.

"GWWAAAAAHHH!" Kakashi screams a bloody murder.

"Oi! Stop it, damn you!" Gai tried to stand up again. Alas, the knee that Dan had broken during the fight prevents him to do so quickly.

"Grrhh… you… Sonnova…" Asuma growled. His chest was burned by some of Dan's fire blade.

Dan doesn't take the slightest care; he grabs Kakashi's hair, slamming his face to the ground once and then raise the Jounin's nearly battered face in front of him. **"How the mighty have fallen… let's see what your face looks like." **Dan grabs Kakashi's mask and torn it off, including the spare mask, showing his… very handsome face. Aside the bruises on the Jounin's upper face and some blood trails on the corner of Kakashi's mouth, everything is incredibly perfect. It looks like… a girl's face that is being turned into a more masculine form flawlessly. Even Dan and Kurenai stared in awe for a moment. If the situation weren't so dangerous, both Gai and Asuma will be burning red with jealousy. **"Fuh… what an admirable face… too bad I have to shred it to pieces… no wait, I'll skin it and preserve it before I gave it to Orochimaru-sama… ku ku ku… yes… be glad Hatake Kakashi!"**

Meanwhile, Kakashi is already half conscious. In his mind though, thoughts and memories came swirling in his minds.

"_Happy Birthday Kakashi-kun!" Rin gave Kakashi a new kunai._

"_What? Why should I bring a present for you?" Obito scolded._

"_Well, I guess I can treat you some ramen later…" The Yondaime Hokage gave a big smile._

"_Well Kakashi, since you're already 10 years old, as a member of the Hatake clan and as your father, I'll give you this… this is my white chakra blade. A signature to all Hatake clansmen to utilize our bloodline limit."_

"…_and Kakashi, this mask could help you when being chased by fan-girls! Just like what happen to your handsome devil dad here often. Ha! Ha ha-ha…"_

"…_Kakashi, listen, this is the last thing I'm going to say before I die…"_

"…_no matter what happens, never release that mask in battle."_

"…_it's the only thing…"_

"…_that protects your 'human'…"_

"…_from 'it'…"_

"…_Never… put… it… off…"_

Kakashi's eyes barely snap open. He saw Dan's clawed hand right in front of his face. His nose twitched at the smell… it stinks of corpse… and blood… 'Blood… b… blood…?'

Suddenly white chakra began to flare around Kakashi.

-----------------

Skies of Konoha…

Kira watches Kakashi with his eyes widens. Both he and the voice inside his head mutter the same sentence.

"**Oh, great."**

-----------------

Meanwhile, in the city, three Demon Fox, one Boss Toad and one Boss Slug are killing one Snake after another with the greatest ease. The entire battlefield is covered in yellow and green dots (Naruto and Konoha Shinobi army) and darkish black (zombie army). The army of yellow dots oppressed the black dot army slowly but sure. Tsunade conclude that right now, victory in this zone will be theirs if it continues at this rate. She looks at the last snake, who gulped as all summoned creature set their eyes on the poor creature. The next second, the barely recognizable snake corpse disappears in a puff of smoke.

'I guess Konoha shinobi can fend for themselves for now… well then, on to the next matter…' "Jiraiya!"

"Huh? What is it?"

"Help the villagers! I have some things to do. Katsuyu, help Bunta."

"Hai, Tsunade-sama." The slug boss nod slowly.

"What about you guys?" Bunta addresses the foxes. Everyone look at the seven tails.

The grey fox answers matter-of-factly. **"NARUTO-SAMA HAD ORDERED US TO HELP THESE PATHETIC HUMANS…"** The grey fox look down, he saw 3 Chuunin rush boldly towards about 20 zombies. **'…PATHETIC BUT BRAVE HUMANS…' **Smirking, he steps on the zombies, leaving one left, while the Chuunins stared wide eyed at the fox. **"…AND HELP THEM WE SHALL."**

"…okay. Jiraiya, I'll… leave the rest to you. I… need to take care of something… first."

Jiraiya smiles. "Kick their ass, Flat Chest."

Tsunade quiet for a moment before disappear in a puff. 'Where are they?'

----------------

Gai stare wide eyed at a certain white haired Jounin. He doesn't know what happen, but the moment Kakashi's mask is ripped apart from the said Jounin's face, everything gone the other way around. And now, he stared, mesmerized, by the now disarrayed battlefield, and the bloodlust white aura emanating from Kakashi.

Asuma's was so shocked, his mouth hung open; his cigarette had long dropped on the ground. The entire battlefield is covered in various kinds of cuts. From the ones that is as small as a twig, to gigantic ones that look like being cut by a blade that could give Gamabunta's sword a real competition.

Kurenai is dumbstruck as she saw Kakashi's figure. His broken arm limping helplessly yet, the owner of that broken arm took no notice as he smiled so terribly, a smile that doesn't fit well with his fine-looking face.

Dan panting heavily, black blood oozed from all over his battered body, which is covered by lots of cuts and gashes. His left arm, which he used to grabs the said Jounin earlier is now nowhere in sight. His remaining hand holds his bleeding stump. Dan gazes incredulously at the supposedly half dead shinobi. **'…wha… what is that white chakra?'**

'More… more…' Kakashi's breathing heavily, oblivious with his own condition, the said Jounin smile insanely. The white chakra keeps surrounding his body like a whirlwind. He makes a few hand seals, and a few seconds later, a Chidori, a white Chidori forms in his able hand. However, the Chidori shift shape into that of a hound. Kakashi grinned before charges forward with inhuman speed. Dan's eyes widen as he dodges the charging Jounin with the greatest effort. A bit of his left leg caught a tip of Kakashi's white chakra, and the next second, the half of the said left leg is a goner.

"**Che… what annoying bastard! Katon, Karyuu Yaiba!"**

Much to everyone's surprise, the fire blade went through the white chakra and pierce Kakashi's shoulder. Now both of his arms are rendered useless. Kakashi glared at the undead Jounin who start crawling towards him again.

"**I see, so you can't withstand elemental attack, can you? If so, then I'll do it again!" **Dan shot the fire blade at point blank range. Much to Kakashi's horror, his leg suddenly slumped.

The Jounin's eyes widen. Abruptly a huge rock came crashing right before him, canceling the blade.

Everyone, except Kakashi and Dan, cheered at sight. Tsunade appears on top of the rock.

"…well, you guys sure had made a lot of mess here…" Tsunade observes the surrounding, from the half crushed Dan to Kakashi… who's enveloped by that white chakra. '…the bloodline limit of the Hatake eh? The last person I saw using it is Sakumo…' She performs a few hand seal "Suiton, Mizu Dango (Water Ball)." A few basket ball sized water ball shot out from Tsunade's mouth and splash hard on Kakashi's face.

Caught off guard, the attack hit Kakashi so hard that it renders him unconscious soon after. The white chakra vanishes instantly.

"Gai, Asuma, Kurenai. Grab Kakashi out of here, and take him to the Hokage Tower."

"Hai."

"What about the Undead here?"

"I'll take care of him. Go."

"**Who gives you permission to leave?"**

"I am." Tsunade dashes forward and kicks Dan full on his face, breaking one of his horns, and sends him flying a few meters away.

"**Ouch… your kick doesn't change one bit Tsunade."**

"All the more you're going to feel it." Tsunade cracked her knuckles.

"**Tsunade…can you do it? I'm you're boyfri…"**

Before Dan could finish his sentence, his face meets up with Tsunade's knee, crushing some of his teeth. The angry Hokage raise her leg before dropping it right on Dan's chest, crushing the ground underneath to oblivion. "That face… that voice… I had enough of this bull shit."

Tsunade grabs the undead's face, give him a good uppercut on his chin that sends him sky-high. Suddenly Tsunade appears on top of Dan, grabbing the zombie's neck before spinning at top, slamming the undead Jounin down to the ground with an unearthly force.

"…You really make me sick. That face and that voice… I've had it. I have the true memory of how my boyfriend smiles and talks… thanks to you, those memories are now tainted with your disgusting copy of a speech. I'll crush you and end this!"

Just then another huge explosion occurs VERY close to them. The next second, Nawaki, whose mutated body is charred ash black drops to view, followed soon after, 7 Berserk Naruto landed right between the three shinobi.

"**Nawaki!" **Dan looks incredulously at Nawaki and then glare at Naruto. **"How dare you to hurt Tsunade's little brother?"**

Naruto smirks. **"I'm the guy who punched the grandson of the 3rd Hokage, vandalized the monument of the Kages, corrupted Konohamaru's innocent young mind with pervert jutsu like Harem no Jutsu, made the late Sandaime Hokage and many other Konoha Male shinobi suffered major blood loss via nosebleed with my Sexy no Jutsu… I don't see any reason why I can't do something even worse than that."**

Tsunade chuckles at that. "Anyway… Naruto… you're in the way."

"**Huh?" **Naruto looks at Tsunade then to Dan and Nawaki, who just stands up. **"Oh… well… have fun."** All Naruto dashes out of the scene.

"Now, let's finish this."

Dan looks at Tsunade, than analyze his own body. His condition is far from perfect. Although zombies don't suffer from pain and able to regenerate quickly, the attacks done by the Copy Nin had somewhat slowed down the regeneration process. He had lost his left arm and leg; and there is a huge hole on his stomach that showed some of his battered digestion organs. Aside from that, all his minor injuries had disappeared. He looks at Nawaki, whose condition is probably even worse.

Most of his body is burned down. There are deep slashes and horrible gashes here and there that look like he's being torn apart by a ferocious beast. Some of his limb even lingering around, showing a bit of his skeleton frame and some of his torn muscles. Heck, he could even see one of Nawaki's broken rib cages impaled on his shredded lungs. His mutated right arm is twisted in an almost inhuman way. And his face… people could hardly recognize his child face anymore! It looked like it had been stomped by a group of stampeding gorillas! What the hell that Blond brat did to Nawaki?

"…**Nawaki, I don't know about you, but I think we should do that."**

Nawaki, whose face was so crushed he could hardly speak clearly, nods.

Then, quickly enough, both zombies melded into one. It form a horrible two headed… creature (Remember Sakon and Ukon in level 2 state). All the wounds seemingly disappeared as the two mutated even further. Nawaki's battered face regenerate, the tiny horns on his forehead grew longer to the point it become bone horns. Dan's horn grew bigger. Both shoulders and arms are now covered in huge bony spikes. Their skin color turns into darkish red. Meanwhile their wounds began to regenerate at fast rate.

Tsunade silent seeing the transformation, but inside, she was fuming with fury and hatred. 'Orochimaru… you've toyed with the bodies of my loved ones. I swore to the gods in the seventh heights of Heaven and the demons in the seventh depths of Hell… I'm going to make your death a real living hell… I swear!' Tsunade was so furious she didn't realize her fist is bleeding. The seal in her head began to unravel.

Meanwhile, the monster's transformation is complete.

"**I SO GOING TO KILL THAT BLOND ASSHOLE!" **Dan exclaimed full rage.

"**Yes, yes, but calm down for now. Our regeneration is almost done." **Dan looks at Tsunade. **"We're almost done restoring ourselves… aren't you going to stop us?"**

"No. I'm going to give you zombies' one last chance to entertain me. After that…die." Tsunade made a tiger seal. 'Seal release…'

"**GRRHH… HOW MUCH LONGER, DAN?" **Nawaki's voice resembles nothing like a child.

"**Just a bit more…"**

'Ninpou, Souzou-Saisei (Genesis Rebirth)!' The seals in Tsunade's disappear. The Godaime Hokage then crosses her arms in front of her chest. 'Let's see… initial gate… open… heal gate… open…'

"**DAN!"**

"**Done!"**

"Ura-Renge: Third Gate: Life Gate opens!" Tsunade gritted her teeth as her skin turn red, and her hair flared so ferociously behind her that it forcibly unties her hair. Veins appear on her now clear forehead.

"**!" **The undead monsters are surprised to no end. Before they could awake from their surprise, an inhumanly strong punch on their guts sends them sky high, with Tsunade followed hot in pursuit.

Before they could even breathe a word, another kick landed on their back, and then another on their face, and then another on the chest… several dozens of blows later, another kick sends their battered body down to the ground. The undead monster landed on the ground with devastating force, giving a group of Naruto clone, Lee, Shikamaru, Temari and Kankurou, who are nearby, quite a shock.

"What the hell…" Temari gasped at the monster before them.

The burning red Tsunade who land with a crash followed soon after. Seeing his favorite grandma returns, Naruto could only smirk.

"**Wow… our favorite slug granny is really having fun."**

"Wait! That's my…" Lee exclaimed.

"Spare me… I'm borrowing your Ura-Renge for now." Tsunade disappear and reappear on top of the Undead Monster, cracking her knuckle, she grab Dan's neck, before shoving an unearthly powerful punch on their chest that shot them backwards. Tsunade disappears again, and the next second, the undead monster is being blasted upwards, with barely visible blurs of the Godaime Hokage, swirling around them, mercilessly tearing the said monster off their frame.

The sand siblings watch the Godaime in awe.

"Wow… so that's the power of Tsunade, one of the Densetsu no Sannin?" Kankurou gawks at the scene.

"**Well, Tsunade-baa-san can be pretty scary when she's mad… and that Orochimaru had really pissed her off… big time."**

"P… Please don't tell me Tsunade-sama used her seal in conjunction with Ura Renge?"Shizune appears with a horde of more Naruto.

"**Hm? Seal? What seal you're talking about?"**

----------------

"Well, Tsunade-chan is really pissed off, isn't she?" Kira had to move to another spot when Tsunade shot upwards along with the monster. He's not ready to show himself yet, even to an old friend.

"**Her freakish strength doesn't change… the only human that is capable of matching her in both temper and strength is your twin sister, Cagalli."**

Kira chuckles out loud. "Ha! How true."

----------------

Meanwhile, in the sky, Dan and Nawaki are being whipped out, literally, by Tsunade. Not wanting to become the Hokage's punching bag, both tried to retaliate, but before they could even move, Tsunade's voice echoed. "Fourth Gate: Harm Gate opens!"

Now, they couldn't even see where Tsunade is. Their body is being torn apart with high speed, slowly but sure. With both of their body combined, their regeneration system is faster than ever, but with an unbelievably fast Hokage whose punch could turn a rock to dust in a second, they find that it no longer sufficient. Gradually, the damage inflicted escalates at a fast rate.

"**GRRR…. Don't think you've won! Dai Shou Yaiba Ha! (Great Destruction Blade Wave)" **The monster's body generates a huge destructive razor sharp, chakra blade storm that covers their body. Tsunade simply punch the tornado, resulting horrible gashes to appear all over her arm, which make Tsunade pauses for a split second. The two undead took the chance, and three hands (2 Dan's, 1 Nawaki's) grab Tsunade's bleeding right arm. **"Got you!" **The two smirks.

Tsunade smiled as her regeneration jutsu do its job. The gashes in her arm vanish in an instant. Much to the surprise of the duo. "I think I have to borrow a jutsu from my little brother too."

"**Huh?" **Nawaki blinked.

Tsunade grins evilly. She uses her free arm to grab Dan's arm. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

3 more Tsunade grabs the undead monster. Two grabs both of their legs, another grabs Nawaki's remaining hand. The 4 Tsunade smirked. "Again. Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" 8 more Tsunade appears on top of the duo.

"**What the…"**

All 8 Tsunade focus all their chakra on their right arm before punching the monster full force on the chest, sending them rocketing towards mother earth real FAST, so fast that their skin is burned down due to the friction with the air because of their current inhuman velocity.

Not wanting to be left behind, the remaining Tsunade clones stretch out their legs as the original one step on it. The Tsunade clones kick her legs and the Hokage catapulted towards the falling undead. 'Fifth gate: Life Gate Opens!' She concentrates every chakra on her body on her right punch. Fire starts to envelop her as she began spinning at top. This is it.

Dan and Nawaki could only stare at the coming red hot, swirling human fire bullet of destruction.

Tsunade's fist connected, and due to the ferocious spin, drill its way right through the monster's body, ripping while burning it altogether to oblivion, destroying the talisman put by Orochimaru in their body.

By the time the talisman is gone, the remaining pieces of what's left from Dan and Nawaki revert back to their former self, and so does their true personality.

"Nee-san…" Nawaki gave a warm smile. His head is barely intact. "We've caused you a lot of trouble… sorry…"

"Thank you… Tsunade… and… good bye…" Dan's head, whose one of his eyes is crushed down, closes his remaining eye as the last bits of both his and Nawaki's form began to crumble to dust.

Tsunade, though still spinning, heard their last sentence. Tears flooded her face. 'Farewell… Dan… Nawaki…'

The Godaime Hokage landed with a LOUD crash that obliterates the entire roads and shakes the whole village. Tears still streaming in her face as a rain of burning human limbs showered the shattered streets…

----------------

"Nothing good will ever come out of playing with the dead. Dan and Nawaki… both of their soul… could you…?" Kira watches the crying Tsunade with great sympathy.

"**I've already done it the moment this battle started. I've send all the souls of the deceased ones straight to the other side… for now." **The voice boomed again.

"Good."

----------------

Meanwhile, in the other parts of battleground…

"Alright! We got them! Just one more push! Supaa Baika no Jutsu!" Choza enlarge himself, crushing several zombies altogether. One of the six tailed fox there stared at the unbelievably large human before him. Choza look at the fox before nervously wave his oversized hand while grinning. The fox chuckled lightly, while the army of Naruto below can only laugh.

In another place, Nara Shikaku is stabbing the zombies in its place with his Kagenui no Jutsu (Shadow Needle) while several dozen Jounin and Anbu, helped by dozens of Kyuubi Naruto, shot any fire jutsu they can towards the immobilized zombies, burning them all to crisp.

In another district of Konoha, another Six Tail yellow Fox shot a burst of flame from his mouth, burning a battalion of rushing zombies to ashes. Some zombies escape the inferno only to meet up with a barrage of fire jutsu from Tenten and several Chuunins and Jounins, helped with another dozen of Naruto clone. Some were ripped apart by Neji, Hiashi and Hinata's triple Kaiten, before a burst of flame from a Naruto clone finish it off.

Sakura is practically punching every zombie in her way through a wall. Kiba shred some of the zombies into tiny un-restorable pieces. Ino must resolve to Kunai and explosive tags after a failed attempt by her father (which result in her father vomiting afterwards, swearing that he'll never complaining again about the household trashes being smells so bad) to control the zombies with the Shintenshin no Jutsu (Mind Body Switch). Asuma, Kurenai, and Gai join soon after once they've taken Kakashi to the Hokage tower.

Temari swing her fan towards the mountains of fire created by some Naruto's clones. The gust of wind created pushed the wildfire towards the horde of zombies, who were immobilized by Shikamaru's Kagemane no Jutsu.

In short time, Jiraiya went on rampage, destroying every zombie's he saw Rasengan after Rasengan. The Sannin was so pissed after he was forced to use a Toad Oil Cannon on a large group of the remaining sexy zombie chick. The ultra pervert wept for some moment before all the building sadness and frustration exploded when he saw something that make him completely snapped: the accursed zombies had crushed his favorite bath house to smithereens. After screaming a bloody murder and yelling swear words (that was so impolite that even I can't write it here), that earn him a sweat drop from the seven tail demon fox, Jiraiya went into his most dangerous state: Rasengan Frenzy: Shove a Rasengan on every enemy's throat! And that's what the pervert Sannin is doing right now.

Meanwhile with Tsunade…

"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune ran towards her sensei, which had reverted back to her old self.

"S… Shizune…" Tsunade speaks weakly. She was so tired after the battle with Dan and Nawaki. And the most painful one: her body is aching all over. The side effect of the Ura-Renge.

"Please… here drink this!" Shizune give the Hokage a Hyourogan while she checks on her sensei's well being. "…Tsunade-sama… you've used Ura-Renge didn't you? And you must've used it in conjunction with the seal? There are torn muscles all over your body."

"Yes… I am." The fatigue caused by Chakra depletion began to weaver, thanks to the Hyourogan.

"…Tsunade-sama… what happen… to Uncle Dan and Nawaki?"

Tsunade chuckled sadly. "…they've rest in peace."

Shizune smiled as a single tear fell.

Back to the battlefield, a short while later, as the last zombie is wiped off with a burst of flame from a horde of Naruto clone, everyone cheered happily. They've won today. They've survived. There is still a horde of zombie just beyond the walls, but they've scored their first victory of the day.

"Phew… what a day…" Asuma blow another smoke from his mouth.

"YES! THE FLAMES OF YOUTH IN KONOHA WILL NOT DISSAPEARS THAT EASILY!"

"Gai." Kurenai spoke lazily.

"YES KURENAI?"

"Shut up." Everyone, including Naruto clones and the other tired Jounin and Chuunin answers in unison. Gai slumped down.

"Well… I don't know if we've won the day though… we still got hordes of zombies waiting just beyond the wall…" Jiraiya sits on the ground; his back slumped on a broken wall, trying to capture his breath.

"Funny… for an army comprised of thousands… don't you think it's awfully… quiet out there?" Tsunade appears, with her appearance is still on her late 30, lying on top of a slug. Next to her is Shizune.

Everyone look incredulously at the said Sannin. She looks so… exhausted.

"Yes… Hokage-sama's right… it's too quiet… no, there is not a single sound at all… aside from our own." Neji add.

"Hey… wait the minute… where's… Gaara?" Temari look around.

"…now that you mention it… where's… where's the **real** Naruto?" Tenten continues.

Jiraiya looks around. There are dozens of Naruto in sight. He could've just knocked them off one by one if he has the strength to do so… which he doesn't. So… "Naruto… where are you? I mean the real you?"

One of the clones spoke up. "The real me… is outside the gate."

"WHAT?" Everyone choruses.

"We'll disappear for now. The Hell Gate will also disappear. Just go outside, and you'll see." The Naruto clone smirked before disappearing with a puff. Soon every clone in the village puff out of existence. The Demon Fox trio grins before bowing their heads as they disappeared with a burst of swirling hell fire. The massive demonic gate and fortification followed soon after with another burst of flame.

"What the hell is that idiot doing OUTSIDE his own Fortifications?" Jiraiya rose up. Everyone who can move also tried to stand up. Soon the group, comprised by Neji, Tenten, Temari, Kankurou, Shikaku, Choza, Hiashi, Hinata, Gai, Kurenai, Asuma, Tsunade and Shizune, led by Jiraiya, make their way to the main gate. Once they've reached the battered main gate though, their jaw is on the floor.

Before them is sea of corpses. Black blood flowed like river. Several mountains of corpses are on fire. Most of the ground is charred ash black. Some zombies, who are burned down to crisp is hanged in a stick that pierce through their head. Overall… it looked like a small hell.

"In the name of all that is holy…" Hiashi wide eyed at the sight.

"And unholy…" Jiraiya add. His eyes bulging at the sight.

"…Gaara?" Kankurou exclaimed when he sees a familiar form carrying a gourd.

"Kankurou…" Gaara turn his head towards his sibling. Wind blows his short red hair.

"…G… Gaara… Brother… you… did all this?"

"Me? No… I did it together with him… we make a bet… who can kill the most enemy must treat the victor a feast…"

"'Him?'" Jiraiya asked.

"Yes… I thought with my experience I'll win easily… but now, I stand corrected. He out best me quite well… so I lose."

"Gaara… he… Do you mean…" Sakura gulped 'No way… he could've… that baka…'

Gaara smirked. He turns his head and motions them to look behind him. The group turns their head to the said direction. What they saw terrified them to no end.

Naruto, sitting on top a mountain of corpses, enveloped in blood crimson chakra that forms an image of one tailed demon fox. His body is bathed in black blood from head to toe. His bright cold blue eyes pierce through the rising smoke around them. In his right hand, several bloody heads hanging on his nailed fingers. The heads have faces and Otogakure symbol on their headband, signifying that they were all living humans.

Everyone was so terrified they could hardly say anything. Jiraiya immediately snap out of it and break the silence. "Oi… Gaki… is that you?"

"…**Yes it's me… What's wrong? You look like you've just saw a ghost."**

Everyone gain his or her composure back. Meanwhile, at their back, several surviving Shinobi had gathered behind the group. When they saw the scene they can't stand it and then vomits.

Suddenly, just behind the piles of corpses, a figure rise. A living Otonin. However, he has lost one of his arms. Despite that, though, he still grips his Kunai tightly. Attempting to fight to his vary last breath. Naruto turns around to see the panting Shinobi. He smiles. Gaara raises his arm as sand start to accumulate around the Otonin. Naruto raise his hand.

"**Gaara, stop. He can no longer fight. Leave him be. He's not worth killing."**

The sand abruptly stops. Gaara cross his arm again.

Naruto smiled towards the Otonin. **"Impressive… you've survived our onslaught… well done. You've manage to guard your life well. So take a good care of it. Now leave this place."**

"I… I don't take orders from you! I… I only answer to Orochimaru-sama's order alone!"

"**Really now? Why is that, may I ask?"**

"He… gave me power… he helps me… to become… strong… I will fight for him… to show him my gratitude!"

"**Such loyalty… too bad it's misplaced."**

"Silence!"

"**Please… I don't really want to kill you… so can you deliver a message to your master there?"**

"…M… Message?"

"**Yep." **Naruto grab one of the dead Otonin's head and throw it at the said Sound shinobi. **"Tell that snake lover and all your colleagues… This is what is waiting for them if they ever try to invade Konoha again."**

The said Shinobi look at the head, then to Naruto, then to the head, and fro. His hand is trembling now. "W… Who are you?"

Naruto smiled as he closed his eyes. When he opens it, a terrible killing intent that formed a huge Demon Fox head enveloped the man, filled his head with images of horrible deaths. **"Just tell that Orochimaru bastard… that Uzumaki Naruto sends his regards from Hell."** Naruto smiled as he shows his canine and pull his middle finger up. The poor shinobi is finally scared out of his wits and runs for his dear life.

Once the Otonin is nowhere in sight, the killing intent vanished, along with the Kyuubi Chakra. Everyone felt relaxed all the sudden.

When Naruto turn around, his gaze is no longer penetrating. But friendly and warm just likely the usual Naruto they used to know.

Just then the sun rose. All shinobi look at the rising sun. Without realizing it, they've fought for the whole day and night. Everyone sighs… they are so glad they're still live to see the daylight.

Suddenly, Naruto stomach growls VERY LOUD.

"…I want Ramen."

----------------

----------------

The aftermath of war, next chapter.

THERE! Finally the war with Sound is over! Thank God!

Sorry for the short chapter folks. But this chapter is solely to end the battle with the sound. Don't worry; I'll try to make sure the next chapter will come faster. Anyway, keep the reviews coming! I keep reading them all! Building critics and advice is VERY WELL WELCOME!

Lastly: MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE! Ja ne.


	8. Aftermath, Accident, Moonlight

Thanks for the reviews! I Understands VERY well that my grammar sucks… thanks for the feedback. Right now, I've been working on it. If you did find any mistake, I'll be more then delighted to hear your comments. Enjoy the 8th chapter!

One more thing, in this chapter, the aftermath of war, you will see another reason why I decided to put this story on M. For those who are underage and haven't been given **_'the talk'_** properly, if you know what I mean, read at your own risk.

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": in Naruto's case, him in berserker mode. However, I will use this format for other purpose when it's necessary.**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA: Kyuubi demon form speech**

Disclaimer: I'm bored of repeating the same thing again and again so… Read the first 5 chapters

**Chapter 8:**

**Aftermath, Accident, Meeting Under the Moonlight**

"I still can't believe you do what you do, Naruto!"

Naruto just walks across the rubles that covered the ground. He's wearing a grey loose clothes and the still blood drenched loose pants. "But Sakura-chan! I'm okay! Besides, they can't even touch me!"

"Yeah… but… You've just healed!"

"And like I've said, I'm a fast healer! Calm down, and let's get to work."

And the two start their work.

The worst part of a war for the survivors is always the aftermath. Checking the casualties, people mourning the lost of their loved ones, amateurs shaken by their first kill, and the most disturbing one: cleaning the corpses. And that's exactly what every combatant shinobi in Konoha do right now. Gradually they trudge trough the shambles of what's left of their village. Trying to search for any recognizable corpses and, even though the chances are one in a million, some survivors. The most disturbing fact is, so far, they found none.

"Man… those Sound bastards had really hit us hard, didn't they?" One of the Anbu mutters slowly under his breath while he raises a human arm. "Oi! Can you check whose arm was this?" The Anbu throws the human limb towards a medic Anbu.

"Hmm… dear god… it was a Hyuuga's…" A Medic Anbu is trained to recognize the characteristics and identity of a person by observing a part of a human body. And thus, they can determine one's identity even if they have only a tiny limb of the person's body. "…this finger prints… Hiashi-sama, I think this is Hyuuga Zoshi's body." The Anbu showed the arm to Hiashi.

"Hmm? Never heard." Hiashi answers in a monotonous tone.

"Oi oi oi! Akamaru! Don't bite the bones!" Kiba exclaimed to his pet dog.

"I think you should've left your pet home." Shino is using his bug to raise a hunk of rock so that he can check underneath.

"Whooo boy… this could take ages…" Anko moans. And how true it was. The fact that the corpses in the area is mixed up with enemy's corpse only makes things more difficult.

"HEY! Don't play around with that carcass!" Ibiki yells at several Chuunin who are having trouble with a zombie limb.

"I know… (Ouch) But (Ouch) GET (Auw) THIS (Hey!) FREAKING (Ouch!) THING OFF ME!" A zombie limb, a clawed zombie hand to be exact, is still moving somehow. And now, a Chuunin is trying to prevent the hand from clawing his eyes out. Suddenly a flame burst off, and the hand is no more. The Chuunin looks around and saw Naruto. His fore finger pointed at the place where the hand had been. The fox host smirks. "…T… thanks… Naruto… Kun." The Chuunin smiles lightly.

Naruto look at the Chuunin for a moment, before nod happily and leave with a big smile.

The Chuunin stared at Naruto's back. There is something different in the way he looks at the fox boy. This doesn't go unnoticed by Ibiki. "…as much as you wish to stare in awe with him, you got work to do."

"H… Huh? O… Okay!"

"You know, Sakura-chan, I find it hard to believe at all that Sasuke was helping us."

"But it's true! He sends us a letter, warning us that the Sound is coming!"

"…" Naruto thought about this. 'I see… so… Sasuke… you still have something towards the village eh?'

"Well, at least now we know that Sasuke is on our side. I think we should immediately take him back to Konoha!"

"…no."

"Eh?" Sakura looks at Naruto as if he's already crazy.

"By now, I doubt Sasuke is still his own self. Even if what you say is true, Orochimaru would've punished him severely."

Sakura was shocked. "What…?"

"…Orochimaru's subordinates and Ero Sannin told me. Orochimaru desires an eternal life. He anchors his spirit, moving from one body to another for the sole purpose of mastering every jutsu in this world. I think Sasuke's Sharingan is one of his shortcuts to do so."

"You mean he's going to…!" Sakura look at Naruto in complete horror. 'No… Sasuke-kun!'

"…Don't worry Sakura-chan. According to one of his subordinates, that snake lover had anchored his spirit to another host. Anchoring spirits is a very difficult jutsu. In my opinion, Orochimaru won't be able to move to another body very soon. So I think… Sasuke-teme is safe."

Sakura sigh in relief.

"Though… I don't know for how long."

Sakura tense up slightly.

**THREE YEARS.**

'What?'

**ACCORDING TO MY CALCULATIONS, IT WILL BE THREE YEARS UNTIL THAT SNAKE SANNIN'S SOUL GATHERED ENOUGH STRENGTH TO MOVE TO ANOTHER BODY.**

'How did you…'

**WELL, DURING MY DAYS IN HERE, I DID SPEND SOME TIME STUDYING YOU HUMAN'S OBVIOUSLY MORE PRIMITIVE JUTSUS.**

"I wouldn't say that primitive… really."

"What is it, Naruto?"

"Kyuusei said that, according to his calculation, we got three years before Orochimaru took Sasuke's body."

"Really?"

"I don't know…"

**JUST TRUST ME KIT. MY CALCULATION IS ALWAYS CORRECT.**

'Urusei.'

"Then, it's plenty of time for us to prepare for a plan to take Sasuke back!"

"No."

"Why?"

"…Let him do as he wishes." Naruto closed his eyes remembering the battle between him and Sasuke.

"_My game with you leafs is over…"_

"_I'm going to Orochimaru! He's going to give me power!"_

"_I've made up my mind, Naruto. Orochimaru will give me power… in which I need it!"_

"Let him… get his power."

"From that snake freak?"

"Yes… Let him be. Sasuke desires power, right? Then just let him get it. Orochimaru will give him power… Wait until Sasuke suck him dry… and after he serves his uses… dispose him, take Sasuke back and kill that Snake Lover. End of story."

"Easier said than done…"

"It'll all up to him now… Will he maintains his roots to Konoha or not. And if he so dares to cut it…"

Sakura looks at Naruto who suddenly stops.

"…then I will NEVER forgive him." Naruto clenches his teeth before walks again. Sakura follows soon.

The fox host walks trough the piles of corpses, stepping on some of the enemy's corpses in the way without any sign of remorse whatsoever. Sakura, however, looked like she's going to vomit.

"Anyway… You know, Naruto?"

"Nani?"

"When newbie having their first kill, usually they got sick of killing in their first experience. It's the guilt. Usually when that feeling starts kicking in, some newbie can't stand it and quit."

"Uh huh… so?"

"…For a guy who just massacred an army by his own… you… look… too good."

"You're falling for me now?" Naruto turn his head with big smile in his face when a punch lands on his face.

"Idiot!"

"Ouch…"

**SHE'S RIGHT. YOU ARE AN IDIOT.**

'Urusei…'

Aside from his joke, Naruto understands very well on Sakura's curiosity. She has her point. Most of rookie Genin who got their first skill is usually haunted by the guilt of it. But unlike other rookie Genin, the guilt of killing doesn't get to him. Well, at least… not anymore.

**YOU COULD THANK ME FOR THAT.**

'Whatever…' Naruto's mind flash back to the first day of his 6 weeks training…

_Flashback_

"Kit. Wake up."

"Huh? What?"

The first thing Naruto see when he woke up though, is a man, holding a knife. Before he could say anything, the man stabs the knife to his chest. Much to his surprise, there is neither wound nor blood. But the pain was immense. It feels like he was stabbed by a real knife.

"AAAHHH! What was that?"

"The first part of your training."

"Huh?"

"Kit… Have you killed before?"

"…err…no… actually… yeah… no, never."

"Then start doing it." Kyuusei sigh. He makes a single hand seal, and this time, a kid, barely older than Naruto, holding a knife is standing in front of Naruto. The blond stared at the little boy.

"Huh? What's… this?"

"Let me show you." Kyuusei let out a chakra whip, but instead of whipping Naruto, the whip strangled the little child. The child is crying in agony. Naruto can't stand it and yells. "OI! YAMEROU!"

Kyuusei smirked as he adds the pressure, twisting and turning the poor little child. Then, a burst of Chakra later, the little child is turn to crisps. The howls of the little child echoed throughout the corridor. The lifeless body drops to the floor with a splash. Naruto, completely furious, dashes towards the gates.

"DAMN YOU SON OF A BITCH! THE HELL YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!"

Kyuusei make a single hand seal again, and another child appears. "Now kit, it's your turn."

"WHAT?"

"Let me translate: KILL him."

"…You're asking me… to KILL… an underage child?" Naruto couldn't be more furious than he already have.

"Yes. This is an emotional training. For now, I'm going to ask you to kill every person I will create with my forbidden Jutsu."

"Kill?"

"Do you know that more then 80 percent of the first rookie Genin quit being a Shinobi a few months after their first kill? Do you know why?"

"What…"

"Guilt. That's what makes them stop. They can't stand the guilt after their first kill. Most of them even end up suicide. This first training is to prevent you from suffering the same fate. I'm going to ask you to kill every kind of person I'm going to summon. Women or even children."

"Damn you FOX! I ain't gonna do it!"

"And why you don't want to do that?"

"You could just ask that so simply, Mr. Demon Fox! Why? Because that's what you do everyday!"

"Kit…"

"You got little children for your breakfast, a couple of dozens of women and little babies for appetizer… or several dozens of full grown men for dessert…"

"Listen…"

"You got ice on your vein! You could do that easily. BUT I CAN'T! I'M NO MONSTER LIKE YOU DAMN IT!"

**KIT!** Kyuusei bellows angrily.

Naruto goes silent in an instant. But he's still panting. Clearly he's still upset for Kyuusei had shown something so immoral in front of him.

"…calm down and listen to me. Why am I doing this? Because I don't want you share the same fate like those rookie Genins who failed to overcome their first kill's guilt. Some people say that if a human kills another, they become a monster. I'm telling you this kit, the moment you entered a life of shinobi, you have signed an unspoken agreement that when the time come, you will throw away your humanity, and become a monster when you took a person's life. A shinobi is a killing machine whether you like it or not. Death and blood is the very thing that keeps a shinobi exists."

"…" Naruto calms down a bit.

"…ask yourself. You dreamed of being a Hokage. Do you think you can become one if you never kill anyone?"

Naruto slumps down. Kyuusei had a point; he was bound to kill someone sooner or later. "But… Kyuusei… women… children?"

Kyuusei sighs. "Kit…listen to me. A shinobi world is darker and crueler than you could imagine. A shinobi is bound to kill anyone and anything. Women… and, yes, sometimes even children. I understand the fact that you might feel sick about it, and go on yelling: "I ain't gonna kill little children dammit!" But understand this; shinobi knows neither gender nor age. They don't care how old you are, and they'll kill you just the same. The guilt you felt when you kill a full grown man and when you kill women or children is… very different. That's why I start on them. If you can survive this training, you can withstand any kind of guilt that will occur every time you kill someone. Killing is the easiest thing that you can get used to. It feels sick at first. But the more you do it, the easier it will be. Trust me. I know about it the most."

"…But… can't we start anything but kids?"

"…Well… sadly… kids are often the most targets that can be used to manipulate your actions. Let me give you an example: suppose you're on a mission. During mission, your enemy had a child as a hostage. One wrong move occurs, and the child's dead. If you are in such condition, I can say you will rush on like a madman without any logical thoughts. And then you got killed because a trap went out and since you're too angry to notice."

"I won't!"

"Said the guy who rushing forward the moment he saw me tormenting a little child."

"You…"

"Consider another option, the child is dead, but you keep your cool. Not only the enemy will realize that their plan failed miserably, you won't caught in the trap. And thus, the mission will still be able to be accomplished. Sounds cold, but it's better than nothing, right?"

"…"

"The point is…once you can control your emotion, you can determine what to do by yourself. Who should you kill, who should not. You must be able to establish your own role. When is the time to be a ruthless cold blooded monster, and when you must use your human conscience. Well, since this is training, human conscience goes out of window. But once you get used to it, kill or don't kill. You make the decision."

Naruto look at the child than to Kyuusei, who nods. After taking a deep breath he dash forward, twisting the child's arm, grabbing his knife, put a chokehold on the child's neck, before raising the knife above his head.

The sound of a little child howling in pain echoed throughout the corridor…

_End of flashback._

Naruto had killed many kinds of people in his mind during the six weeks training. The first days is really tormenting for him. Although he keeps saying to himself that they're all artificial, the anguish cries of pain keep howling in his head every time he did it over and over again. But, thanks to that, now he can kill a person with a greatest ease. Indeed, Kyuusei's right. He has become what the Demon Fox had predicted he will be: the most dangerous and the most unpredictable killing machine ever. Naruto looks at his hand. During the war with the Sound, after rampaging throughout the battle field, burning and destroying every zombie in his path, courtesy to Kyuusei's endless supply of Youki, he managed to find a battalion of living Otonin in the back line. They were preparing the cannons to shoot at Konoha again. Without mercy, Naruto slaughtered them all… except for the one he let go. And he didn't feel any remorse at all even when they're screaming for their gods as Naruto burned them… alive.

"Oi… Naruto! Are you listening?"

"Huh?" Naruto flabbergasted. It looks like he had gone astray for a moment. "What happen?"

"What's wrong with you? We just got called and you seem… out of it?"

"I was just wandering around. Not much. What happen?"

"It seems they've found a survivor."

"They did?"

"Yeah, but it looks like they could use some help. YOUR help in fact."

"Really now? I wonder…"

The two walk towards the commotion. There are many shinobi there, so many; the two could hardly see what's in the middle of the crowd. The two then start waking throughout the people. Some who recognize Naruto immediately give way.

"What… is… THAT?" The two exclaimed at the scene.

It's a small iceberg. And, much to everyone's surprise, there is person inside. It kinda reminded Sakura with Naruto in his Cryopreserved state. Standing in front of the block of ice, is Jiraiya.

"Yo, Ero-sannin, what'cha doing?"

"Ah! Good timing gaki. I was about to give up. Well we found this girl, she seem trapped inside an ice coffin."

"Is she… still alive?" Sakura look at the person.

"Apparently so. There are some scratches in the surface of the ice. My guess is it looks like the ice is protecting her. I've tried my Karyuu Endan on it, it didn't even budge, and I'm getting desperate."

"Why is this person so…familiar?" Naruto try to get a closer look. Sakura too had that eerie feeling, and decided to do the same. Both eyes widens in realization.

"**HAKU?"**

-----------------

Otogakure…

"You're saying, our troops are WIPED OUT?"

"Y… Yes." The messenger Otonin had returned to the Sound. He was so terrified that he forgot to form a way to explain the news to his master. And Orochimaru is not a type of person who will accept defeat lightly.

And right now, the said leader of Otogakure is gritting on his seat. Veins appeared all over his face. Suddenly, a tongue shot out and grabs the Otonin's neck. The Otonin seem resigned to fate… before Kabuto drops in.

"Please wait… Orochimaru-sama."

Orochimaru glares at his right hand. Demanding explanation.

"Orochimaru-sama… please… have patience… we need to know why your plan failed… no?" Orochimaru look at Kabuto, then to the messenger before him. Grunting, he releases his tongue. Kabuto turns his head towards the messenger. "Now, could you please explain what happen in the war? Tell us blow by blow. Here, it'll help." Kabuto kindly give the poor messenger a cup of a tea.

The messenger took the tea with his remaining arm. Trembling, he holds it in front of his mouth. "…they were… prepared."

Orochimaru rolled his eyes at that.

"…we began… our invasion… just like how we were trained. We… started using our artillery… and… and… we managed to… push them back to the inner wall…"

A thud sounded. Everyone turns their heads towards the source. Sasuke appears soon after. "Sorry… got bumped on my head. Continue please."

"…" Orochimaru glares at his future body for a moment then goes back to the messenger. He motions him to continue.

"…then… the two zombies… did per your instruction… we… summoned the undead army… and the undeads… had nearly penetrated the inner walls… the two 'special' undead had managed to… breakthrough…" The messenger still trembling, the cup had long forgotten in front of his lips. He paused for a moment, gulping, before continues. "…when we… almost… destroyed the last gate… there was this… huge mountains of fire… and then suddenly… the inner part of the village… surrounded… by a new wall… I didn't see clearly on what it looks like but… it looked… demonic…"

Kabuto perked up at this.

"The zombies… kept using the cannons… they tried… to penetrate the walls…" the trembling escalates. "After countless of failed attempts… two people… no… two DEMONS… appeared from the gate…" The tremor peaked; the Otonin unconsciously crushes the tea cup on his palm. "…when… they… entered… the battle… it's not… a battle anymore…"

The messenger is wetting his pants. An expression of complete terror covers every inch of his pale white face. "…it's… a butchery… total massacre…complete bloodbath…"

All of them frown. Sasuke suddenly spoke up. "What are these… demons looked like?"

The Otonin snapped. Then he looks at Sasuke. "………I didn't see very clearly but… one had red blood hair. He looked like… a half Tanuki (raccoon) and half human. He's carrying… a large gourd… and… he's using sand."

The three look at each other and concluded. "Sabaku no Gaara."

"Well, if it's him, it is possible for him to do something like that…" Sasuke remembers his battle with the said Sand Shinobi.

"…what's… the other… Demon looked like?" Kabuto asked. He had a faint idea about who the last demon is.

"He's the worst! He… turns a huge battalion of undead to rubble in an instant! He… massacred us like a demon… no he's the demon himself!" The messenger suddenly gone hysteria.

"He… he's like a ghost. One time he was here than he was there… killing us one by one… and he was enveloped in this… hellish red chakra!"

Sasuke's widens. "No… Way…"

"And… and we see his hair… it's… yellow… bright yellow…"

Sasuke is also trembling now. '! I… Impossible…'

"And one thing I'll never forget…" The messenger is now grasping his hair frantically. "H… His… His E-EYES! HIS DEMONIC HORRIBLE BLUE EYES!" The man is so scared, he's crying in fear of the memory.

Sasuke grabs the man collar. "LIAR! THAT'S… THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! NARUTO WAS… was…"

"Sasuke-kun… calm down. How many people have blond hair and blue eyes in this world? It could be another person… who is happens to be very powerful."

"Naruto! That's right! The demon… he… he… spare me… he… he told me to send this message…" The three stare at the Otonin.

"…h-he said… t-this… this is what will happen… if… if we tried to… a-attack Konoha again…" The man dropped the head of his dead comrade. Orochimaru was infuriated to no end. He almost rushes towards the messenger to finish him off so that he could unleash his anger on the Otonin. But abruptly stop when the Otonin spoke again. "…and… and…"

The three look again at the Otonin. "…he said… Uzumaki Naruto sends his regards from Hell…"

Sasuke slumped on the ground. Staring to emptiness with disbelief. '…impossible… Naruto… you're still alive…' "…You said he won't last more then a day?" Sasuke turns his head to Kabuto.

"…Tsunade… she must've healed him." Orochimaru concludes.

"No… that's quite impossible… I see his condition. He's already half dead. And most of his wounds were deep and beyond human help. There is no way Tsunade, even with her skill, heal him."

"Yet the supposedly dead shinobi slaughter our army like cattle! How do you explain that?"

"…Kyuubi." Sasuke spoke.

"What?"

"…You said it to me. Naruto is the demon fox's host. Perhaps because Naruto's life is in danger, he felt that his are also at stake. And thus…"

"…hmmm… you do have a point… But how do you know that?"

"…I don't know… but Naruto had this weird ability of regeneration. If what you said is true, then I think Kyuubi had a hand on that."

"…" Orochimaru thought for a moment. He inwardly gritted his teeth. 'God damn it… I should've killed him in the forest…'

Sasuke look at the messenger. 'Naruto… now you've become frighteningly powerful…' Suddenly, Sasuke felt something. He's trembling because of the new emotion. No it's not fear. It's the same sensation he had, every time he met an enemy that is bloody strong. This doesn't go unnoticed by the Orochimaru and Kabuto.

"…Sasuke."

Sasuke look at the snake Sannin. There is this new light in Sasuke's eyes.

"…go to your room and rest. Tomorrow, your training will be intensified."

Sasuke didn't answer but do as he was told.

Orochimaru look apprehensively at Sasuke's retreating figure.

----------------

"Haku? Who's that?"

"A mist nuke-nin we met on our very first C-unofficially B rank mission." Sakura stares on the coffin, while Naruto observes the ice casket for any cracks or whatsoever. "…But… it can't be him…"

"'Him?'" Jiraiya rolled his eyes.

"Yep. He looked like a girl, but the truth is, he's 100 percent a boy. But… this can't be him."

"…why it can't be?" Jiraiya asks the two. Sakura frowns before answers.

"Haku… died on that mission."

"…oh."

"Che… do you really think it's really him?"

"Well he does look like Haku… do you think Orochimaru revived him too?" Sakura look at Naruto.

"Unlikely… how did Orochimaru knows our relationship with him? …well, I guess there's only one way to find out." A blood red flame with purple aura appears on Naruto's palm. "If normal fire doesn't work…let's try my Hell Fire."

"Hell Fire?" Jiraiya looked at the flame on Naruto's palm.

"Courtesy of our favorite demon fox." Naruto's palm balls into a burning fist. "Uraaa!" The blond punches the ice.

Silence.

"…well?"

…CRACK.

Everyone stares at the huge chunk of ice. A red crack appears right on the spot where Naruto had punch it. The cracks escalate as the ice block begins to melt. Slowly but sure, the small iceberg falls apart, releasing the person inside it, before it finally explodes shooting the Haku look alike off the air. The Haku-clone lands on the ground with a loud thud.

The two quickly move towards the person.

"Oi, Daijobu?" Sakura kneel down beside her.

"…"

"…wow… he's really look like Haku." Naruto examines the person before them. This 'Haku' wears a sleeveless grey kimono and brown trousers. "Is he… a zombie?"

"Nope. He's breathing alright." Sakura checks on the person's pulse. "And he's definitely alive."

"Phew… good."

"…uh…" The Haku clone began to stir in his place. When he opens his eyes, he squeals. "AAAHHHH! GET AWAY FROM ME!"

That shocked both of Team 7's remaining members to no end.

"Uuhh…"

"No! NO! GET AWAY FROM ME!" 'Haku' moves back.

"Err… look we're not zombie… Err…" Sakura is having difficulty to find the correct words. Naruto, however, have something else in mind.

"Hey look… calm down." Naruto starts walking towards 'Haku'.

"No… no… NOOO!" the said person charge towards Naruto. Caught off guard, Naruto have to catch Haku clone's arm, which was aimed at his head. Naruto grabs the collar of the person's Kimono and pull it to the side; attempting to slam the hysteric person to the ground. What he saw next, though, stop him in his tracks.

What he saw is not a plain chest of a male; instead, 2 mounds of female' full breasts. Though it's not very bulging, the nipple is there nonetheless. Naruto's mouth jaw dropped. "…a… a girl?"

Everyone stop dead when they saw the sight. The she-'Haku' is bit red. Naruto looked like he's going to faint; he was so shocked that he had long forgotten that his arm is still revealing the poor girl's breast for several moments now.

Just then, Naruto felt a horrible killing intent emanating from his back. He snapped out, releasing his hand immediately. But it's too late. The death whispers of one outraged Haruno Sakura flowed from his back.

"**Uzumaki. Na. Ru. Toooooo!" **Sakura cracked her knuckles. At the back of her mind, hell fire arises, followed with outraged Inner Sakura.

"S… Sakura-chan! T… That… That was… a… a…"

The burst of flame escalates as Sakura's hair flared up and Inner Sakura's eyes shinning horribly yellow. **"You….. PERVERTED… BASTARD!"**

"That… THAT WAS AN ACCIDENT I SWEAR!"

Before Sakura could administers her punishment though, a hand grabs Naruto's shoulder, spins him around, and the next thing Naruto see, is the she-Haku's punch, coming straight to his head. "KONO SUKEBE YAROUUUU! (You Damned Pervert)"

The punch, much to his surprise, is awfully powerful, shooting him across the battered battlefield before he crash lands on a rock. Naruto slumps down. Suddenly a huge piece of boulder falls right on top of his head, rendering him unconscious soon after.

Jiraiya stared at the Yondaime look alike, then to the blushing girl, then to the gaping Sakura.

The poor girl crosses her arms in front of her chest. Her face is still bit red. Both in anger and embarrassment. She slumps on the ground soon after.

Sakura stares at her. "…Hey… are you… okay?"

The girl jerks up at that. "…You… You're… alive?"

Sakura nods.

"T… They… are also…"

Sakura nods again.

"…S… Sound?"

One female Chuunin shows the girl her Konoha Symbol on her forehead protector.

The 'she-Haku' sighs in relief before suddenly faints. Sakura immediately hold her. "…Chakra exhaustion. Nothing too serious."

"…What about that baka there?"

"Let that pervert maniac rot in there." Inner Sakura took control and answer the question.

"Well, I guess I'll take him to hospital then." Jiraiya walks towards the direction where Naruto was sent. Silently, he wrote everything that had happen in his god-forsaken note of Icha Icha Data Archive. 'Man… ain't this gonna sell… Let see, the fox boy unleashes the ice queen from her coffin. The queen, who hadn't had any sex for millennia, was in her sex frenzy and then etc, etc…' Jiraiya chuckling madly on the way, scaring everyone even Gaara and his siblings, whom he met on the way.

"Densetsu no Sannin Jiraiya… what are you doing?" Gaara look questioningly at the weird Sannin.

Jiraiya is in his own world now. '…the ice queen grabs the fox boy's hand, driving it to message one of her mounds. Her nipples are getting hard. And then etc… etc…'

The sand user is getting curious, finally, using his sand, he grabs Jiraiya's note away from the said Sannin's hands. "Hey!" Jiraiya tried to grab it back, but the Shukaku's host is using his sand to stop Jiraiya's movements. Then, after catching the note in his hands, the sand trio flocks together and starts reading the note out loud.

"…the ice queen is getting crazy, her cunt is wet. Her moans began to arise. The fox boy innocently continues to do what the ice queen had asked him to do. Suddenly the ice queen goes crazy. She pushes the fox boy to the frozen floor, tearing his and her clothes off with a burst from her sharp cold chakra. She grabs the fox-boy erect member and sucks it hard on her mouth. The fox boy doesn't understand but suddenly he feels so good and just goes on with the flow. What he didn't realize is that his female pink haired teammate is watching the whole scene from behind. The pink haired girl rubs her wet virgin pussy…"

At this point, Kankurou's face is bloody red. A small trickle of blood flows from his nose. Temari's face resemble that of the tomato, her arms is twitching to tear the god damn perverted note off, but at the same time, she was eager to see what's going to happen next. Gaara, on the other hand, read the note like reading a paperwork report in a steady, monotonous voice. No blush, no twitch, no… anything.

"…the ice queen saw the pink girl and smirks. Using her ice cold chakra, she creates a dildo from ice. The ice log start rubbing the pink girl, emulating her even further…"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Suddenly, a blade of wind came bursting out of nowhere and was heading straight at the paper in Gaara's hand before being stopped by Gaara's defense of Sand. The Sand trio turns their heads to the attacker. It was one angry Baki.

"Gaara, Temari, Kankurou! You three shouldn't read things like THAT!" Baki is red with fury and embarassment. He had heard partially on what his pupils had read in the last several minutes. Seeing Jiraiya frantically trying to move towards Gaara, and the pen on his hand, he can only concludes that the White haired man is a porn writer, and the owner of the said note that is in Gaara's hand.

"…Baki, why have you come just now? Where are the others?"

"I… I ran ahead of the others along with Chiyo-baa-sama and several dozen Jounin. The plan is we came as the first aid. The other should be arrived two days again."

"You're all late." Gaara simply stated. His eyes haven't left the (god-damn) note.

"Yes, I can see that." An old woman wearing brown clothes walks into the scene. Chiyo observes the surroundings. "…I guess we have to tell the incoming troops to bring building materials instead of weapons… Leaf needs that more than ever now…"

"Do that then." Gaara spoke again. His eyes didn't left the note, not even a second. Kankurou and Temari could only stare in horror at their 'innocent' (mentally) little brother.

"Gaara please DON'T READ that paper!" Baki yells.

"What's wrong with it? And why are you guys so late?"

"It appears that the Sound had attacked several small villages on the way. We have to help them." Chiyo answers in place of fuming Baki.

"Hmmm…" Gaara keep reading the note. Unfortunately, or fortunately for others, the note ended with: "…the pink haired girl rides on the Fox boy's 10 inches long hard member while having her head pressed on to the ice queen's cunt…" Gaara looks at the final note and then to Jiraiya. What he said next make all their jaw on the floor. "You got more? …what happen next?"

"AARRRRRGAGGHHH!" Baki rushes madly at Jiraiya.

"Wowowowwowo… easy buddy! Easy now!"

"What the hell is going on here?" Shizune appears.

"Ah! Shizune-chan! Lookie here, the sand is coming to help. I'm going to take Naruto to the hospital. The baka had worked himself to the point where he nearly fainted! Ja…"

"I grew tired of waiting for you so I woke up by myself thank you very much." Naruto suddenly appears. There's a huge bump on his head. He stumbles forward as he walks.

"Naruto."

"Yo, Gaara. You've… read that?"

"Yes. It seems Densetsu no Sannin Jiraiya made a story about you and that pink haired friend of yours. Though… I don't know about the ice queen part."

Naruto death glares the pervert Sannin. But smirk afterwards. 'Great. He make a Hentai out of me, Sakura, and that Haku look alike…' "…Gaara, give me the note."

Gaara give Naruto the note. Naruto read the content briefly. His face blush a moment 'God, why he had to be so talented in things like this…'

'But… what the hey, it's about me and Sakura-chan!' "…Just let me read it first once you've finished the book okay?" Naruto hands over the note back to Jiraiya.

"Still… you don't look too good." Shizune look at Naruto skeptically.

"Nah… I'm fine."

**NO. THAT FUSSY GIRL'S RIGHT. YOU'VE BEEN OVEREXERTING YOURSELF.**

'huh?'

**YOUR CHAKRA RESERVE IS NEVER BEEN LOWER. YOU MUST REST.**

'After I help the others.'

**NOW! N. O. W. NOW. AND I MEAN ON THE DOUBLE!**

Kyuusei's voice boomed all over his head, giving Naruto a little headache. "Okay, okay. Tune down a little, will you?"

"?" Everyone look incredulously at Naruto.

Naruto stares at Shizune. "…Shizune-san. I'll go to my apartment. I think there still some part of it that is still intact. I'll go sleep there."

"Oh no, you won't. That building is no more. I think it was destroyed completely during the 3rd or 4th barrage of Oto's artillery. There're hardly any intact buildings left in Konoha." Indeed. The village is in complete shamble. The hospital is crushed in the second wave of zombies. The surviving civilians must be taken to Hokage tower, who will serve as temporary shelter and hospital for the time being.

"WHAT? Oh no… there goes my Ramen…" Then suddenly, Naruto snaps. "W… Wait… the ICHIRAKU! WHAT HAPPEN TO THEM?"

Everyone sweat dropped.

"…Ichiraku Genji and Ayame are out of harm's way. Both of them are now responsible on providing the villagers with food. So don't ask them to make Ramen for you yet."

"Oh man…" Naruto stomach grumbles again.

"At least you still got my bet." Gaara states.

"Hmmm…" Naruto look around. 'I guess I can deal with that Haku-san-look-alike later.' "Oh well. Fine."

"BUT! Tsunade sama had instructed on placing you in a special room."

"? Naze-ta?"

"…most of the villagers don't know what exactly happen. But the stories of your extravagant show of summoning three Demon Fox had spread like wildfire amongst them. Right now, they're even more terrified than ever to see you. In fact, some of their fear had reached the point of hatred; they've been itching to put their arms on your neck. And the worst part of all… Naruto. They knew now. The whole village knew. And I mean everyone, even the children. The parents went against Tsunade-sama's order and tell the children nonetheless. So now, practically, the whole village knew about you and Kyuubi."

"…" Naruto frowns. He remembers the survivors (the ones riding on the fox) he had saved during the war. '…haven't I done enough? Just how much further must I struggle? …but… they have the right to fear me…'

Gaara look at Naruto. "…don't."

"?" Naruto's head jerks up. "What?"

"Don't… lose those eyes. Your eyes are always filled with determination and a will that never gives up. Don't lose it to some ungrateful scum that doesn't know how to thank you."

"…"

"…For a moment there…you look like that you're about to lose those eyes. Don't lose it. If you lose it, so goes your dream of becoming a Hokage. Forget what they've said. The only matter is you. When you helped them, you did that because you KNOW that it is the right thing to do. Never gives up… isn't that what you always showed us?"

"…" Naruto smiles. He looks at Gaara again. This time, his eyes look determined.

Gaara smiles lightly. "…there… that's more like it. Guard those eyes well, Uzumaki Naruto."

Naruto smiles. 'That's right. Think all the way you want suckers. I don't care. I'll be a Hokage for sure. I'll show you guys! Just you wait!' "Thanks. I'll consider your debt is done. Since you've helped me anyway…" Naruto's big smile fades a little. "Talk about debts… I still owe that slug granny 2 weeks lunch… Nee, Shizune-san, where's Baa-chan?"

Shizune's face gloomed. "…Tsunade-sama… she's incapacitated at the moment."

"Nani?"

"…Naruto, do you remember what happen to Lee-kun?"

"Ummm…"

"…he injures himself badly when he was fighting me during Chuunin Exam. Does it happen to the Godaime Hokage too?"

"Yes."

"Oh no… Well we HAVE a problem here. A really serious problem." Jiraiya scratch the back of his head.

"…How come?"

"…Tsunade-sama is the only one that can perform the surgery."

"Yeah so? So?" Naruto brag on.

"…" Everyone sweatdrops.

'…and we've been saved by this idiot.' Temari rub her head.

"…gaki, let me ask you one thing. Tsunade is the only person that can perform the required surgery to recover from the wound she's suffering right now. So, how is she supposed to heal herself if she's unable to do anything?"

"…Well, asks somebody to do it for her off course!" Naruto exclaims.

"…" More sweat drops.

'Truly moron.'

"But it is indeed a very dangerous situation for the Leafs, no? With your slug woman is defunct. It would be a perfect chance for other village to attack Konoha." Chiyo frowns.

"The relationship with other countries will be disrupted a little too…"

"…maybe I can ask some Sand to come here and provide protection to you guys… We can say that we put our forces here to train together with the Leafs…" The Sand elder rubs her chin.

Meanwhile, smoke began to arise on Naruto's head.

"…We've really caused you quite some trouble…" Shizune tilts her head.

"Nah… Leaf may rest assured that Sand understands its condition completely. After all, we owe Leaf big time."

"I'm not too worried… it is Iwagakure (Stone) and Kumogakure (Cloud) that I'm a bit worried about…" Jiraiya rubs his temple. "Yes. That's why I think I'll stay here for now, until we found a way."

"……." Naruto's eyes become unfocused. 'Darn it, what are they talking about? Anymore and I'll get brain damage for sure!' "Eerhh… See you guys!" The said blond dashes out of the view soon after. Meanwhile, at the back of his mind, Kyuusei slaps his head and contemplated that he too are going to teach the blond a thing or two about politics and logical senses.

----------------

"One thing that still make me curious is Kakashi's hidden power." The chain smoker Asuma is raising a burned wood log to check what's underneath.

"…I don't know… but I heard that Hatake clan had this… bloodline limit, it is said that all of them have a special white chakra."

"Well, whatever it is, we have to ask my eternal nemesis once he's awake." Gai punches some rubble out of the view.

The three are in the remnants of Konoha Trading district. While they're doing their job, they've been chattering about the recent event.

"But Naruto had pulled quite a show." Asuma raise a hunk of rock.

"Yup… He had become stronger ever since the Chuunin Exam. And keeps going stronger and stronger ever since. But… those jutsus he used… I don't recall Konoha… no, I don't recall human have that kind of Jutsus… I don't know about you guys but… I find it… quite… demonic." Kurenai kicks a twig.

"…Maybe Kyuubi?" Gai raises a singed log.

"…Quite a point… but why?"

"Honestly, Kyuubi's actions become more and more… peculiar." Kurenai stops for a moment before recapping everything Kyuubi had done. "…he had helped Naruto when fighting Neji and countless of life-staking battles; he saved his life when he's almost on the other side for… god knows how much… I understand if those actions are to save his own sorry ass… but to the point of teaching that child his Oni-jutsus?"

"…"

"…" Both male Jounin are also stop in their tracks now.

"…maybe… revenge?" Asuma tries to break the silence. Both look at the chain smoker. "…you know; Kyuubi had been imprisoned in Naruto's belly for 13 years… Maybe… he thinks that if he's damned to never see outside world again, he will use Naruto as the tool of his revenge?"

Both Jounin stiffen at this. Indeed, Asuma had a point…And if it's true, then the demon had indeed done its job perfectly. Naruto is practically the strongest Genin, if not Shinobi, in the Leaf.

"…Should we let the Hokage know about this?"

"…she's not stupid. I think she had assumed that also. You've heard haven't you? Those nasty councilors had once considered to put Naruto on solitary confinement. Tsunade was furious. But due to her current condition, after much persuasion, she can only make sure that Naruto will be put on special compartment, under the 'protection' of Anbu members, for a while." Gai speaks with low tone.

"…sheesh… look what happen to the supposedly hero of Konoha…" Asuma blow a smoke off his nose. That's when he notices something… or rather… someone. "Hng? Who's that?"

The remaining two look at Asuma's direction. They saw a girl, probably on her twenties, looking around confused and saddened at the same time. The girl has light brunette hair, and red rectangle marks on both of her cheeks.

"…Oi! Who are you? What are you doing there?"

The girl look startled before turn her head and look at the trio.

"Mmmm… Is this… Konoha?"

"…Yep. Though it may not look like it, it is Konoha. How can we help you?"

"…Oh dear… what had happened here?" The girl walks slowly towards the trio, attempting to get a better look of whom she's speaking with.

"…Sound attacked. We hit them back. That's all." Asuma answered quickly.

"…" The girl frowns a bit. "…do you guys know… Kakashi?"

The three look at each other… correction, only the two of them. Gai smirks. "…know him? He he he…" Gai disappears and reappears on the girl's back. The said girl didn't even winch. "…people call us, eternal rival." Gai gives his trademark smile.

The girl sigh after making a mental note that the person she's looking for is here, and that the guy behind her is half, if not 100 percent, terminally insane. "…can I see him?"

Kurenai look skeptically at the girl. "…who are you? What is your relationship with him?"

The girl contemplated on the answer for a moment, but gives it out nonetheless. "…I'm… his Ex-Teammate."

----------------

Meanwhile, in the Hokage Tower…

"So, how are you feelings?" Sakura watch over the Haku look-alike. The poor girl had slept throughout the afternoon, and now, it's already nightfall when she finally woke up.

"…better… I guess."

"Take your time. You're safe here."

"Thanks." The girl tilts her head down. She looks up on the window. Sakura also does the same. It's full moon tonight.

After a while, Sakura observes the girl before her. 'The more I look at her, the more she resembles Haku-san.'

The Haku-look-alike finally realizes that Sakura had been staring at her. "What? Something on my face?"

Sakura blinks. "Oh… err… no… it's just that… you… look like someone I know."

"Really, now?"

"Yeah. You two… I could say you two look like twins."

The Haku look alike blinked. "…you've met… Haku-nii-san?"

Sakura's jaw hung open.

----------------

Naruto doesn't know what the hell is going on. But vaguely, everything starts to sinks in. Here he was, sleeping soundly… after he was told that he may sleep peacefully on a private quarter on the top floor by the now-incapacitated Tsunade… well, not so soundly nor peacefully since Kyuusei trained him again as usual… until suddenly Kyuusei forcibly sent him back to his body, waking him up right that instant to saw a kunai heading straight to his head. He barely dodged the coming attack as it pierced his poor pillow and nicked a bit of his cheek. And now, he stands, face to face with his assailant.

"What the hell you think you're doing?"

"Konoha had enough of you demon child. I'll finish you off. Here and now!"

Naruto frowns at this. "I don't really give much of a shit of your hatred towards Kyuubi. Go on hate me if you like. But can you please just let me be? I won't give a damn about you, and you can hate me as much as you want. Just let me in peace will you?"

"SILENCE! A demon does not have any right to talk! Being a Hokage my ass! All you do is nothing but to bring misfortune to this village! First our remaining Uchiha is gone, and now this! I've lost my wife and children! I've had it with you!" With that the Shinobi charge at Naruto.

Not wanting to hurt his opponent, Naruto dash forward and tries to catch the assailant's arm. Much to his dismay, the assailant's fist meets him head on. Naruto stumbles backward. The Shinobi smirks before throwing a Kunai to Naruto's head. When Naruto tilt his head to the side, he saw a flash of fire on the speeding Kunai. That can only meant one thing…

Rushing towards the window, Naruto jumps out of the room, breaking the window with a shattering voice. The shinobi sees this and followed soon after. As the two shinobi rush downwards along with the falling glass fragments, the exploding note goes out.

A loud explosion shook the entire Hokage tower.

-----------------

"What was… that?" Jiraiya abruptly wakes up from his Icha Icha dream.

-----------------

"…I think it's coming from Naruto's room!" Sakura exclaims.

"That damned pervert?" The Haku look alike looks at the shaking ceiling.

-----------------

Back with Naruto…

Right now the said blond is trying his best to step on the walls of the Hokage tower. Alas, his assailant keeps throwing shuriken after shuriken at his legs. This, finally, piss the said blond to no end. "OKAY! YOU WANNA PLAY HARD, YOU GOT IT!"

Naruto caught a shuriken midair, before throwing it back at the thrower. The thrower only smirks as he prepared to catch it when suddenly;

"Ninpou: Shuriken Baika no Jutsu! (Shuriken Multi-size no Jutsu)

The tiny shuriken transformed in size about 50 times bigger than the previous size. The attacker is shocked to no end. He immediately latched himself on the wall before duck down to dodge the impeding Shuriken. The giant shuriken continues to make its way and stuck itself on the wall. The shinobi smirked before throwing a Fuuma Shuriken to counter attack the blond. The attack hit him full, causing his blood to splatter.

"Ha! Got you!" The Shinobi exclaims with a tone of triumph. His grin disappears as Naruto pop out of existence with a smoke.

"I wonder…" The shinobi turn his head to see smirking Naruto, standing on the wall, in the place where the giant Shuriken had been.

Before the Shinobi could do anything, Naruto dashes forward and give the Shinobi a full punch on his face. Much to his surprise, the Shinobi grabs his collar, and throw him downwards. Much to the Shinobi's surprise though, a flock of sand accumulates right underneath Naruto, and stop the blonde's fall.

"What the…" Suddenly, sand starts to gather around him.

"Gaara wait!" Naruto yells immediately.

The sand pauses for a moment. Another swirl of sand next to the Shinobi and the red haired Suna Nin appears.

"…!" The Shinobi look horror struck at the Sand Nin. Gaara glares at him back.

"Gaara." Naruto hop off the Sand cloud before stick himself to the wall. The said Suna Nin still glares at the Shinobi with killing intent evident on the atmosphere. "Gaara please. Stop. Let him go."

"…" The Shinobi is now terrified to no end. Naruto sighs. He dash forward and punch the terrified Nin on right on his nerve system, rendering him unconscious soon after.

Naruto catch the Nin before he falls. Gaara stare at him. "…why you save him? Why don't you just kill him?"

Naruto look at Gaara. "…in Leaf… we can't just kill people. Besides…" Naruto look at the person sadly. "He does have a reason to hate me."

"…That's not good enough. You didn't choose to be born with a monster sealed in your belly. This person just blaming you for something you don't do. How can you still let him live?"

"…That's not a good reason enough. He has lost all his loved ones. And we're just finished a battle a short while a go. He just can't… get over it yet." Naruto look at the surroundings. Asuma appears right behind him.

"Yo, what happened?" Naruto turn his head towards the chain smoker.

"Maa nee… This guy plays around with his own explosive tag and blows himself unconscious." Naruto give a big smile. Asuma could only sweat drops.

'What a lame excuse…' Asuma observes the situation. Naruto got tiny scar on his cheek which looks like that it almost gone and he had this bump on his forehead. He look at the unconscious Shinobi and then to Naruto and then to the glaring Gaara. Asuma nods in understanding. 'Poor boy… even after all you've done, people just won't let you rest peacefully…' "…Anyway, I'm taking him to the infirmary. Shizune is not gonna be happy about this… seriously."

Naruto sighs. "Okay." Naruto hands over the unconscious Nin to Asuma. "…I'm going to get some fresh air." With that, Naruto jump out. Gaara followed soon after.

-----------------

"What happened?"

"I think it's coming from the top floor!"

"What happened? Is the sound attacks again?"

"I don't know! Somebody send some Anbu to check it out!"

"Sound attack? Oh no!"

"Shut up damn it, I'm trying to think here!"

"QUIET!" The rambling on the base floor falls down in an instant as one Morino Ibiki yells. Soon after, Asuma drops down, carrying the Nin on his back. "Asuma? What happened?"

"This guy is trying to assassinate Naruto."

A deep chorus of "What?" arises from the crowd.

"Is that true?"

"Wasn't it the other way around?"

"Is that Demon child dead already?"

Ibiki silence them all by throwing a Kunai dangerously close to the last speaker's face. "Shut up. Or I'll make you."

Asuma frowns a bit. "…Naruto's fine. He's with Gaara of the Desert now. I think he tries to calm himself a bit."

"Okay… Everyone get back to the wherever shit hole you guys came from! THAT'S an ORDER!"

----------------

Naruto jumps from one ruin to another. Breathing deeply as if he never breathes properly before. After a while he calms down, and settles himself on ruins of a rooftop which has two massive fish ornament on it. (Remember the place where Gaara killed Dosu?) Naruto lay down on the head of the fish. Gaara lands a few meters from Naruto's left.

After a few moment of silence Gaara speaks. "…Naruto… why?"

"…?"

"…you wish to become a Hokage. As far as I concern, a Kage is a person that is being loved by its people. Why would you wish to become the Kage of the people who doesn't even acknowledge your existence?"

Naruto chuckles. "And you're the one who told to never give up a dream?"

"I'm not asking you to drop the idea… I just don't… understand your reasons."

"…I guess the biggest reason why I want to be a Hokage is so that everyone will acknowledge my existence… Although not now, maybe one day… they will see me the way I am. But for now… I'll settle down with my friends. They are the people who acknowledge me. And I acknowledge them as I will protect them with my life." 'And someday… maybe… this village as well.'

"…"

"…Gaara… you too… I see you're doing pretty well aren't you?"

"Thanks to you I guess."

"Ho. Well I'm flattered."

"…No. I owe you Naruto. Ever since my defeat… I've been… struggling. All this years of my life, I keep forcing myself to believe that I'm a killing machine. But ever since that, I've tried… to change. I ignore the roars of bloodlust from Shukaku… every time I fought; I tried my best to hold the raging thirst for blood boiling from this sand…" Gaara look at the gourd behind him.

"…and I try my best not kill anymore… well, unless I really have to. Like we did yesterday."

"Don't pity them. In fact, killing those zombies would do them a favor. At least now they can rest in peace."

"…yeah…"

The two go silent again for a moment. Both look at the sky, where the full moon shining brightly.

"…in times like this, I usually out for the blood."

"Hng?" Naruto look at Gaara. The red haired Shukaku's host frowns.

"…Shukaku is extremely bloodlust when it's full moon."

"Is it… gone crazy now?"

"Yeah… it sucks. Every time it's full moon, I have to go to kill something. Anything so that the bastard could just be quiet and give my mind a bit of a rest."

"…but you manage to hold him back there at the tower weren't you?"

"…yeah… but barely. You know? Shukaku still keep his grudge to you. Your blood is the blood he wishes to taste the most at the moment."

"Really now? I guess I have to compliment you."

"Hm? Why?"

"…if what you said is true, then dealing with him with me around is harder than suppressing his killing intent. I'm impressed that you can still talk to me normally like this. That means that you have become more of a human. Probably more than what you thought."

"…but I still kill… I can't be like you Naruto. I envy you. The love of killing had run deep in my veins… it kills me the fact that… killing has become necessity for me to stay sane."

"Then it means you hate killing somebody right? Good. You've definitely progressing Gaara. Love of kill runs deep in my veins-my ass. If you have that sick feeling, it means you are in fact, still only human. You have found someone who acknowledges you. Your siblings, your teacher (from what I can tell)… And that's good thing Gaara. It's just that… the shadows of our demons cover our human image from those suckers' sight." Naruto look at Gaara, who stares at him. "…Don't give up. Someday… Someday everyone will truly acknowledge our existence."

"…" Gaara smiles. "…you know… ever since you've defeated me… I've taken an interest with the Leafs folk…" Gaara count with his fingers. "First, that Lee kick the shit out of me… than that Uchiha Sasuke-teme stab me twice with that freakin' jutsu of his… and then you kicked my butt out of my misery… …I've been studying social relationship a little. One of them involve terms of social languages." Gaara quickly answers seeing Naruto's be dazzled look. It's not everyday you hear the silent cold blooded boy could talk… slang languages.

"…anyway… I also make sure that Sand reinstate Konoha as its allies. I've make sure they do. Those old geezers councilor can't refuse. Since we've already given Konoha quite a hassle anyway…"

"I see…" Naruto smiles. Gaara had really changed quite a lot.

"…I also wish… to be a Kazekage."

"?"

"As fire country has Hokage, I wish to be the Wind's Kazekage… replacing that bastard of a father."

"The irony… After all the things he put you through… I bet he's biting his fingers out in the afterlife if you become one."

"True… but that's not my reason… really."

"…so… why do you want to become a Kazekage?"

"Pretty much… inspired by you. During my old times, I feel that my existence will only be acknowledged if I kill. And thus, people of the Sand know me as… the killing machine."

"…And you wish to be a Kazekage… so that they will stop looking at you that way?"

"…yes… a Kage… is not only a person who is loved and respected by its people… but a person that can also share his feelings with its people. Love… Sadness… pain… hatred… and happiness. A Kage can share his feelings with its people as his people could share theirs with the Kage. To be bond and live together with the village…I wish to live a life like that… so that the people of the sand will not see me as a killing machine…"

Naruto look at Gaara, who are smiling.

"…but as a proud Sand Kazekage."

Both Demon child smiles brightly. "Yep. That's a spirit all right! I'm going to work harder too! So! So! Let's bet on it again Gaara! Who's going to get their dreams first! You become the Kazekage, or I become the Hokage!" Naruto motion a punch to Gaara.

Gaara gives a friendly grin. "Deal. What's the top bet?"

"Aren't you guys… a little too young to gamble?" A gentle voice coming from above them echoes.

Both shinobi immediately turn their heads to see a person wearing a straw shade hat. A Big blue dragon garmented on his swirling black cloak. His back faces the shining moon.

"W… Who are… you?"

**UNHOLY SHIT… **

"Kyuusei?"

**KUSO… OF ALL THINGS… OF ALL PEOPLE!**

Kira smiles beneath his hat. "…we meet again… Kyuusei-san. Shukaku-kun."

"Ugh…" Gaara drops on the floor, clutching his head.

"Ga…!" Naruto clutches his stomach. It's HOT! So hot that Naruto tears the lower part of his clothes to see the seal of Kyuubi burns red hot.

**DAMN IT… WE'RE SO DEAD…**

"K… Kyuu… Kyuusei…" Naruto's sweating all over.

"AARGHH… Shukaku! C… CALM DOWN!" The sands are swirling madly around Gaara.

"…" Kira flinched when he sees the eye bags on Gaara's eyes. 'So that's the host, eh… poor child.'

"Kyuusei… you… know this guy?"

**MORE THAN JUST KNOW… **

"What?"

"…Who… Who is he? Shukaku had never been this crazy…" Gaara look at Kira incredulously.

**HE'S… MY… NO HE'S A DEMON'S OPPOSITE.**

"Wha…?"

**ONE OF THE SHITENNOU (FOUR HEAVENLY KINGS) OF HEAVEN**…

"Shi… Shitennou?" Naruto look at Kira. His blue eyes flicker into red slit eyes while Gaara's eyes shifts into a devilish yellow for a brief second.

Kira smirks as his purple eyes also flashes into two different colors: a yellow dragon slit left eye and an azure blue right eye for a while. He bows down before replying:

"Kira Yamato no Seiryuu of the East at your service."

----------------

Holiday is close, and I have quite some free time up my sleeve. Therefore, the update is pretty dang fast.

As you've read, there is a little lemon on this story. That's why I put this story on M. I don't know if there will be any more lemon on this story so…just read and review.

Many of my friends pity the fact that Haku is a guy. A poll was run once, and most of my friends said that: "IF only Haku is a girl, he/she is the most beautiful Genin or Chuunin in Naruto world… with Hinata on the second place with small margin that is." SO! Since I can't revive a dead person again, I make an OC instead: Haku's **female** twin sister. But… I kind of short on names… any help guys?

Oh, and a little teaser won't hurt :)

Next chap:

Kira Vs Gaara and Naruto


	9. Tanuki, Kitsune, Ryuu

Rewritten! Please read and review!

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": in Naruto's case, him in berserker mode. However, I will use this format for other purpose when it's necessary.**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA: Kyuubi demon form speech**

Disclaimer: I'm bored of repeating the same thing again and again so… Read the first 5 chapters

**Chapter 9:**

**The Tanuki, the Kitsune, and the Ryuu**

"Kira Yamato no Seiryuu of the East, at your service." Kira bowed down a little.

Naruto and Gaara stared at the cloaked person.

'Who the hell… even Kyuubi was this terrified?'

"Calm… down… CALM DOWN!" Gaara grabbed his head even tighter.

"Phew…its cold tonight isn't it?" Kira spoke calmly under his hat that reveals a bit of both of his eyes, seemingly oblivious with the situation.

"…what… what do you want?"

"Not much. I just want to see you two. That's all."

"What?"

"…well… to see all **four **of you. To be exact."

Naruto looked bewildered. Kira sighed.

"Uzumaki Naruto and Kyuusei, Gaara and Shukaku. Ninetails… and Onetail…"

"That didn't answer my question."

"Well I did. I've answered. And you heard what you've heard."

"That doesn't make sense." Naruto went to battle stance.

"Ease… I don't intend to create any ruckus. If everything goes well, there'll be no broken bone or any bloodshed tonight. I just want to talk."

"About what?"

"…first off… do you know how to calm him down?" Kira looked sympathetically at the kneeling Gaara.

Naruto looked at the Sand User. The sand was still swirling uncontrollably around him. "Hei… Gaara… calm down…" Naruto took a step forward. The sand shot out and headed straight at Naruto. "Whoa!" Naruto immediately jumped up, and landed a few meters away from Gaara.

"A… AAARGH! I'm… I'M… I'M!"

'Poor child.' Kira disappeared and reappeared right on Gaara's back, right inside the Sand swirl. The Sand turned into razor sharp spikes and headed straight at Kira. The latter just stand still. Blood covered the Sand as the spikes make its way through Kira's body.

"! Ossan!" Naruto yelled. Much to his surprise though, the sand calmed down soon after. Then, Kira popped out into smoke.

'! Bunshin?'

"Yep."

Naruto turned his head almost instantly to see the said person standing right where he had been. He looked perfectly fine. Not even a scratch. Naruto gaped as Gaara started to rise, still clutching his head, but much calmer now that Shukaku had been cooled down.

"Now… like I've said. I've come to talk to you guys. Naruto, Gaara… both of you… you two have the power of two great Demons. You DO know that right?"

"…Yes." Both answered in unison.

"Right… Uzumaki Naruto, I assumed that Kyuusei had told you about me, yes?"

"…He called you… hi… Shitennou…or something."

"Correct. Well no wonder he knows anyway… we're old buddies, right Kyuusei?"

**KIT LET ME SPEAK!**

"Kyuusei want to…" Before Naruto could even finishes, Kyuusei's words flows to his head, forcing him to stop. "Oi oi! Easy now! Sheesh… anyway… **What do you want Kira?"**

"You're not really in the mood are you?"

"**Stop your blabbering. It's really not like you to prolong a conversation."**

"Alright… alright… Kyuusei no Kyuubi. You are in direct violation of the rules of Heaven and Earth. As the ruler of Makai, you're supposed to know this better than anyone… no?"

"Violation? What are you talking about?"

**I'll explain later. "I have reasons okay? Reasons that I don't want to open… yet!"**

"Why?"

"**Because I have questions… questions that need to be answered… so many questions."**

"Which is…?"

"**Not yet Kira… NOT yet."**

"Fine… fine… but you know what's waiting for you right?"

"**If you're talking about the violation of using Youki in mortal realm, I have reason! There're thousands of zombies out there and…"**

"I'm not here to talk about _that_ violation of the use of Youki… since I did… bend… that rule…"

**Almost every time. **A voice echoes from Kira's mind.

"Glad you can join us, Seiki." Kira talks again.

"Seiki?" Naruto looks at the person before him. **"Seiki no Seiryuu… nice to see you, teme."**

Kira's left eye transformed into yellow dragon slit, as his voice turns into a deep sound filled with dignity in every word. **"Nice to see you too, Kyuusei-teme. And don't forget little Shukaku-kun too."**

"Little?" Gaara looked at Kira menacingly.

"Don't you know?" Kira stated calmly. "…Ichibi Shukaku is the youngest one amongst the ranks of 9 Youma'ou (Demon Kings)."

"And the most bloodlust one…" Gaara grunted.

'Hmm… that's… weird… Shukaku is usually VERY calm… might we should check that later…' Kira rubbed his chin. "…Now, back to the main topic. What I'm talking about is, well, to be more exact, is not your recent use of Youki in this war… I'm talking about your battle in the Valley of the end. The level of Youki you're showing surpassed the limit of Youki usage in human realm."

"**Ask this Gizmo here… and thanks to his friend too." **"Hei!"

"…Naruto? Care to tell me the tale?"

Naruto looked at Kira skeptically and then back to his stomach, as if asking for direction. Kyuusei's voice boomed on his head, giving him encouragement.

**LOOK. I KNOW THERE ARE SOME THINGS HERE THAT ARE VERY CONFUSING FOR YOU. I PROMISED I'LL EXPLAIN LATER. FOR NOW, DO EXACTLY WHAT HE ASKED YOU. AND DON'T LIE, BECAUSE HE'LL FINDS OUT IN AN INSTANT. GO ON.**

"…okay." Naruto began his tale regarding to his last mission of rescuing Sasuke. After a good long 20 minutes, the story ended with: "…a Sound came, and he grabbed Sasuke away. Leaving me wounded and half dead."

Kira nodded thoughtfully. "I see… Curse Seal, huh… I've heard from Hyuuga Neji a thing or two about that mission… hmm…"

"…**why do you use the Youki?" **Seiki spoke up.

"…at that time, Sasuke out bested me. I was determined to bring him back, with any means necessary. So when Kyuusei offered me his Youki… I accepted it without much of a thought."

"…**then why you gave him THAT amount of Youki, Kyuusei?"**

"I asked it! He did told me that it might kill me… but at that time, I was so pissed to the point that I want to kill Sasuke so that he will never go to Orochimaru. I… I didn't know it was forbidden…"

"…"

"Seiki, Naruto's saying the truth. After all, doesn't know anything about the rules to begin with."

"…**then why don't you tell him, Kyuusei?"**

"**Because… I don't think he's ready yet. Nor would I ever think that I would use my power to such extent against a mortal… so…"**

"…**I see… but you better tell him later, Kyuusei."**

"…**You're saying… I'm clear of charges?"**

"Not quite. You still got the case on the table. We just… postponed it for… more examination."

"**Meaning?"**

"…I'm going to keep an eye on you. But first, let me talk with Naruto would ya?"

"……what's up?"

"Gaara… Naruto… you two have become a Jinchuriki ever since you're born, yes? Now… during those years of your life, have your youma show any signs of trying to break free?"

"Yeah… once." Naruto answers.

"Once?" Kira rolled his right eye while the bright yellow eye glared straight at Naruto. **"How did it happen?"**

"Well… it happens during my first time trying to gain access to Kyuusei's Chakra." Kyuusei yelled: **In another word, he's blackmailing me!**

Naruto ignored Kyuusei's message and kept on: "That was scary… he was trying to EAT me!" Now, Naruto play like a scared little child. 'Ha ha ha… payback time, Stupid fox!'

"Naruto… this is not a payback time… care to tell us the truth? Or should I find out myself?" Kira smiled underneath his attire. 'At least I know that both of them gone quite along together.'

'Holy… is this guy a mind reader?' "But that's the truth!"

"…okay, he's not lying. Apparently the seal had protected him, so no problemo."

"How do you know?" Naruto blinked.

"**You're still alive." **Seiryuu replied.

"How bout you, Gaara? Does Shukaku ever try to break free?"

"…no. Unfortunately."

"…Unfortunately?" Kira looked at the Red haired child, while Seiki's dragon eye softened in pity.

"…he… he never tried to break free… because he wishes to torment me here… Every night I tried to sleep, he came and tortured me with dreams… he never wants me to sleep peacefully…"

'What a truly pitiable child…' Kira looked at Gaara. "Right. So, in your life, how many times you've used your Youma's power… in battle or life or… whatever you do."

"…I only use it… in battle." Naruto remembered his previous battles.

"…I use it… a little… all the time… but I've been trying not to be dependant on it…" Gaara simply stated.

Kira rubbed his chin underneath his attire again. "I see… Still… things like that are pretty… dangerous. Know what I mean?"

"So what's the point?"

"How much control you guys have on your demon's power? Don't answer now. Meet me tomorrow at the place where Ichiraku Ramen had been. Show me… how much reign you guys have over the Youki."

"You want to… test us?" Gaara looked incredulously at Kira. He can't be thinking what he thinks he's thinking… right?

"In another word… show me… how strong you are. Ja ne."

With that, Kira dissipated to thin air, leaving the shocked Naruto and Gaara.

-----------------

Meanwhile, not far away from the place, Kira reappeared.

"…Jiraiya-kun, Hiashi-kun. You two can show yourself." Kira spoke calmly. Then slowly, two figures appeared on Kira's back.

"When I heard from Hiashi about you return to Konoha I couldn't believe it until today." Jiraiya walked in. "Good to see you again, Kira-ossan."

Kira turned his head and gave his old friend a friendly hug. After they break up, Kira observed the Sannin. "…Look at you… you've grown… heck… you're even taller than I am."

"Probably stronger too."

"You wish. So, what brings you here?" Kira moved backwards a bit and saw Hiashi. "Hiashi-kun. I bet you know who I am after what happened to your nephew, yes?"

"After that story from Neji, I opened all the old history book of Konoha. There is only one man that can do a Blue Kaiten WITHOUT a Byakuugan. And that person is you, Kira-sama."

"I see… How is he now?"

"He's fine. Thank you very much for saving him. What I did not expect is… that both of you had known each other… seeing how… distant, your generations are, Kira-sama, Jiraiya-sama." Hiashi bowed his head deeply.

"Please. Can the formalities. You make me sound so old here." **HE'S RIGHT. YOU ARE OLD.**

"Off course I know him Hiashi. We make contact often… though not directly." Jiraiya smirked.

"What do you…"

"I'm Jiraiya's informants. Every time he needs some info, I'm the one who gathered it for him. I'm the source of his Information Network." Kira replied calmly.

"Oh… I see."

"Well, I was planning to have a drink or two with you… but since I remember now that you don't drink… I'll skip that. You've met Naruto, haven't you?"

"Yes I am. Naruto has made quite a relationship with his Youma. That's good actually. It'll be a lot harder for other party to take it away from him."

"You're talking about Akatsuki?"

"Yep. We the Shitennou are also on the move regarding to this matter."

"Looks like the problem just keep coming and coming. We got a missing Uchiha here… and a group of Demon Hunting Shinobi whose goals are still unknown."

"Hmm… well…oh? Torii!"

"Huh?" Everyone looked up to see a green parakeet. Kira raised his hand as the bird land on Kira's palm. The bird started chirping. Kira nodded a few times before replying. "Okay. Good job Torii. Tell Athrun to prepare himself to leave. I'll inform him to where soon. Just tell him to stand by, and keep reporting to whatever happens. Thank you. Off you go again now."

Everyone looked at Kira as he released the bird back to the black sky. Kira turned his head towards the two. "Good news, Jiraiya-kun. Apparently, the Akatsuki won't be able to act for the next… 3 or 4 years or so. And, Orochimaru won't be able to move to another body for the next… 3 years. But you DO know that one do you?"

"Actually, I was just beginning my research on that. I can only speculate that Orochimaru will need time… I still don't know for how long but… that saves a good deal of time. Thanks Kira-ossan."

"Glad I can help." Kira tapped his hat lightly.

"Anyway… I kind of overheard your conversation. Mind explaining why you wish to do such feat?"

"Yes. They've lived with their Demons for 13 years or so, using their powers without knowing the rules and the regulation that has been set. I need to know how far they can control the power of those Demons, than I can make further decisions. It's more of a… a test to the Jinchuriki. It's also to see whether there is any threat that they might pose to the village. Not that I don't trust them, but I see back there, there's one Jinchuriki that suffered quite a lot under the torture of his demon. I want to know, how far the demon had affected him. So that I MIGHT be able to help him."

"I see…" Both men nodded in agreement.

"Okay… By the way… where's…Tsunade-chan?"

Jiraiya frowned at that. "Tsunade… she's… wounded pretty bad."

"After effect of Ura-Renge?"

"Yep."

"Poor thing… I'll see what I can do… Anyway… just send her my regards okay? And about Naruto, that poor kid doesn't have any place to sleep tonight. Try to arrange something for him okay? See ya." Kira disappeared once again.

The two stare at empty air…

----------------

Back to Naruto and Gaara…

"Okay Kyuusei, spill it out. We still don't understand a thing here."

"…**in this world, there are three worlds: Ningen Kai (Human Realm), Jouten Kai (Heavenly realm), and Ma Kai (Demon Realm). Ningen Kai is the place where you humans live. Jouten Kai and Ma Kai is a place where beings like me and Kira live. Caught the picture?"**

"You're saying there are two more planets out there?"

"**NO! Jouten Kai and Ma Kai exist in the same planet here on earth. It's just existed in another dimension that's all. Anyway, in the Jouten kai, there are 4 powerful entities called ShuShin (4 Gods): Seiryuu (Blue Dragon) of the East, Shuzaku (Red Phoenix) of the West, Genbu (Black Turtle) of the North, and Byakko (White Tiger) of the South." **

"Okay. Got the message. Go on."

"**As there are 4 gods in the Jouten Realm, there are 9 Youma-Ou in Ma Kai. Often called the Tails Clan. There are 9 in total regarding to their tails: Shukaku the One tail Raccoon, Shineko the Two tails Cat, Garou the Three tails Hound, Shion the Four tails Lion, Sarugo the Five tails Ape, Amurui the Six tails Bear, Sumikiru the Seven tails Wolf, Orochi the Eight tails Eight head Snake, and myself."**

"Who is this… Kira?"

"**The Shushin have… how do you explain it… 4 agents, one for each, which is called the Shitennou. Kira is Seiryuu's agent in our human world. Whenever something...inhuman happens in the Ningen-Kai, he, along with the other 3, will be the ones in charge of dealing with it."**

"But if he's a god, why Seiryuu don't do it by himself?"

"**Finally, a very intelligent question. Some rule does not allow us, Demons or Gods to enter human world freely… unless we were summoned by the human themselves. Off course, some higher level Demons such as me could …breakthrough; or more commonly refer as 'Crossover'; to the human world easily. But normally, we don't want any trouble. So, we usually tell them if we wish to leave to the human world. Consequently, we got a stack of rules on our ass that must be followed." **

"One of such… is the use of Youki he's talking about?"

"**Correct. We can use a bit of it, as long as it doesn't surpass the average rate of Human Chakra capacity. Even IF we have to do it, we shouldn't use it against humans. In the battle against that friend of yours and the war against the Sound… we've trespass the limit quite much. Luckily Zombies doesn't count as Human but…"**

"I know, I know… We did use the Youki pretty much. But why did you freak out that way?"

"**I already know that one of the Shitennou will come after me. When a Demon crossover without permission or if they're breaking the rule, those Shitennou will be hot on their tails. And it is the Shitennou's job to kick their sorry ass back to any shit hole they came from. Why I freak out, is because the one that is being sent, Kira Yamato, is the most powerful one amongst the four. And I'm not properly prepared to welcome him, due to our current condition, in case if he wishes to battle."**

"That guy… is even more powerful than you?" Gaara looked disbelievingly at Naruto's stomach.

"**No. If anything, both Seiryuu and I are equal in terms of strength and wits. But if we DID battle back there, chances are: 99,98 percent we're going to lose."**

"So… tomorrow's battle will be a lost cause?"

"**Not to worry, we're both unlucky and lucky that Kira's the one who came. He always thinks coolly, and has a little tendency to bend the rules. He never tries to kill his enemies. If it's others, it'll be a bit harder to deal with."**

"Kyuusei. I've been living with Shukaku for my whole life, as you have been living with Naruto for his whole life. How come that they can notice your Youki but didn't notice Shukaku's? And I've been using Shukaku's Youki all the time…"

"**That's because, Shukaku is one of the Demons who have a small amount of Youki, that is, when you compare them with Youma'ou's average Youki level. I say his amount of Chakra is a few notch above a summoned creature's power. Also, for some unknown reason, the Shitennou and I lost contact with the traces of Shukaku's Youki, until now. And I also wish to find out why. That's… one of my questions that needs to be answered."**

Naruto looked at Gaara. Even in his mind, he can feel that Kyuusei is also glaring at the Sand User.

-----------------

The next morning…

"Maa… what a mess…" Kira lifted a wooden stick from the rubble. "And I haven't even opened it yet."

Now, the Seiryuu Shitennou was trudging through the remnants of the Konoha Trading district, or what's left of his poor workshop, to be exact.

"…ossan?"

"Hmm?" Kira turn his head to see Neji and Tenten. "Oh, Neji-san, Tenten-san! I plan to treat you guys some tea… but… I think those zombies blew up my workshop."

"Yes we can see that… And you haven't even opened it yet…"

Kira chuckles. "How true…"

"Uhhh… Ano… thanks for helping us back there." Tenten started.

"No problem." Kira threw the stick away.

"Still… Those jutsu you perform yesterday… that's not a Konoha's jutsu. No offense, but now I'm really curious on who you really are." 'And if he still doesn't want to answer…' Neji inwardly thought.

"Ku ku ku… you will not let me go until I answer all your questions?"

"! How did you…"

"Know? Know because I could, know because I should." Kira laughed.

"…Well… still…" Tenten gapes.

"If you want to know, ask your uncle. He knows. Or, if you REALLY curious… follow me." Kira start to walk.

Neji inwardly yelled. 'My uncle knows?'

The three walked slowly for a moment. After a short while, they reached another pile of ruins. Stood on the ruins, were Naruto and Gaara. Naruto still wear his clothes given by the Hospital. But now, there are Kunai pouch on his left thigh, Shuriken Holster on his right waist, and two foldable fuuma Shuriken on Naruto's back. It looks as if he's preparing for a battle.

"Hai there, Naruto-kun, Gaara-kun." Kira wave his arm calmly.

"Naruto? Gaara? What are you guys doing here?"

"We're here on his… invitation." Gaara motion his head towards Kira.

Kira chuckled. "Invitation huh… ain't that the truth… how do you guys know this is the place where Ichiraku previously stand?"

Naruto pointed a building next to him with his thumb. The three look at the direction. It's a huge ruin of an apartment. "That was my apartment. It's close to Ichiraku so I knew that it supposed to be around here… Anyway… when we'll start?"

"Patience. Follow me." Kira motioned them to follow him, and follow him they did.

"Okay… now we can begin." Kira shifted a bit of his cloak to reveal a dark blue Gauntlet on his right arm. "I don't know if this too much ask but… try to fight WITHOUT the Youki first could you?"

The two stared questioningly at the cloaked figure.

"I want see how strong… the human part of you."

"Heh… as you wish." Naruto get to his fighting stance while Gaara simply stand still.

"Come on." Kira smiled.

"IKUSEEE!" Naruto roared.

'Ura Satori, Kami no Angouka!' Kira's eyes transformed from the normal purple eyes into a yin and yang symbol with a pentagram in it. Meanwhile his opponent didn't seem to realize what had happened as they continued to charge forward. The same goes for the spectators as well.

With a snap, before Naruto could even blink, a Fuuma Shuriken went through his face. The Shuriken split his head open, as the Naruto pops into a split log soon after. Meanwhile the Fuuma Shuriken continues to make its way towards Gaara, not showing any sign of slowing down. The Shukaku host immediately concentrated a few layers of sand walls into one. The Shuriken stops when 3/4 of it had sunk on the sand wall. Kira made a single handseal, and the next second, the Shuriken exploded, taking out the walls.

Kira smiled seeing the mountains of smoke. That's when the ground behind him suddenly cracked open and about a dozen Naruto threw a hurl of Fuuma Shuriken towards the figure. Kira turn his head towards the coming Shuriken. He jumped up, stepping on one of the Shuriken, before disappeared. By the time the clones looked up in search for the enemy, they were turned to smoke soon after by the time Kira suddenly reappeared and landed right in front of them, wielding a small Kunai.

'Suna Shigure!' A swarm of sand bullets shot out from the smoke. Kira smirked. The Kunai was replaced with another fuuma Shuriken in an instant, before he spin it at top right in front of him, shielding him from the rain of Sand drizzle. After the rain of sand stopped, Kira threw the Shuriken to his side which made a curve on the air, taking out another dozen of Naruto clones who just resurface.

Meanwhile, the spectators, the Genins in particular, are gawking at the scene.

"What… the… hell?" Neji gaped at the velocity Kira showing.

"Such… speed…" Tenten rubbed her eyes several times.

"Oi! Naruto! Stop playing around with Bunshin, you're here right?" Kira exclaimed.

"As you wish." 5 Naruto came charging towards Kira only to be turned into another cloud of smoke. The smoke enveloped Kira. Kira smirked.

"Honestly you need to be more creative…" Kira saw another hurl of sand javelins heading towards him. He simply dodged the lances calmly. "Not good enough Gaara." The Javelin just keep coming and coming. When Kira dodged another Javelin though, the spear transform into at least 10 Naruto.

Soon, all other sand spears also transformed into hordes of Naruto. "You…!" The storm of Naruto clones immediately covered Kira's body. "Hah! Got you!"

"Got **you**. Kage Bunshin: Rai!" The Bunshin in the cocoon of Naruto clones exploded, shooting bolts of lightning to every direction, taking out all the clones and the sand spears, blasting off the smoke away from the view. Finally, the real Naruto got thrown backwards, and landed right in front of Gaara. Both of them looked incredulously at the real Kira as he appeared amidst the smoke. "Not bad… Not bad at all…" the Dragon Shitennou chuckled.

"Sheesh… all that… and he could still chuckles?" Naruto was gawking.

"Well, this time… I'll start." Another Fuuma Shuriken appeared instantaneously on Kira's hand. Without further ado, he threw it with extreme velocity.

"Che." Gaara created a thick shield of sand to guard against the impact.

"Not good enough." 'Ninpou: Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!' The Fuuma Shuriken multiplied to 2, then to 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, and a few moments later: thousands of Shuriken.

Gaara smirked. "Useless." Meanwhile, Naruto prepared something.

Kira chuckled. "Like I'm done with it… Ninpou: Shuriken Baika no Jutsu! (Shuriken Multisize no jutsu)" Several dozens of the Fuuma Shuriken suddenly become 30 times bigger than usual. Much to Gaara's surprise, the hordes of the oversized Shuriken pierced their way through the walls and shred him to pieces.

All the sudden, the bloody pile turned to smoke.

'Naruto. What a clever bastard. He purposely put a Bunshin, disguised as Gaara on the line, while the real Gaara is somewhere else, controlling the Sand and make it as if it's the real Gaara.' Kira smirked. "I see. You know that the chance of your victory today is less then 1 percents… yet you come prepared… I'm impressed."

Naruto frowned.

"Still… like Sandaime Sarutobi-san had said: It ain't over until it's over." Kira chuckled. At that, the ground suddenly fell apart, much to Kira's surprise, and hundreds of Naruto rushed forward.

"Oraaa!" The first line was immediately turned to dust as Kira gave a 360 degree arc, slashing a Kunai through the clones head. Yet they still keep coming and coming. Kira grunted a bit before he jumped out of the pit.

"Gaara! Now!" All the sudden, hundreds of huge Sand spikes burst out from the ground. And before Kira could think of anything, he felt someone on his back. He turned around to see a few hundreds of Naruto came crashing towards him.

"This works against Gaara and Sasuke, and it will work again! Shihou Hapou Shuriken no Maki!" In unison, all Naruto throws a barrage of Shuriken, Fuuma Shuriken, Kunai and alike towards Kira. The giant sand spikes beneath him suddenly open up like blooming flowers, and shoot out another swarm of Sand Spikes and Shuriken. The remaining Naruto clones on the ground also threw all weaponry they have.

A storm of Kunai and Shuriken from above and another storm of Sand shuriken and spears from below. Kira was completely surrounded. Yet with all that, he's still smiling. "Okay." He closed his eyes before spinning at top.

"That's!" Neji's eyes widen.

"Hakkesho: Kaiten!" A big blue dome of chakra appears, turning all the weapons that are heading towards Kira to smithereens.

Both Naruto and Gaara's eyes widen in shock. The swirling blue sphere keep growing and growing at the fast rate, taking out all Naruto clones and the sand spikes in vicinity. The Bright blue Kaiten's spin was so ferocious that it caused a strong gust of wind around the area.

"What kind of Kaiten is that?" the Hyuuga spectator covered his eyes.

After the spin ended, everyone's jaw hung open. A crack… no a 5 feet deep crater was on the ground where the Kaiten had been. Both Naruto and Gaara were lying face down on the edge of the crater, while Kira was standing, midair, at the center of the crater.

"Urgh…" Naruto mumbled.

"What… was that?" Gaara grunted.

Both tried their best to stand up.

"Come on… this isn't your limit yet! Show me the deepest part of your pool of strength!" Kira exclaimed.

"Grrh… Can we not at least land a punch on him?" Naruto growled.

**I'VE TOLD YOU TO DROP THAT IDEA! THE DIFFERENCE OF STRENGHT BETWEEN YOU AND HIM IS LIKE HEAVEN AND EARTH! YOU'VE BEEN USING KAGE BUNSHIN, TIME AND AGAIN. THANKS TO ALL THOSE TRAINING AND YOUR NEW INNER COIL SYSTEM, YOU DON'T LOSE STAMINA TOO SOON. BUT LOOK AT HIM! HE ONLY USED HIS RIGHT ARM SO FAR TO COUNTER ALL YOUR ATTACKS! HECK, HE HASN'T EVEN START USING 10 PERCENT OF HIS TRUE STRENGTH YET!**

"Indeed… he is very powerful… no wonder Shukaku freak out…"

"I know… but it doesn't mean I'm going to give up that easily!" Naruto start making several handseals lightning fast. "Jigoku Katon: Kitsune Endan!" Naruto's palm generated the Hellfire before he threw a fireball at Kira. The blood red fireball turned into a fox head mid way.

"Oh? We revert to Ninjutsu now?" Then, without any handseal whatsoever, Kira shove his arm forward 'Suiton, Suiryuu Arashi.' A ferocious swirling water dragon burst out from Kira's palm and met up with Naruto's attack, canceling each other out with an explosion. The blast shook the grounds. From the smoke of the explosion, Naruto suddenly appeared, a Fuuma Shuriken in hand.

"Ryu Sabaku Ryuu! (Flowing Desert Dragon)" At the same time, an enormous wave of sand arises from behind Gaara and headed straight at the two.

Meanwhile, Naruto threw his Shuriken towards Kira which missed horribly. Kira stared at the incoming sand wave. He smirked as he prepared to jump out of the way… when suddenly… "Ninpou: Shuriken Baika no Jutsu!" A voice sounded behind him. Kira turn his head slightly to see that the Shuriken had transformed to another Naruto. The clone threw another Shuriken… which has grown in size to 50 times the size of the original ones.

"Suna Shuraajou!" (Sand Carnage) Gaara yelled again. Kira turned his head to see the Sand Wave had changed shape. Now, in addition to the gargantuan sand wave, there were long spikes, jagged claws, and jaws with razor sharp fangs protruding from it.

"Well… you're forgetting one exit route…" Kira turned towards the coming Shuriken. He stepped on it and jumped up. Before he could even go far from the coming Sand storm though, one Naruto suddenly appeared from the Sand.

"Got you. Jigoku Katon, Kitsune Endan!" Naruto shot the Endan at point blank range at Kira.

'What the…' Caught off guard, Kira used his gauntlet to guard against the incoming attack. It hit him full. The explosion sent him back to the ground, where the sand waves were already close. "Great." He bit his finger and slammed it to the ground. 'Kuchiyose: Ten no Rairyuumon! (Thunder Dragon Gate of Heaven)' A majestic circular gate with ornaments of two giant blue dragons on each side suddenly appears right in front of Kira. Electricity filled every inch of the gate. The current intensified as the two dragons began to spin around the circular gate and the next second, it turns into a huge wall of swirling lightning. The barrier blocks all the Sand, much to Gaara's disbeliefs. After a short while, the sand wave stopped, revealing a perfectly unscratched Kira. "Phew… what a ferocious combination attack… if it's other person that attack would surely succeed."

"Shi… Shimata…" Gaara slumped down. Sweating all over. This was it. This was his limit. Anymore and he had to rely on Shukaku's Youki.

Naruto however, was still standing. However, beads of sweat had already appeared. Performing Kyuusei's Oni-Jutsu without the aid of his Youki was quite exhausting. Thanks to his new inner coil, the chakra usage rate can be suppressed to the maximum efficiency. But it still tires the hell out of him a bit nonetheless.

Kira observed this situation as he rubbed his chin. "…I see… now I know your limits… Gaara… you've been depending too much on Shukaku's Youki and the sand you're using. At such, you don't have any other elemental jutsu that you can use to support your attacks… Your absolute defense of sand system is worthy of a praise… but when you face people who can penetrate that defense, you're dead meat. Also, despite all that jutsu, your stamina level is relatively low, since Shukaku had been feeding you his. Naruto. Your case is a lot better than Gaara. You have all the required jutsu that you can use to support your combat capabilities, and the stamina to do so. The way you're using them are also pretty interesting… but now, you begin to be dependant Kyuusei's Youki. You might wish to change that…"

Meanwhile, despite all the commotion caused, none realized that there was a great battle took place. Neji also realized this. That there is nothing in place… aside from them. 'What is this… why is it so…quiet all the sudden?'

"…could you please tell me again the point of this… sparring?" Naruto gritted his teeth.

"…to test how much control you have on yourself… and how much Youki can you handle."

"…okay. In that case…" Naruto looked at the panting Gaara again. "…can we use it now?"

"…it's all up to you really… like I've said, the first phase of this test is to see how strong the real you."

"I don't really need it yet… really." Naruto glared at Kira. He's not going to give up now.

"…A word of advice: Pride is the mother of all defeat."

"…Ninpou: Taiyuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" about a thousand of Naruto filled the field. "Before I start using Kyuusei's Youki, I want to punch you at least once!" the army of clones charge at Kira. "I GIVE YOU MY WORD ON THAT!"

"Whatever…" Kira chuckled.

Naruto curses. "ORAAAAAA!"

A set of shuriken appears in between Kira's fingers. He threw it towards the incoming Naruto. Several lines of Naruto clones disappeared in a puff of smoke. 'Humph… more!' "Kage Bunshin no jutsu!" One Naruto divided into 10 more Naruto. Then another Naruto did the same, and another, and another. Each time Kira destroy a set of Bunshins, even more and more appeared to take their place.

"Baka! What the hell is that imbecile's thinking? The more he creates a Bunshin; his chakra will be divided even more!" Tenten yelled.

"…calm down." Neji looked at the hordes and hordes of Naruto. "…he may not look like it but… he's not that stupid… you might think I'm think I'm joking… but…I think he's planning something again. Ask the master prankster to come up with something completely unpredictable…"

'Hmm… he's planning something…' Kira inwardly thought as he finished another horde of Bunshin with a swing of his Kunai.

'Just one more push…' 10 more Naruto clones multiplied to 100 and charged at Kira. "Now!" The ground around Kira cracked up as dozens of pairs of hands appears and nail him on his place. 'What the…' Before Kira could shook his surprise, the whole Naruto army drops down on him like pouring rain, squeezing him under. Soon, a mountain of Naruto clones could be seen soon.

"I see. But after all the things I've showed you, you didn't really think this is going to work do you?" Kira, despite the fact that he was completely squeezed under the mountains of Naruto, still able too chuckle.

"You know, for a second there… yeah, I kindly did." One Naruto smirked.

"Oh well… I guess I have to put 'putting more variation on the use of your jutsu' on the list of 'things that you need to improve'." Kira smiled. As soon as he finished that sentence, the Bunshin exploded with a roaring thunder, electrocuting all clones in vicinity.

The smoke subsides to reveal Kira rising from the ground. "Maa maa… I hope that wasn't your best?"

"No. I'm not done yet." Naruto's voice flow from above. Kira tilted his head upwards to see Naruto had finished a certain set of seals. "Kage Bunshin…" A Bunshin pop out, Naruto step on the Bunshin's back and dash up sky-high.

'Okay, now what?' Kira mused.

Meanwhile Naruto bit his finger and made another set of seals. The last Bunshin he created served as a cover. "Eat THIS! Ninpou: Kuchiyose No Jutsu!" Naruto shove his arm downward and… Gamakichi popped out.

Everyone goes silent.

"…"

"…"

"…"

"………WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING? WHY ARE YOU THE ONE THAT SHOW UP?"

"Well, I'm just bored so I came out of the play."

"…" Naruto sweat dropped. 'Dear god…' he redid the seal set again and this time: "Ninpou Kuchiyose!"

Gamabunta the boss toad appeared, stepping on Kira and the clone altogether.

"OI JIRAIYA! YOU OLD GEEZER WHAT THE FUCK?"

"Nee… nee… boss toad! It's me!" Naruto tapped Bunta's head a few times, tad hard.

"Hrrmm? Kobun? The hell?"

"Maa… you see, we were fighting this insanely powerful bastard and… and…!"

"But why summoning me? Can you not summon those foxes instead?"

"Well… I don't want to start any more ruckuses…" Naruto slumped down. After last night accident, he silently vowed that he will not show Kyuubi's Oni-jutsu unless it's very necessary.

"…okay… okay… got the message. So, where's the enemy?"

"Ninpou, Kuchiyose!" a muffled yell sounded underneath Gamabunta.

"Hng?"

Suddenly the ground cracks as something long and slippery burst out.

"What the…"

Naruto's mouth hung open. In front of him was the largest EEL he had ever seen. About 80 meters long, it looked like a sea serpent.

"By the… gods…"

"…that's… Raimaru? Is that you?" Bunta roared.

"…Bunta? Well, well… talk about surprise…" The eel swished his head in amusement.

"You guys… know each other?" Naruto looked at Raimaru than to Bunta.

"He's my sparring partner. Every time I wish to train to fight Manda, I can always go and train with him instead."

"I see…" Kira suddenly popped out on top of Raimaru.

"…" Naruto looked at Kira. He's STILL spotless.

"Now… shall we continue?" Kira chuckled.

"Let's go again. Suiton, Mizu Gan!" Raimaru's mouth opens, shooting a jet stream of water towards the boss frog.

"Suiton, Mizu Hougan!" Bunta shot several balls of water. The two attacks collided and canceled each other out.

"Oi, oi! Boss! Eel is a water creature! Suiton jutsu is out of question against this guy! Don't you have any Katon jutsus?" Naruto exclaimed as Bunta prepared his blade.

"Nope." Bunta rushed forward preparing to swing his blade towards the serpent. "I'm a water creature too, ya' know!

Raimaru smirked. He slithered to the side as the attack hit empty air. Bunta jumped again to another place as Raimaru's tail lashed out, trying to whip him out, but miss horribly.

"That is… if you miscount my Gamayo Endan."

"What?"

"In a matter of speaking is not that I'm that hopeless… I can't do any 'direct' Katon Jutsu… but all my fire technique will need an outside's help."

"Outside's help…"

"Oi Kobun, you got any Katon Jutsus?"'

"I got my Hellfire." Naruto grinned as his right arm was enclosed in blood red devilish fire.

Bunta smirked. 'Che… this kid is getting stronger and stronger by the second.' "Get ready."

"Okay. Jigoku Katon!" The hellfire in Naruto's arm flared out.

Raimaru tensed up. "Jigoku Katon?"

"Easy now, Raimaru."

"Toad oil's here." Bunta announced.

"Let's go! Gamayo Jigoku Endan! (Toad Oil Hell Fire Blast)"

Bunta shot a stream of oil while Naruto shot a burst of Hellfire from his palm. The two met to create a gigantic devilish red fire burst. Raimaru stared at the rising mountains of flames.

Kira smirked. 'Ryuusuiton, Sou Suiryuu Heki! (Dragon Water element: Twin water Dragon Barrier.)' A pair of giant water dragon bursts out and circles around Raimaru, creating a blue barrier. The fire went out upon contact.

"To summon THAT amount of water where there is no water at all? That's just… too much." Tenten awed.

"Now what?" Naruto looked at the blue tornado. The swirling suddenly intensified as the water swirl grew bigger, enclosing Raimaru in the process.

All the sudden, from amidst the twin dragon storm, a single, **massive** water dragon arise. Everyone jaw dropped.

"Suiton, Dai Suiryuu Arashi." Kira stand on top of the water dragon. The dragon soon jet out towards Bunta.

"(Curses) HANG ON BRAT! WE'RE GOING TO JUMP!" and jump he did. The water dragon grates the ground as it goes on. Bunta smirks. "Ha! Missed!"

"I. Don't. Think. So." A voice sounded from Bunta's back. Bunta and Naruto turned a bit of their heads. What they saw shocked them to no end. Raimaru's head popped out of the swirling water dragon's body.

"Holy…"

"Suiton Raiton, Water Shock!" the Eel shoot a jet stream of water, with electricity jumping in between, from his mouth. The attack hit Bunta full.

"YEAAAOOOUUCCHH!" Both Naruto and Bunta were thunderstruck, literally, since the water burst was loaded with electricity. As if weren't enough, the missed water dragon suddenly changes its direction as it turns its head straight at Bunta. The boss toad couldn't do anything as the water dragon hit his stomach full.

"Suiton Raiton, Raisui Ryuugadan! (Water Thunder Elements, Lightning Water Dragon Fang Bullet!)" Raimaru's voice sounded from within the water dragon. The water serpent, now filled with electricity from Raimaru, pushes Bunta a few meters off the ground, before eventually stopped after 200 meters or so.

Raimaru landed to the ground with Kira on top of his head.

"…using… the… water dragon… to move around with high speed… that's… nuts…" Bunta was panting. Naruto slumped down. He's nearly out.

"W…What? What happened?" Tenten yell out loud.

"…Eel's a water creature. Their speed is unmatched in the sea. Kira was using the water dragon storm as a medium for Raimaru to swim** inside** it and attack freely." Neji explained. "Also, with Raimaru's inside the water dragon, the Eel could empower the Suiton attack with its electricity. It's a perfect combination attack between the summoner and the summoned creature."

'Who… who the hell is he? Konoha ever produce… a master shinobi like that?' Tenten gaped.

"Phew… looks like you're a bit out of steam nee?" Kira sit on top Raimaru's head.

"I'm… I'm not… going down… yet!" Naruto tried to stand up.

"…okay… I'll finish this." Kira stood up as water burst from the ground once more.

Gaara looked incredulously at the two. One of his eyes began to change as he felt the Youki were starting to pour in.

"Bunta… can you still fight?"

"Not for long at this rate." Bunta grunted.

"…can you catch that Eel?"

"I'll try… but if they do that attack again… we're so toasted."

"Okay. Just catch it. Leave the rest to me." A Rasengan appeared on Naruto's right palm, a ball of fire on his left. "Oh, and Bunta, if he DID that attack again, just jump UP."

"Che… it pains me to listen to a Kobun but… okay."

Kira smiled. "Ready? Here we go!" 'Suiton, Dai Suigadan! (Water Element, Great Water Fang Bullet)' The water turned into several swirling, razor sharp, large bullets and headed straight at the Bunta. Raimaru jumped into one bullet to another with a surprisingly great speed. "It's harder now! Can you dodge this one?" Kira rode on top of one of the water swirl with his chakra.

"Bunta! Jump!" Naruto yelled.

"Here goes nothing." The boss toad jumped out to the sky.

"Useless!" the water fangs tilted upwards towards the Boss Toad.

"OIL!" Naruto prepare his Hellfire and set it as hot as possible.

"Katon, Gamayo Jigoku Endan!" Bunta spurted a massive amount of oil towards the coming barrage of water fangs. Naruto shot a "Jigoku Katon, Kitsune Endan!" The mountains of Hellfire filled the sky. Several water bullets, much to everyone's surprise, vaporized.

Naruto immediately scanned the surroundings. Several relatively medium sized water fangs rushed forward from the smoke. A single, slightly bigger fang was in sight. "There!" Without much of a thought, Naruto jumped towards the water fang. "Eat SHIT! RASENGAN!" The Rasengan pierced through the swirling bullet, splitting it apart, and reveals the terribly shocked Raimaru. Meanwhile, the remaining water fang hit Bunta's stomach full.

"Wha…" The eel immediately tilted his head to the side, but it's too late. The Rasengan hit his neck full before explodes full force and tore his neck apart.

Naruto grinned as Raimaru's head flew in front of his face. His grin vanished instantly when the Eel's Limb had passed his head, revealing Kira, standing on top of the stump where Raimaru's head had been.

"Not so fast Naruto-kun. Suiton, Suiryuu Arashi!"

"…I had enough of this… Jigoku Katon, Kitsune Endan!"

The two attack head towards each other. The moment before the attack met however…

"Jigoku Katon, Makai no Hikari! (Light of Netherworld.)"

"!" Kira's eyes widened.

The fox head suddenly accumulated into a single fireball. The fireball shot out a red hot Laser Beam towards the swirling dragon. The beam pierced through the dragon and headed straight towards Kira.

Caught by surprise, Kira tilted his head as the beam almost shot through it. Though the attack barely missed him, it burned a chunk of his straw shade hat to nothingness.

The two finally fell to the ground. Naruto was already half unconscious due to the Chakra exhaustion. Bunta immediately caught the blond with his tongue. The boss toad landed with a crash, while Kira touched the ground gracefully, his back, much to everyone's frustration, face the spectators. Raimaru was still midair when he spoke his last message:

"(Cough)… Bunta… you got one hell of a master here…" Raimaru cough lots of blood before both of his head and the remaining body disappear in a puff before he could even land.

"He's my underling. Now, rest well my slippery friend. You're going to need it." Bunta grins before he too disappears with a puff after he put Naruto on the ground.

Kira look at Naruto through his shoulder. '…to combine 'Kitsune Endan' and 'Makai no Hikari' like that… ain't Kyuusei gonna impressed or what?'

Indeed, inside Naruto, Kyuusei was utterly impressed. 'Okay… he's really are the no 1 most unpredictable Ninja in the Konoha… if not the world…now WHY I've never thought of using my jutsus like that?'

"(Pant) (pant)" Naruto heaved up and down as he breathed heavily. Kira's battered hat landed right next to him. He looked at it, and smirked. He tilted his head a bit towards Kira. He chuckled. "Aren't you going to show your face now?"

"First, I want to know how did you found out which one is Raimaru?"

Naruto smirked as he sits. "…That eel's size… how much was it? 80 feet long, 5 feet in diameter… to hide something like that will require a huge amount of water." Naruto observed the singed straw hat. "…I figure that, if I could reduce some of those water bullets size, there will be one that has the biggest size… since it is required so that your water stealth attack succeeds…"

"…very bright for a trouble maker." Kira smiled.

Meanwhile, to say that the spectators aren't gaping is an understatement.

'…that was… clever of him… to notice something like that… in a short time!' Neji stared in awe at the blond.

"Don't mention it. I've done a prank that resembled that. At that time, I used a barrel. Too bad, one of the barrels is too small, and I got stuck in it."

'…figures.' Everyone sweat dropped.

"Well then. Now I got your hat, next…"

"**We'll get you whole." **Gaara, in his half Shukaku form walked to the scene. Naruto grinned.

Kira chuckled as he turned around. "Ku ku… impressive… most impressive… still… just because you can knock my hat off and thinks that you can actually beat me…" Kira turned around. "…Don't you think that's WAAAY off the board?" The Shitennou smiled calmly.

Only two words that can describe it: EXTREMELY CUTE! A boy, barely older than 16 or 18 years old with sharp amethyst eyes and a bit messy dark brown hair, girl-like face, and his heart-melting smile. Every male burned red hot with jealousy, but everyone gained their composure back.

"To get me this far though, I have to say that both of you done quite a job." Kira made a single seal. "…so…as a credit I'll raise the level a notch." Bright blue electricity enveloped the Shitennou as ocean blue chakra flared around him. The chakra was so intense, the ground cracked up.

Naruto steadied himself with little stamina he had left.

**KIT. ADVICE: USE MY YOUKI.**

'No can do! If I do that, he'll punish you again!'

**NOPE. THE RULE STATED THAT WE CAN'T USE IT ON HUMAN. DEMIGOD BEING SUCH AS HIM IS NO LONGER HUMAN. SO IT'S SAFE. **

'You sure?'

**ABSOLUTELY.**

'…thanks for the offer… but later.'

**HUH?**

'…I still want to test myself… I wish to know my limit.'

…**KU KU KU… AIN'T THAT, THE STUPIDEST THING I'VE EVER HEARD…**

'Urusei!'

**STILL… DON'T OVEREXERT YOURSELF AND…HEAD'S UP. **Kyuusei chuckled.

"Huh?" Naruto looked forward to see Kira's palm, up close. Jolts of lightning shot out, sent him flying a few meters away. "Ouch… that hurts… what the hell… is that?"

Naruto looked at Kira. Or… he thought he saw the latter. Instead of the boy he had faced earlier, stood there, is a samurai wearing full, darkish black and blue, Japanese warlord armor. His right hand gauntlet had…bloomed, making it look slightly demonic. The whole armor is covered in bright pulsing white lines here and there. Both of his shoulders were covered by a pair of dark grey samurai shoulder armor. There's a crest of a dragon's face on the left shoulder pad's side. The black breast palate has a single Yin-Yang symbol on it. He also wears a long, bright blue Japanese Warlord vest. The vest too, is filled with shiny white lines. There are two pieces of samurai armor protectors embedded on the said robe near the waist area. His face was now enclosed in a darkish blue samurai helmet with yellow horns protruding from the said helmet. All in all, only his sharp purple eyes are visible.

Two long swords are brandished on his back, where a kanji of Raijin (Thunder God) is visible. Oddly enough, the two sword's sheaths contradict one another in size. The one on the left is probably the size of a normal Katana; the other one is just a bit smaller than a two handed sword. A nerve-racking aura emanates from the said person. Electricity flowed on his right arm as his left was holding his black cloak which motioned aimlessly due to the sudden wind current.

"**What is… that?" **Gaara stared at the warrior before him.

"What… who are you?"

"It's me… Kira."

"What?"

"This is Raijin no Yoroi. (Thunder God armor)"

"**Raijin?" **Gaara stared in awe. Naruto however, exclaimed.

"Raijin no Yoroi my butt! That's just some really fancy Chakra no Yoroi! (Chakra armor)"

"**Chakra no Yoroi?" **Gaara looked at Naruto.

"…during one of my missions, I've encountered a group of Yukigakure Nins. They were wearing this special armors that were used to supplements their jutsu and to protect themselves from incoming Nin and Genjutsus! (Naruto the first movie) No wonder your jutsus are insanely powerful! Cheating bastard!" Naruto pointed his finger accusingly at Kira.

The latter though, only laughed. "Well… well… you sure know quite a lot aren't you? Yes. This is chakra armor."

"Hah! Gaara! Need not fear that thing! Nin and gen might won't work, but Taijutsus are gonna give it a bang for sure!"

"Maybe so…but I'm afraid that you kind of mistaken."

"Huh?"

"…the function of the chakra armor you knew is indeed a coward's shortcut to victory. **This** armor's function though is a little different. Raijin no Yoroi's function is not for supplementation…" Kira raised his right arm in front of his face. "…but restrictions." A GIGANTIC swirl of blue chakra flared up ferociously, creating a gust of wind around them.

'W…what…!' Naruto and Gaara both have a little trouble standing straight.

"Raijin no Yoroi is used to limit my power that has been accumulated for a quite long period of time… a power that sometimes, even I can't control." More and more chakra burst up.

Everyone was now nailed to their place due to the intense amount of Chakra they felt.

"W…What is that insane amount of Chakra? Is this guy really… human?" Neji gaped. 'It easily surpassed Naruto's chakra!'

Naruto, for the first time ever, is terrified to the point where he really wants to wet his pants out. 'This guy's chakra… is incredible!'

"…now… shall we begin round two?" Kira's visible eyes curved. The next second, the said person disappeared as Naruto felt a terribly powerful punch on his gut while Gaara was smashed out of his Shukaku armor at almost the same time.

"Wha…" Naruto wasn't able to finish his sentence as suddenly Kira appeared right behind him, mimicking his fall. The said person grabbed the back of his neck before spinning him around and threw him upwards. The armor clad warrior disappeared and soon, blue flashes swirling around Naruto, mercilessly turning the Kyuubi's host into a punching bag.

After a short, painful moment, Kira gave a roundhouse kick that shot Naruto towards Gaara. The Shukaku's host caught the falling blond with his sand.

"**How…? He's wearing a full armor… how can he still move that fast… no… he's even faster than before!" **Gaara stared incredulously at the said warrior.

"Come on… I haven't even broken a sweat yet." Kira's eyes curved.

"Ugh…" Naruto gets up. Every part of his body is screaming in pain. The fact that his new advanced senses is making the pain increase tenfold didn't help much either.

"**Naruto… are you okay?"**

"(Curses)…Kyuusei's right… we're really fighting a lost cause here… This guy is insanely powerful!"

"**What should we do?"**

"…I really don't know…"

**FORGOTTEN ABOUT ME?**

'As long as I can still stand… I'll try not to depend on you.'

**SUIT YOURSELF.**

"Hmmm… I was thinking… I thought I wouldn't use this but… I'm going to try one of my Suiton **Kinjutsu… **I just want to see your affinity to it… so no hard feelings okay?"

"Kinjutsu? Ain't that… too much for a test? And ain't that could kill us?" Naruto grunted.

"Dunno… Jinchuriki's normally have a high tolerance against things that are… inhuman… don't worry, I'll try to suppress the power as much as I could." Kira's eyes curved again. Then he began a furiously fast chain of weird hand seals.

"What… what kind of hand seals is that?" Tenten observed the weird series of seals.

"Okay. Here we go: Suiton Kinjutsu!" Kira finished the set of hand seals with a tiger seal.

Everyone stopped dead at the announcement.

"…Suiryuu Kaihan! (Water Dragon World Judgment)" A single ball of water appeared on top the two Jinchuriki. The ball multiplied into two. Then they multiply again to 5, 9, 18, and so on and so on. Weirdly enough, each time the water ball multiplied, instead of deflating, it continuously increases in size. Soon, both Jinchuriki was surrounded by hundreds (and counting) of water balls with various sizes.

The two observe the seemingly harmless looking water balls. "…now what?"

As if answering Naruto's question, the water ball suddenly began pouring rain. Naruto chuckled. "You won't kill us with just some rain? Ouch!" Then he looked at his hand. Smoke arising from the spot where the water dropped on his body. 'wha…' then he realized. Each drop of water formed a small dragon. That small dragon fell to the earth with a speed of a bullet, piercing his flesh just now. 'Sonnova…' He looked horrified as countless water dragons began to descend like a swarm of tiny meteors.

Gaara's shield didn't made much of a difference either. The minuscule dragons seeped right through the holes in the sand wall, penetrating his defenses. "GUAAAAAAAAA!" Both Jinchuriki screamed.

"FUZAKERUNDAAAAA! (Don't joke around!)" A burst of Hellfire covered Naruto; vaporizing every drop of water came in contact.

"Baka. Water defeats fire. You might survive now. But once you're runs out of chakra, you're toast." Kira frowned. "Fine then. Let's see how long can you go." He mentally intensified the rain.

After some point, Naruto finally ran out of stamina. He dropped on his knees panting.

"**Naruto!" **Gaara exclaimed as he saw his partner dropped to the ground. Then he looks around the water dragons continuously swirling. Weirdly enough, they show no sign of trying to pouring in.

Kira looked at Naruto's situation. "Okay. This is your last bet, Naruto." He aimed his open palm towards the flock of water spheres. He slowly balled his palm to a fist. As he did so, the spheres and the dragons begin to move at circular motion. Slowly but sure, the flock accumulated into a single point creating a HUGE sphere of water. By the time Kira's arm was already half clenched, the water sphere had reached a full form. It levitated about 10 meters off the ground.

Gaara looked at the water sphere. Than to Naruto. He glared at Kira.

"…here I go." Kira gripped his fist full. The water sphere swirled before sending a gargantuan water dragon towards the two.

Naruto looked up. The dragon descended at him with inhuman speed. Something snapped and… **"Eat SHIT!"**

The next second, the water dragon was torn to oblivion by none other than Berserk Naruto. Pulsing veins appeared on Naruto's face before sank back in. The Kyuubi's chakra formed a Demon Fox figure. But this time, it looked even more solid then before. The Youki on his nailed palm forms into a razor sharp claws. The Youki on his head forms a fox head complete with its fangs. Naruto's eyes turn to blue slit eyes as it shone evilly. With that, Naruto howled to the sky in fury.

Next to Naruto, a half mutated Gaara rise up. He's already looked like a miniature Shukaku now.

Kira smirked underneath his helmet. 'Okay. Time to get a bit serious. It's like fighting 2 onetail-level demons so don't slack off now.'

The two half demons glared at Kira.

"Naruto? You there?" Kira spoke calmly. Instead of an answer, Naruto dashed forward with almost inhuman velocity and slashed his clawed fingers towards Kira, which the latter blocked.

"**I'll crush you!" **The blond roared.

"Hmm…" Kira only nodded as if nothing happened.

"**GRAAHH!" **Gaara rushed forward, his mutated giant arm retracted, attempting to slam them both. Naruto jumped as the attack comes. Kira's eyes flashes for a second, and the Shukaku's large sand fingers dropped down on the ground soon after. Gaara look at his cut mutated fingers and to the place where Kira had been. He tilted his head to see Kira's right behind him, a sword in his right hand.

"Okay. Show me what you can do with those human bodies." Kira smirks as he rested his sword on his shoulder. The sword is 1 meter long, bright white, the edges are sky blue, and a humming calm blue aura envelops it. There are gold engravings along the blade and a purplish blue orb at the center of its ivory white hilt. The blade has pulsing blue lines engraved on its surface. The two look at the enemy's new arsenal.

"**So what… I'll crush that thing to oblivion." **Naruto growled. Both of his hands showed his claws menacingly.

"**I'll split your head open!" **Gaara twitched as his cut fingers regenerated almost instantaneously.

Kira frowned behind his battle gear. 'So… the true nature of Youki still remains… it draw a human's primal side to the surface… and after the Youki made it worse that is…' Kira's grip on his sword tightened.

"**Die! Jigoku Katon: Taiyuu Kitsune Endan!" **Naruto's palm rapidly shot out 6 fox heads in a row towards Kira. Using his sword, the Shitennou blocked them all one by one. A swirl of sand appears right in front of the latter, revealing Gaara.

'Suna Shunshin no jutsu (Sand Body Flicker) at that age eh? He didn't lie about him being a perfect weapon…' Kira blocked a punch sent by the Sand user with his sword. The punch still sends him off the ground a bit. Gaara continued with a straight punch. The target dodged as the mutated fist sunk to the ground. Kira step on it twice before jumped over Gaara, slicing his back a bit in the process. Just a second after Kira landed, he saw Naruto in the air ready to smash him. He steadied his sword in front of him to guard the impact. Naruto's Youki protects his skin so that it didn't bleed when making contact with Kira's sword.

"**ORAAAAAA!" **Naruto's Youki enlarged left arm rise up before slams down to the sword, adding up the pressure. Kira managed to hold it down still with one hand.

"**GRUAA!" **Gaara rushed from Kira's back, attempting to slam him off.

"You've shown your Shunshin… now; allow me to show you mine. Rai Shunshin no Jutsu!" Kira's body filled with electricity… no, the Shitennou becomes the electricity itself! Gaara's attack hits nothing but empty air. Kira zapped right behind him, and slash Gaara's back again so hard that it throws him off the ground towards Naruto. Caught off guard, the fox host collided with the raccoon host.

Kira looked at the pile of two demon host with a glee. "Is that all?" he taunted. That only served to enrage the two even more.

"**GRRRHH!"** Naruto dashed forward and sent a punch towards Kira. The latter dodged the punch with paper thin margin. Naruto tried to elbow the said person. Kira ducked, dodging the nudge attack as he hit Naruto's gut with the butt of his sword. Naruto gritted his teeth as he tried to kick Kira. The armored warrior backed down as he raised his head again, avoiding the kick just a few millimeters away. Much to his surprise, Naruto aimed his palm towards his head. **"Jigoku Katon, Makai no Hikari!" **The laser beam shot out and pierce nothing as the target tilts his head to the side. A little singe appears on the shoulder.

At the same time, **"Fuuton! Dai Renkyuudan! (Wind Element! Great Drilling Air Bullet!)" **Gaara shot out a destructive wind force wave from his mouth. The wave headed straight towards Naruto and Kira. Naruto smirked as he somersaults and jumps over the attack. Kira grinned as he saw the huge destructive wave.

"Amaterasu Hikari no Tsubasa! (Light Wings of Divine Illumination)" Feathers made of black fire envelops the white sword. A big, long jet-black fire blade shot out from the drilling wind bullet, tearing it apart to tiny wisp. Gaara jaw dropped as the attack hit him full on his side. The black fire blade continued it way after it pierce through Gaara's side stomach before stopped a few meters behind the said person, leaving a charred line on the ground and revealing Kira.

The two spectators had their mouth hung open.

'That Kenjutsu! That's… really out of this world…' At this rate, Neji slumped to the ground.

Kira smirked as he observed the aftermath of the impact. '…as I suspected… his physical body is too weak. If it weren't for Shukaku's Suna Yoroi…but… then again…I performed that Amaterasu Tsubasa with Tenkaiken (Sword of Heaven Liberation)… if I used Gokuseiken (Sword of Hell Domination), he's so dead.' "Had enough?"

"**Fuck you!" **Naruto raise up, followed with Gaara.

Kira's eyes curved.

Naruto made a few handseals before a Hellfire arise from his palm. **"Jigoku Katon, Makai no Hikari!"**

The Shitennou jumped out of the way only to be welcomed by Gaara whose bulging arm rushed towards his head. Kira stepped on Gaara's shoulder before kicked up to the sky. Naruto rushed towards Gaara, step on his right hand before being catapulted by the said Sand user toward Kira. The fox host caught up with Kira and sent a punch to his jaw. Kira use his sword to block the attack. Again, the chakra forms into a huge claw. But the Shitennou retaliates with his chakra and the chakra attack was blocked. Kira pushed his sword forward and sent Naruto back to the ground.

Meanwhile Gaara dashed up with his Shunshin no Jutsu. A swirl of sand later and the Shukaku's host appeared right below Naruto. **"Naruto! Here!" **Naruto back flipped and Gaara caught the falling blond before tossed him upwards again.

This time, Naruto prepared a set of Handseals and the next second, his right palm is covered in thick Hellfire that forms a swirling demonic fire. **"Meet Kyuusei's burning version of Chidori… Kikaisho! (Destruction Palm)" **The Hellfire turned into a large demonic hand. Again, Kira blocked it with his sword. Before the latter could deflect him again, the Kyuubi's host crashed another attack, **"Eat this! Youkai Rasengan!" **That was too much. The explosion sent both of them flying. Kira was sent towards the woods. His sword stuck on a tree. The Shitennou disappeared and reappeared right next to his sword. 'Arashi's invention… Rasengan, as always, it's truly a pain in the ass…' When he grabbed his sword, he noticed something.

Gaara's was right below the tree he's sticking right now. Without any hesitation, the Shukaku's host punched the tree and destroys it in an instant. **"Timber!"**

"Yeah right." Kira stayed on the tree. Bad decision.

"**Jigoku Katon, Kitsune Endan!" **A raging inferno fox head straight towards him. The latter immediately jumped towards another tree. The attack burned the falling tree to ashes.

Gaara smirked before performing **"Fuuton, Renkyuudan!" **The air bullet crushed another tree. Kira had to jump to another tree. Then another as Naruto shot a barrage of Fox Head, burning several trees altogether.

"Ow shoot… Lacus ain't gonna be happy if she saw this… she has great respect for Mother Nature ya'know?" Kira observed the surroundings. The part of the woods where they were fighting had been turned to ablaze. He had just landed to another tree when Naruto dashed towards him. 'That's it.' He steadied himself. Just as the blond was just a couple of inches away, Kira swung his blade. Naruto dodged the obviously slow attack.

"**Hah!" **Naruto charged forward again, attempting to seize the momentum. Much to his surprise though, he felt several cuts on his back, his chest and his thigh. Blood suddenly splattered from the cuts that suddenly appeared all over the fox host's body. **"Wha… what?"**

Naruto isn't the only that was surprised. Neji are also confused to no end. "H… How? His attack misses! And he only slashes once! How come…?"

Naruto dropped down a bit before stick to the tree with his chakra. The wounds disappear in a flash. Despite the endless Youki Kyuusei gave him, fatigue caught up with him… followed with a bit of pain. '…I thought the pain after using Youki won't get to me again?'

**BAKA… YOU SHOULD'VE DIED A FEW MINUTES AGO IF IT'S NOT BECAUSE OF YOUR INNER COIL SYSTEM. THE NEW CHAKRA COIL SYSTEM MANAGES TO DIRECT THE YOUKI SO THAT IT WILL NOT KILL YOU IN AN INSTANT, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU WILL HAVE UNLIMITED TIME OF YOUKI USAGE! WHY CAN'T YOU JUST GIVE UP?**

'Shut up! That's not my style! I thought you're braver than this?'

**I'M NOT IN FOR A DEFEAT EITHER. BUT I'M NO BAKA LIKE YOU KIT! I KNOW TIMES WHERE I NEED TO BACK DOWN, AND TIMES WHERE I NEED PUSH FORWARD. ONLY A TOTAL MORON WOULD CHARGE UP LIKE A RAGING BLIND BULL!**

'Although a moron I am; let me finish this till the end at the least.'

**CHE… SO BE IT. THIS IS THE LAST SURGE. USE IT WELL. **Kyuusei inwardly smirked. 'Come to think of it, if it's me, I would probably answer the same way…'

More Youki burst out. **"Let's finish this. I had enough."**

'…I see. After a short while, he began to regain his sanity and control over the Youki.' "Be my guess."

"**You ask for it!" **Gaara appeared right in front of the tree base. **"Fuuton, Kaze no Yaiba!" **The vacuum blade cut the tree, sending it falling to the ground. Before Kira could jump, Naruto charged forward, a flaming giant claw in his right palm, ready to strike. This time, the Dragon Shitennou backed away. The attack clawed a chunk of the tree. Kira jumped up, followed close in pursuit is Naruto and Gaara, who just burst out from the tree part where Kira was standing beforehand.

The three exchange some blows as they circle around in mid air. Everything went kind of one sided as Kira kept pummeling them down with each slashes while the two had a hard time to even land a punch on the said Shitennou. Gaara sent a punch with his enlarged arm. Kira retaliated by slashing his sword towards the arm. The invisible blades caused cuts and gashes to appear all over Gaara's mutated body. Naruto charge a Rasengan on his palm and was about to shove it to Kira's back when he got a bump on his face instead. Courtesy of Kira's sword's butt. Before Naruto could do anything else, the Shitennou turned into electric blue flashes and reappeared right behind Naruto, giving him a slice on his back, Kira warped again, and the next second, giving him another cross slice on his chest. Gaara charged forward to attack Kira. Much to his surprise, Kira flashed again, giving a pack of slash on his back that sent him colliding with Naruto. Due to their weight and the pain, both start falling diagonally to the ground.

"**WhuuuaaAAAAAAAAA!" **With a loud crash, both finally landed right outside the woods. Meanwhile, Kira landed swiftly right before them.

"It's that all?"

"**Grr… URUSEIII!" **Naruto rushed forward together with Gaara. Kira steadied his sword again.

"…Mikazuchi Monogatari! (Legend of the Crescent moon)" Kira swing his sword to the side. All the sudden, both Jinchuriki felt as if they were being pulled towards him.

"**What…"** Before they could even react, a flurry of invisible slashes poured down on their body, filling every inch of their skin with deep cuts and gashes.

"**Guh…" **Gaara hold his bleeding shoulder. After being hurt by Naruto, Lee and Sasuke several times, bleeding is no longer a horrible feeling for him.

"**Bloody… hell…" **Naruto gritted his teeth. Despite the fact that the Youki heals him, the wound still hurts like hell.

"I'll say it. You guys… are weak. Very weak." Kira continued.

"…" Naruto started to rise.

"You two had depended too much on your Demons… they have nourished you with many advantages beyond human rationality… In another words… it turned you… fragile. I'm only telling you guys the truth. As long you two still have your demons… you'll become weak and you'll always be weak unless you do something about it."

"…" Gaara also stand up. He looked at Naruto. The blond frowned as if thinking something.

"Our battle is a direct testimony to your weaknesses. Your strengths aren't real. What you thought your greatest weapon will be your greatest weakness. Took that power away, and you two will be defenseless in the world you're about to enter."

"…**Shut the hell up…" **Naruto growled.

"No matter what you said is useless… Naruto-kun. You are weak. No matter how strong you think you are."

"**I know."**

"!" For the first time, Kira was startled.

"**I don't need you to lecture me on… how weak I am… because I'm weak."**

"…"

"…**at first… I'm just like what you said… I'm strong. Or I thought I was…" **Naruto looked at his hands. **"But… in every life threatening battle against many strong enemies… I couldn't help to think… that I'm useless."**

Everyone was dumbstruck.

"…**when I look back to my previous fight, I keep yelling to myself… I'm strong! I beat many enemies that my rivals cannot!... Gaara, Neji… I beat them all! I'm the victor… and all that crap. But…I realize it… it's all… fake. All those victories… they are not my victory… those are Kyuusei's victory."**

Kira was still silent.

"**I want to be a Hokage to overcome the shadow of Kyuubi. How am I supposed to do that, I ask you, if I still depends on Kyuusei's power? How am I to be a Hokage, if I never taste true Victory? A victory that is born from my own strength? That's why…" **Naruto grabbed his chest.** "Ever since I had this new body… I've made a new goal. If I can't surpass Kyuubi, I REFUSE to be a Hokage, forever! Even if Namekuji Obaa-san offered me the title! I… I don't need a fake recognition!" **Naruto gritted his teeth.

'Na… Naruto…' Gaara's mouth hung open. He looks at his mutated arm. 'Naruto… suppressing Shukaku's power was already a hard thing to do for me… yet you wish to overcome the most powerful demon in existence? Do you realize how… impossible does that sounds?'

Kira inwardly smirked. 'That's one unexpected answer…' "You realize that… in your struggle to do what you've just said… it could be a lost cause? You might ends up never had a chance to become a Hokage forever."

"**Even if that happens… at least I'll die trying. But I've given my word to be a Hokage… and I never take back my word. That's my Ninja way for you!" **Naruto showed his trademark smirk.

Everyone look at Naruto in awe and renewed respect.

Kira chuckled… before explodes with laughter. "Fu HA! HA! HA! HA! Nindo, eh? Some Nindo you got there…"

"**So what? You got a problem with that?"**

"Nah… Nothing really… I just remember a person that has a same Nindo as you do… in fact… you've just echoed his words."

"…**really?"**

"Yep. I'm impressed. Really. It's not everyday I get that kind of answer."

Naruto chuckles. **"What do you expect me to say?"**

Kira sighed. "…Hyuuga Neji refers you as the most powerful Genin in Konoha."

"…**I'm not that powerful. The real me is… weak… probably weaker than I thought."**

"Correct. I've lived for many years… meeting with various kinds of warriors… some are titled by people around them as the strongest, the smartest, craps like that. When you've reached the peak, do you know the greatest enemy that awaits you?" Kira's eyes curves. "Pride. Pride and arrogance. Those who have reached the peak often engulfed in a superiority complex, thinking they can conquer the world. For that kind of people, I often have to humiliate them. And give them a taste of what every champion hate the most: Defeat."

"…" The two stared at Kira. Everything he did up until this point starting to make sense. Kira wish to show them, how VULNERABLE they are without the power of their Demons. Also, it is to remind them, that they are not strongest. There's always another sky above another. They still got a LONG way to go. Slowly but sure, their face brightened.

"…normally, every champion I've met can't stand the humiliation. Either they tried to kill me in all short of way like poison, or alike, they all hate me afterwards… because they refuse to accept the fact… that they are NOT almighty." Kira stare at his sword for a moment. "…however… it seems… you two understand. Naruto in particular that is."

"**It's because… we're both had tasted defeat… so we understand." **Gaara muttered.

"A true warrior's strength is not measured by how many times he won… but how many times he accepts a defeat, learn from it, and eventually grow stronger from it, bearing the signs of their defeat as pride, and to help them to go forward." Kira's inwardly smiled. "…Naruto, Neji-san refers you as the strongest Genin in Konoha. Actually, let me rephrase that. You've accepted your defeat and understand your own weaknesses. It's a very…VERY rare quality of a warrior. And thus, that makes you one of the strongest **shinobi** I **ever** knew. Not physically off course. You understand… right?"

Naruto stares wide eyed as he listens to the title Kira had bestowed upon him.

"But don't get cocky now. You hear me? Being a strong willed person doesn't make you a strong bodied one."

"…**Pfftt… I know… But… let's just end this okay?"**

"Nee? I thought you had enough?"

"**I'm still standing. I still got a little Youki left. Might as well just get over it." **Naruto steady himself and his resolve.

"**Couldn't agree more." **Gaara stood up.

'This two is really interesting…hardly there hasn't any kind of Jinchuriki like them for ages…' "Okay. Since you guys had entertain me today, and for that good answer, I'm going to end this with one attack."

"**Well bring it on!" **Naruto grinned.

"I'll give you guys an Ougi for that too."

"**Eh?" **Naruto's smile faded a little.

"This is… you can say an Absolute Offense technique."

Gaara perked up at this. An absolute Offense is a perfect challenge for his absolute Defense. He grinned in excitement.

"You guys can prepare any short of defense you want. I'll attack right from the front. I'll use this Ougi once you guys are ready."

Naruto look at Gaara who nods. **"You ask for it. Kage Bunshin." **Two more Naruto appears. The two bit their thumb, performing a fast series of hand seals, **"Oni Kuchiyose, Makai Nenshou Seimon!" **A demonic burning gate appears right in front of Naruto. Gaara takes a step forward. **"Saiko Zettai Hogyo: Shukaku no Tate." **The remaining sand from Gaara shot out towards the gate before fusing together with it, fortifying it even more. Now, in addition to all demonic spikes, there are sand prickles all over the gate. **"This is the strongest defense we can think off. Try and break it if you could." **

"Strongest? That thing is impenetrable!" Tenten eyes widen. "If Shukaku no Tate is Gaara's strongest defense combined with Naruto's hell gate…"

"Yes. It's the ultimate form of defense. How Kira is going to penetrate that?"

Kira smiled. 'Come to think of it, it's a good chance to test my limit as well…' The latter grabbed the other sword. Everyone chilled to their spine when they saw the second sword. If the first one is look like a holy sword, Demonic was the only word suitable to describe the second sword. It's a massive claymore with the length is a bit shorter then a two handed sword, but still lengthy nevertheless, and it's colored mainly in black. The edges are colored in blood red. There's a reddish purple orb on the black large hilt. Pulsing red lines covered the surface of the red and black blade. Gold engravings can also be seen on the large blade which is pretty similar with the other sword. This second sword looks extremely diabolical due to the fact that the sword seems to be a mixture between a sword and a monster. It sent a demonic blackish red aura.

The Shitennou cross both sword in front of him. _"…a lone tiger, rides across the empty field, undisturbed in its paths…"_

'More poetry?'

"…_it continuously rides; every step it takes brings it closer to the unending end…"_

Naruto tensed up.

"_It roars to the sky… and the earth shakes as heaven trembles…"_ All the sudden, a huge amount of Black and white chakra flows from both swords. The sky turns black as the ground shakes.

Everyone look at the sudden change and felt uneasy. "This… this is something big…"

Meanwhile, somewhere in the Snow Country…

"…This feeling… Kira…"

Near the borders of Wind Country…

"Shushin-ken? (Four God Sword) What kind of enemy…?"

In one of the city in Earth Country…

"…Shodai… Ogi… of the Shushin-ken…"

Back to Konoha…

Kira closed his eyes… _"… Dividing the seas, splitting the skies, crushing the mountains…" _The Sky swirls. The black and white chakra swirls around Kira before forming a huge white tiger. "Shushin-ken, Shodai-ogi: Ten Kashou… (Four Gods sword, First Technique, Heaven Burns…)" The black stripes on the tiger's skin become lines of black fire. "…Chi Katsu (Earth Splits)…" All the sudden, everything around Kira curves in weird manner. "…Byakko Houkou! (…White Tiger Roars!)" The tiger rushed forward and spun ferociously. At the center of the spin a giant black fire spear can be seen as ivory white blades swirl around it with such velocity that it look as if there are thousands of blades, covering the surface of the massive dark lance. It creates a swirling black and white destruction bullet.

The swirling typhoon bullet dashes towards the so called ultimate defense with inhuman speed and force. The spinning was so ferocious; it generated a strong gust of wind. The shockwave of the ferocious spin tore the ground to oblivion. It was as if there was a huge compressed cyclone occurs. The tornado missile slammed the gate and the impact shook the entire grounds, creating a noticeable bent on the gate. It seemingly stuck but it continues to spin mid-air.

"**It looks like… we've stopped it."** Gaara smirks.

"**No… look!"**

Gaara's jaw dropped. The gate… shrunk to a hole. A bit of the swirling bullet sunk into the gate.

"**No… it didn't pierce it… It's…"** Naruto couldn't belief his eyes.

"**It… SUCKS IT?" **Gaara's eyes turn wide.

"The power of Moon's gravity well… and the eternal flames of the Sun… Two powers that opposites each other, yet they completes each other…" Kira' voice flowed from the swirling bullet. "This is… My absolute offense."

With that, the gate sunk even deeper towards the swirling pillar of destruction. The two Jinchuriki stares as their ultimate defense crushed. The black and white swirling bullet burst out and head straight at the two.

"**Damn…" **Gaara smirked. Add another person to the list of those who can break through his absolute defense.

"**Shit yeah." **Naruto grinned.That was an incredible battle.

The two closed their eyes.

The attack hit them full and sent both of them flying to the sky. Big cuts and gashes plastered on their chest. The swirling ends after a moment to reveal Kira, both swords in hand, landed with a crash. A huge long black gash is visible on the ground on the path where the Byako Houkou had just pass through. The two Jinchuriki landed soon after with a loud thud.

Kira silently sheathed both of his swords back before start walking towards the two. He knelt right in front them. "Too bad. It seems your absolute defense isn't absolute enough."

"Yeah… yeah… Whatever. (Cough)" Naruto coughed a bit of blood. Kyuusei's Youki was completely drained out just to hold the impact of the attack, and thus, his wounds were not so serious. The same goes to Gaara.

"Still… that was fun…" Gaara chuckled lightly.

"Really?"

"Let's do that again some time." Naruto laughed lightly.

Kira chuckled. "…when you guys are stronger, no prob." He gave them a high five.

"He Heh Heh… No prob… too…" Naruto fainted with a smile on his face.

"Same… here…" Gaara tried his best to stay awake. But realize he failed miserably. Kira look at the sand user with concern. By the time Gaara drops unconscious, the sand rush towards Gaara. Kira frowns when he suddenly turns his face and radiates a surge of bloodthirsty killing intent. Neji and Tenten stopped dead in their tracks.

"**You don't want to do that… 'Shukaku-kun…'"**

The sand started to tremble.

"**This child will have his earned sleep. If you so much as thinking to try and possess him at this state, or torment him in anyway possible…" **Kira glared straight towards the sand as if knowing there was a face there. His eyes colors were no longer purple, but blue right eye and yellow dragon slit left eye.** "Consider your fate is sealed."**

The sand retreated almost instantly and turned to a large gourd.

"**Stay there. I'll deal with you later."** Seiryuu's eyes vanished and reverted back to Kira's normal purple eyes.

Kira grabbed Naruto at his back and put Gaara on his shoulder. He looked around to see his cloak somehow still intact. He slowly moved and grabbed the cloak with his remaining hand. 'Kami no Angouka… Kai.'

Then, as if someone turned the volume back on, the noise of the village daily life burst out into Neji and Tenten's ears. The couple looked shocked as the observed their surroundings.

Just then, Jiraiya appeared right on Neji's back, he was pushing Tsunade's wheelchair. "Oi. I already know that there's something suspicious when you suddenly disappeared like that. What's the big idea?"

'Disappeared?' Neji was confused. They were just standing there… didn't they?

"Jiraiya-kun, Tsunade-chan. I've avoided their vitals. They will live. A good rest and a proper dose of healthy big meal will do." Kira smiled as he handed over the two to Jiraiya.

"…Good to see you again, Kira-ossan." Tsunade smiled.

"Good to see you too. Congratulations on becoming the First female Hokage in history. If your grandfather saw this, what a proud grandfather he will be." Kira chuckled.

"Yeah whatever. But making my little brother into like this… You still love to use the extreme method aren't you?"

"Guess it's in my blood."

"Well not anymore if you do that again to my little brother without giving me the details of what you're going to do."

"Okay." Kira smirked as he turned his face towards Neji, whose jaw couldn't go any lower than it already has. "Satisfied, Hyuuga Neji?"

"…" the said Hyuuga was speechless.

Kira smirked. "Well, I guess that's it for today. Ja ne." With a chuckle, the Dragon Shitennou vanished onto thin air. Neji looked at the place where were standing… then he noticed something.

The trees around the area were supposed to be burned down because of the fight.

The thing is, he looked at the spot… and as if nothing had happened, not even a single tree showed a sign they were ever being touched…

"What the hell…"

----------------

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I had quite some trouble when I'm trying to describe Kira's armor and swords. Anyway, Kira's armor is a Japanese Warlord Armor with long blue warlord's vest. Add with all those nicnac I've been blabbering above. The Heaven and Hell swords are NOT a Katana. It's a bastard sword type. So it has sharp edge on both sides of the blade. Or if you can't understand, just put your imagination to work because I gave up.

His Byakko Houkou resembles Garouga… except it is faster, tougher, and deadlier.

Anyway, this chapter is rewritten… with some parts were taken out. Enjoy.

Well, as Kira had said… Ja Ne.


	10. Fool, Question, Sentence

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": in Naruto's case, him in berserker mode. However, I will use this format for other purpose when it's necessary.**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA: Kyuubi demon form speech**

Disclaimer: I'm bored of repeating the same thing again and again so… Read the first 5 chapters

**Chapter 10:**

**Fool, Question, Explanation**

"So, Kakashi-sensei. Why are you here?"

"No idea. The last thing I remember was I got my neck on a zombie's hand, and the next moment, I'm already here, with the news that you single handedly massacred an entire army by yourself, and I've been in coma for 2 days."

"I see. But you have absolutely no idea what the hell had happened?"

"Not a single clue." The masked Jounin drops back his head on a pillow as he sighs.

Naruto was now lying on one of the bed in the Hokage tower's hospital wing together with the sleeping Gaara and, most surprisingly, Kakashi. The story of how his ass had been kicked royally by Kira had become common secret. His friends had all asked him how it all happened. He told them everything he knew about Kira. So, all his friends knew.

"But you guys SURE are lucky as hell. All those wounds you've suffered are deep, but it only a few millimeters away from the vital organs. Any careless move and you two are dead." A girl with brown hair and red rectangle marks on both cheek pouted.

"Luck had nothing to do with it." The blond mumbled.

"You better listen to Rin now." Kakashi's eye curved. He got his right hand bandaged and his left leg hanged. He never thought he would meet an old friend in a situation like this. Woke up from his 2 days coma, the very first face he saw was surprisingly his old teammate whom he thought had left Konoha a long time ago.

"Grmbl… So much for Demigods and stuff…" Naruto grunted. He looked to his side. Gaara had been sleeping all the time. He had heard that when he asleep, the power of Shukaku should've been unleashed, and the Jinchuriki supposedly tormented by nightmares. But, Gaara's face… it looked so peaceful. 'Come to think of it… where's his gourd?'

"Are you okay?" Rin asked the blond.

Naruto blinked. "Huh… ho… hem… I'm fine. By the way… who are you? Never saw you around here before."

"I figure as much. Naruto, this is Rin. She's my former teammate."

"Hai. My name is Rin, pleased to meet you!" The girl smiled meekly.

"Pleased to meet you too. You're a medic Nin?"

"Hai. I left Konoha a long time ago, and quit being a Nin. But I'm still a doctor."

"I see… how's he?" Naruto addressed Gaara.

"…oh you mean your friend there? He's only asleep. Notice his eye-bags? I think he suffered some kind of insomnia for quite some time. I say, it's going to be a VERY LONG time until he awakes."

'Hmm… weird. Maybe… that Kira-guy? He's a Demigod… he must've done something…' "I see… well I guess just let him be. He earns his sleep anyway…"

All the sudden, a small, massive earthquake occured, shaking the entire room. "W… What the hell?" Naruto quickly looked outside. He saw a large red frog, right in front of the window. On top of it, is none other than one Jiraiya, the Toad Sannin. "E…Ero-Sannin!"

"Hey." The toad Sannin smirked.

"…" Naruto frowned. "What's the big idea?"

"Hey, I just come for a little chitchat about some important matters. Also, I might be able to share you some information."

"About what?"

"…well, for the next 2 and a half year, you'll be officially my apprentice and I'm going to train you 1 on 1… actually, that's what I'm planning to say… but…" Here Jiraiya smirked. He looked up to the sky. On the roof, Kira, laying lazily on the edge of the rooftop, smiled. "…there's someone else interested in you, and he's 1000 times more powerful and… sadistic than I am." Jiraiya laughed evilly.

"Like you ever show any quality of being a sadist." Naruto smirked.

"…you little…" Veins appeared on Jiraiya's face as he punched Naruto's head. "Uh hum… ANYWAY, when I was investigating about Orochimaru's immortality jutsu, I got a new information regarding Akatsuki. They won't be after you for the next… 3 to 4 years or so."

"Hmm… and?"

"…Orochimaru won't be able to kill Sasuke in the next three years."

'That's just like what Kyuusei had predicted.'

**HA! I TOLD YOU MY CALCULATION IS ALWAYS CORRECT!**

'Shut up.' "I see… when we'll begin training?"

"Probably after you got out of hospital."

"Pretty soon then."

"Dunno… we got lots of things that need to be fixed here…"

"Yeah… but at least, we got time." Naruto sighed in relief. Kakashi's eyes curved.

"…though…"

"?"

"…forget about Sasuke."

"What?" Although Naruto himself contemplated to let Sasuke to train under Orochimaru, but forgetting him completely is out of question. "Hell no!"

"…Listen. I've seen many kinds of Shinobi in my life. Uchiha Sasuke had gone to Orochimaru by his own will. That's why, I know. He's the same type as Orochimaru."

"…"

"…Don't think of bringing him back… That's how fools would think."

"Look, I don't like Sasuke, but he's still my TEAMMATE Goddammit!"

"Well look what happened to you after that last mission! Will Teammates do that to you?"

"This is…" Naruto went silent. '…no… I… can't…' He tilted his head down.

Kakashi's look saddened. He had no choice but to agree. Despite the fact that it is indeed that Sasuke were taken by Kabuto, it is still true that he initially left the Konoha at his own will. '…Sasuke…'

Rin looked bewilderedly at Naruto than to Kakashi. The former medic Nin decided to conclude that the 'Sasuke' in matter is Kakashi's team and the blonde's teammate. She contemplated to ask the details later.

Jiraiya looked at the remnants of team 7. He tilted his head down. He remembered the day when Orochimaru left.

_Flashback._

Orochimaru ran from his raided laboratory.

"Wait! Orochimaru!" Jiraiya, in his 30, caught up.

"…well, well… hello there Jiraiya."

"Orochimaru… why… why are you leaving…? We, who are called the Sannin… why, you above all others… we've been companions since children… why?"

"Kukuku… Jiraiya… you always be so simple…" Orochimaru chuckles evilly. "…no matter what you're thinking, it's useless… Jiraiya… since you aren't aware of what I'm doing…"

"Think again about what you're going to do… Orochimaru…"

"Pitiful…" Orochimaru charged forward, preparing to strike. "…You're nothing but a fool!"

Jiraiya grited his teeth. "Grhh… Why… WHY?" He prepared a Rasengan on his right palm.

'Senneijashu!' Slithering snakes burst out from Orochimaru's sleeves. The snakes grabbed Jiraiya's right arm before the Snake Sannin swing his former teammate and sent the Rasengan crashing to a rock, shattering it to oblivion. Before Jiraiya could prepare anything Orochimaru push himself towards him. The Kusanagi Sword shot out from his mouth.

"Why… Please answer me… Orochimaru!" 'Hari Jizo! (Spiked Buddha)' Jiraiya's hair grew longer as it hardened and covers allover his body.

"Jiraiya… you're a fool!" Orochimaru aim the Kusanagi at Jiraiya's head. At critical moment, Jiraiya managed to catch the sword right on his mouth.

"A fool, am I?" Jiraiya tightened his hold on the sword in his mouth. "…fool I am, at least explains to me WHY!" From amidst the hardened hair, Jiraiya's arm shot out and slammed a fully formed Rasengan to the Snake Sannin's belly.

"GUH!" The spiral blast shot Orochimaru a few meters back. He shot his inhumanly long tongue to a tree branch and rolls up before stick to that tree.

"Orochimaru… don't force me to kill you!"

"As if you could. Sarutobi sensei couldn't kill me; you wouldn't be able to do better, dead-last!"

"Please… just tell me why…"

"Enough of this… If you keep standing in my way, then prepare to die." The Snake Sannin grabbed the Kusanagi in his hand. 'Katon, Karyuu Endan!' The snake Sannin shot a fire dragon from his mouth.

"Orochimaru…" Jiraiya tightened his grip. 'Suiton, Suiryuudan!' Jiraiya shot a water dragon from his mouth. The two attacks collides, causing a flock of smoke arise. From the smoke, all the sudden Orochimaru charged forward, sword in hand. Jiraiya blocked a slash with his metal arm protector. "…Why?"

"How long will you keep on asking 'why'? I have no answer for a fool like you!"

"GrrraaaaaHHH!" Jiraiya deflect the Kusanagi with so much force that it threw the said Sannin to the ground.

All the sudden, rain pours out. Jiraiya's chakra flared out, showing that now he's completely pissed. "Orochimaru… if you don't want to answer, I'll make you answer!"

"Be my guest."

'Katon, Kazantachi no Jutsu! (Fire element, Volcano Sword)' Jiraiya slammed his fist to the ground. Burning cracks appeared as blades of red hot lava burst out and rushed towards the smirking Orochimaru.

'To use Katon Jutsu in the rain… heh. Truly baka. Suiton, Suihebi Kenbu (Water Snake Sword Dance)' the Snake Sannin slashed the Kusanagi on the ground. The water forms a horde of snakes that rush towards the charging volcano blades.

The two attacks collided and, much to Orochimaru's surprise, the lava blades pierce through his snakes easily. 'What the…' "ORAAA!" Using his Kusanagi, Orochimaru slashed each red blade one after another. When he finishes the last blade, Jiraiya was already right in front of him, sending him a punch. "Che…" Orochimaru blocked the attack with his sword. The Toad Sannin immediately sends a kick. It hits the Sannin full on his cheek and sends him flying. The latter grabs his attacker's leg with his tongue and throws him towards a tree at high speed.

Jiraiya calmly landed on the tree with the greatest ease as he finished the next chain of seals. 'Suiton.' Balls of water appear around Jiraiya.

Orochimaru just begin his a chain of seals when his opponent sent his attack. 'Suihougan (Water Cannon Ball)!' The water balls shot out towards Orochimaru.

'Doton, Doryuuheki (Earth-Stream Wall)!' A pack of muddy soil flowed out from Orochimaru's mouth and formed an earthen wall that hardens in an instant. The water balls splatter to pieces upon impact. Orochimaru immediately finished another set of seal and slammed both his hand on the wall. "Hmph!" 'Doton, Doryu Dango (Earth stream ball)' the earthen wall shot out several rolling balls of soil.

Jiraiya's eyes widen, but at the same time, he had finished a set of seal. 'Mokuton, Mori Hari! (Forest Spine)' Spines of wood burst from the trees, crisscrossing each other in front of Jiraiya, who had finished another set of seals. 'Next, Kuchiyose, Gamakuchi Shibari!' The wooden spikes turn into sticky elastic flesh like tower. The boulders hit the towers and, much to Orochimaru's shock, due to the elasticity of the meat towers, threw the rocks back to its performer.

'Kuso…' The snake Sannin, with his inhumanly flexible body dodged one rock to another. He just dodged another boulder when he realized that Jiraiya's is already behind him, standing on top of one of the boulders, a Rasengan ready on his palm. The toad Sannin smash it to his opponent's back without hesitation. Much to his surprise though, the latter turns into a horde of snakes. 'K… Kawarimi?' The snakes entangled and nailed him right on the spot.

"DIE!" 'Suiton, Suiryuudan!'

'Suiton, Suigadan!' Jiraiya managed to finish a set of handseals and performed the jutsu simultaneously with Orochimaru.

The barrage of swirling water fangs hit Orochimaru full as his water dragon shot Jiraiya out of the view.

"GWAHH!"

"UAAGHH!"

Jiraiya got slammed to a tree. Orochimaru was thrown a few meters back before dropped back to the ground. The Snake Sannin coughed some blood. After muttering several curses he looked at Jiraiya's direction.

"Orochimaru… think about what you're about to do…" With little strength he had left, Jiraiya asked the question again. The rain abruptly stopped.

"…feh…Not bad… but a fool like you will never understand." Orochimaru chuckled before vanished with a puff of smoke.

"Why… Orochimaru… WHYYYY!"

_End of Flashback._

'I keep on asking why… …countless times… but eventually, I accept the fact that he will never return. I left that painful past behind helplessly… That's why… I don't want you to fall to the same path like I do.' "…if you eventually decided to go and rescue Sasuke… ANBU will be hot on your tail."

"…?"

"…You're no normal brat… it's because you carry the great Youma, the Kyuubi. After all those extravagant show you've played, the villager's fear of the release of the Demon is greater than ever."

"But…!"

"That's that! Listen; if you go on your own merry way that is what will happen. And someday, you might die because fighting someone that is even more troublesome then Orochimaru."

"…"

"…sooner or later, one must face his fate. Forget about Sasuke; remove him from your mind. As shinobis, we must make sure that we always have proper judgment and make good decisions. If you want to be a real shinobi, you have to be wise. If you're a fool, then it will be a world filled with pain. That's… reality."

"…I understand."

"…"

"…if that's the world where a fool lives…" Naruto grip tightened. "…then I will be more than happy to live in that kind of world."

"!"

Kira, on the roof was so shocked that he nearly fell from his position. 'Wha…'

"…by… By myself, I'll… I'll invent even cooler jutsus! Then… I'll get Sasuke back! After that, I'll kick those Akatsuki's ass till Kingdom come!"

"…" Jiraiya smiled sadly. '…so… This is our difference eh? Baka…' "…if you work alone, I think the very thing that will come out is the byproducts of your perverted ideas."

"…!"

Jiraiya turned his face again, preparing to leave, a smile plastered on his face. "A fool is a fool… but only a moron would do something like that… …He… the guy who's going to train you won't hold anything back… so you better get ready… you big happy fool." The latter smirked.

"…osh!" Naruto salutes.

With that, the said living legend disappeared.

-----------------

Jiraiya reappeared right on the rooftop. At his back, another brown haired living legend still lay lazily on the edge of the roof.

"…that's pretty nice speech… but don't you think that's a little too… harsh?"

"…nah. No matter how I say it, the result might still be the same."

"Maybe so…"

"You're really going to train him?"

"Yep."

"…Heaven only knows what kind of powerful monster he'll become after 2 and half years. He will train under the tutelage of two most powerful being in existence: Kyuusei no Kyuubi, and you."

"Surpassing any average shinobi you know, that's for sure. However… he might become… overpowered."

"Eh?"

"…Naruto… has the ability to become strong REAL fast. That, and with the support of Kyuubi and my tutelage, he might become an entity that is too strong. I will need someone else who can equal him."

"I… don't get it."

"…Take example of us. We, the Shitennou are beings with unimaginable power. We have lived for eternity, our strength grows endlessly with each passing period… simply put, we've become invincible being. Why do you think there are 4 Shitennou instead of one? So that if one goes bad, there will be those with sufficient powers to stop it. Naruto's case is the same case that happened to me in the past…"

"You're saying that… you're going to put several students under your tutelage… so that Naruto will **always** have his match?"

"Correct. I've found some interesting 'eggs' in this village, might as well take it under my wing. I've talked about it too with Tsunade-chan, when I check up on her, and she agreed."

"So be it then. Speaking of which, how is she?"

"Bad. Her injuries are severer than I thought. And my skills… unfortunately… are not designed for this… But I know someone who can. It'll take some time… until then, Konoha will be in her most Vulnerable state. If you know what I mean."

"I do. I'll stay here until that Obaa-san is able to send me flying to the Konoha Walls again."

"Thanks." With that, the latter disappeared with a short playful laugh.

-----------------

Back to Naruto…

"Blah! How long should I lay like this?"

"At least, three days." Rin stated.

"THREE days? Forget it. I'm going out whether you like it or not!"

"Oh no, you don't!"

"Oh yes, I do! And I will!" Naruto jumped out of the bed. Rin immediately rushed up to Naruto's place. Before the former medic Nin could do anything, the Kyuubi Host pass through the latter and rush out of the room.

"WAIT! Don't run like that oh, Kakashi, is that boy really is your student? If so, I pity you."

"Believe me. I actually enjoy it." The Jounin's eyes curved.

"…" Rin shook her head.

By the time Naruto open the door, he knocked Temari down.

"Ouch! Watch where you going punk!" The sand Kunoichi grunted.

"Oops. Sorry. Why you guys here?"

"We come to check up on Gaara."

"Oh, Gaara? Be quiet a little. He's sleeping right now."

"SLEEPING?" Temari exclaimed tad loud.

"HEY I TOLD YOU: NO LOUD VOICE!" Naruto retorted.

"LOOK WHO'S TALKING HERE!" Temari retorted back.

"Uhhh… guys…" Kankurou sweat dropped. "Anyway… Naruto… are you sure Gaara's okay?"

"Well… We're still alive. That's a good reassurance." Naruto smirked. "If you guys want to visit him, go on ahead."

"Okay." The two went inside. Naruto thought for a moment when he started walking before pausing. _"The people of Konoha are scared at you, more than ever."_ Jiraiya and Shizune's words echoed in his head. 'If that's the case, I'll… walk through the roof then.'

Naruto look around and found a window open. Just as he's about to walk to the said window…

"What're you doing?" A voice flowed from his back.

Naruto turn around and gulped again. "Y… y… you…"

"What?" It was her, the Haku look alike.

"…" Naruto almost tried to run away again but decided that enough is enough. He bowed his head as low as possible. "Sorry about what've happened back there!"

"…" The Haku twin looked menacingly at Naruto. But she nodded.

"S… sorry…"

"Anyway… as I was saying… what… are you doing?"

"I'm trying to get a walk."

"By jumping out of the window?"

"No! I'll stick to the wall with Chakra!"

"…"

"Anyway… if you're not here to kill me, what do you want?"

"…you're Naruto?"

"…yes."

"…your pink haired teammate told me about you. What was her name… sa…?"

"…You mean Sakura? Anyway… what do you need from me?"

"…explanation."

"About what?"

"…about… Haku-nii-san."

Naruto's eyes couldn't be wider than a teacup. He gulped for a moment. "…what's… your name?"

"…Yukiku."

"…okay. Let's talk… on the roof. Can you do tree climbing technique?"

"…yes."

"Okay. Follow me." 'Great… how am I supposed to explain?'

The two jumped out of the window and stick to the wall. They continue to walk as they arrive at the roof.

"Okay. So Yukiku-chan… what do you want to know?"

"First off…you've met Haku-nii-san right? How is he?"

'Jackpot.' "He's… he has deceased."

"…" Yukiku slumped down to the ground in an instant. Tears began to form, but she shook it off and took a deep breath. 'And here I was expecting it to be wrong…' "…how?"

"……" Naruto look uncertain. He gritted his teeth as he remembered the fateful battle between them.

"_Kill me."_

"_I've no wish to live if I can't be a useful tool for Zabuza-sama. So please, kill me."_

"…I… I killed him."

Yukiku look at Naruto, horrorstruck. She began to tremble before gritting her teeth and charge forward tackling the Fox-host to the ground and put a chokehold on Naruto's neck. "Why… WHY?"

"…" Naruto did nothing to help himself.

"WHY, BASTARD! ANSWER ME!" All the sudden Yukiku felt a kick on her face.

"Now what the hell you think you're doing?" Sakura appeared. She immediately helped Naruto to get up. But Naruto brushed her off.

"Wait… she has the right."

"But!"

"…no… she has the right to do that… I… I've killed… her brother."

"!" Sakura gaped at Naruto. "B… But… I thought… Kakashi-sensei…"

"…in a way… I've killed him… I've… taken away Haku-san's reason to live… **I**'ve Killed. Him."

"…" Sakura looked at Naruto.

Yukiku gazed at the Fox host. His face filled with sorrow. "…why…"

Naruto took a glance at Yukiku. Tears streaming from her eyes.

"Why…"

"…at that time, we were enemies."

"…you are?" Yukiku confused. "…"

"…"

"…"

Yukiku inhaled before continued again. "…alright. Explain what happen that day. How did my brother die… everything."

Naruto breathed out. "…okay."

----------------

"TAA! YAAH! TOOH!" Rock Lee was practicing with Neji. Well… that's what Neji called it. But in the mind of the so-called Konoha Proud Azure Beast, it was 'the Destined Ultimate duel of Fate and the decisive challenge for the might of Youth power.'

Neji, meanwhile, dodged one attack after another, nearly thoughtlessly. His mind, though, drift to something else. To the conversation he just had with Hiashi just yesterday…

Flashback:

"Hiashi-sama… I'd like to ask you some question."

"Does this regarding to Konoha Azure Dragon?"

"Who?"

"Kira Yamato. Konoha Azure Dragon… wasn't it? You were bound to ask that question ever since he saved your life." Hiashi sighed. "It was an ancient myth. My father used to tell me about as a bedtime story… I've never believed it… but some old records and files had shown some things… that actually proved… that he does exist."

"Who is he?"

"Legend says it that he was once a powerful and an amazing warrior. He was so great; the God granted him a gift of immortality and unfathomable power… For some unexplained reason, he became Konoha's unseen protector. He comes and goes as he likes like a wind. He was sometimes pictured as the god of martial arts… for many of Konoha's powerfull and famous warriors were born from the man's hand. One of such you knew… were Shodaime and Niidaime Hokage."

"Shodaime… Niidaime… they were… his student?"

"Yes. But not all of his students served loyally to Konoha… some turned horribly bad… one that I can mention… is Uchiha Itachi."

"Uchiha… Itachi?" Neji couldn't believe his ears. 'Kira was his teacher too?"

"Fugaku once told me that a living legend was training his son. I was wondering who that might be… but there has been some rumors that Itachi was trained by the Konoha azure Dragon. Many people thought that Itachi will truly become Konoha's best under his tutelage. Some even had predicted that Itachi may become the next Hokage… The massacre of the Uchiha clan changed everything as it brought some dark spot into his record. Some people were blaming Konoha Azure Dragon, thinking that it was he who coaxed the Uchiha Itachi to do the act. But still, people hardly recognize him, for those who've seen him in person and knew he was the one… those can be counted with fingers. Eventually, the name were forgotten and he was never mentioned when the case were studied."

"Wait the minute… you said he was the teacher of the first and the second Hokage. But then… the brothers were from a generation of about… (gulp) 60-70 years ago! Then he's… he could probably age more then 100 years old!" Neji's eyes widened. He remembered Kira's face. It was somewhere between 16-18 years old. To think someone like that had aged for perhaps more then 100 years old…

"Well… if you're start talking about age… remember, it is already said that he was an immortal. Records had shown that this man's name had already been recorded even at the very beginning of the foundation of the Fire Country itself. And even that is still a subject of debate… all we know… he existed… long before even Konoha… or perhaps before the world of ninja itself even began."

The Hyuuga prodigy was speechless.

Flashback ends.

'Naruto and Gaara. Those two are the strongest Shinobi I ever knew. Yet, they are still beaten by that Kira Yamato… the Konoha Azure Dragon… I never know such being existed… how can I achieve that kind of power? No, no, what am I thinking? That person had lived even before ANY of us even born. To live for that period of time… considering his experience and lifespan, it is only natural that he has THAT kind of monster strength. But… Kyuusei the Demon Fox and Shukaku the Desert Raccoon must've lived for eons. Their power is very much nearing the level of incomparability… on the other hand…'

"AN OPENING!"

'WHAT?'

A kick caught the Hyuuga Genius by surprise. It hit one of his white eyes, full. "OUCH!"

"YEEESSS! YATTAAAAA! MY VERY FIRST HIT ON MY LIVELONG ARCH NEMESIS!" The genius of hard work had tears streaming down from his eyes.

'Kuso… I let my mind went astray too much…' Neji rubbed his bumped eye. The bump is quite painful. It temporary blinded the said eye a bit. 'Dang it… concentrates!' Neji activated his Byakuugan. Much to his surprise, his Byakuugan stays inactive. 'W… What?'

"OKAY! HERE WE GO AGAIN!"

"Kuso!" Neji dodged one attack after another. Lee disappeared and reappeared on Neji's back, sending him a kick that, much to Lee's surprise, hits Neji's side full. The Hyuuga Prodigy grunted in pain.

"MY SECOND HIT!"

'Wha… What happened to my eyes?' Neji stumble backwards as he stared at both of his hand. He tried to concentrate once again on his eyes to see the Tenketsu point in his arm. Much to his horror, he cannot. Suddenly he realizes that his eyesight is no longer 360 degrees. 'What… What's going on?' Neji touched his forehead protector. 'Am I… losing my Byakuugan?'

"I'M COMING AGAIN! YAAAHHH!"

"I'm not going to fall like this! Jyuuken!"

Neji tried to catch Lee's roundhouse kick. All the sudden, Lee disappear and reappear on Neji's back and landed another swift kick on the Hyuuga's back waist.

"Guh! W… WHAT THE HELL…!"

Gai suddenly noticed something. "LEE STOP! THAT'S ENOUGH!"

The Taijutsu expert stops in an instant. He looks bewildered at Gai's serious look and the frustrated look on Neji.

"…Neji… your eyes… what happened? Why don't you block that attack?"

"I don't know… my eyes… my Byakuugan stops working!"

"…any pain in your seal?"

"No… this is… weird… what… what's happening to me?" Neji start to tremble.

"Wait the minute… where's everybody?" Lee looked around. All the sudden, they realize something's not right. No birds flying in the air, no sound of the wind, no falling leafs it's just… them.

"…this is… Genjutsu? Impossible! What kind of Genjutsu that can fool a Byakuugan?"

"…Somebody release this Genjutsu!" Lee exclaimed.

"Kai!" Gai accumulated some chakra and make a single seal. Everything stayed the same. "What the… KAI! KAI!"

"What is this…?" Suddenly Neji snapped. "…this is… this… something prevents me from using Byakuugan!"

"Huh?"

"How do you know?"

"I… felt… weird… Who… who did this? And what is this?"

"Well, I guess I have a neck for that." Kira appears from thin air right between them.

"WHOAA! Hey! You're Konoha Azure Dragon!"

"Hello there." Kira smirked.

"…"

"KONOHA AZURE DRAGON-SAMA! I'M SO PLEASED TO SEE YOU. DO YOU COME HERE TO WITNESS THE GREAT DESTINIED DUEL OF FATE AND YOUTH, THE CLASHING OF TWO YOUTHFULL SPIRIT OF FIRE: MY DEAR KONOHA AZURE BEAST ROCK LEE, AND HIS FATEFUL ETERNAL ARCHNEMESIS HYUUGA NEJI?"

"Yep." Kira answer short with a huge mental sweat drops at the back of his head.

"What have you… done to me?"

"Well… the question is not entirely correct… the good question I was expecting is 'What have you done to all of us?'"

"…What have you done to all of us?"

"You guys are experiencing the power of my Bloodline Limit. That's all."

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…what?" All three exclaimed in unison.

"…let me say it again: You guys are experiencing the power of my Bloodline Limit. That's all." Kira chuckled.

"Bloodline Limit?"

"Yep. Now, no doujutsu you can use. Have fun." Kira smirked gleefully.

"…" Neji looked at his hands again. Indeed. Now, there will be no Byakuugan anymore. Meaning… "Oh… shit…"

"…What's wrong Neji?" Lee look at his teammate.

"…"

"You can't do anything, can you? Not even the basic Taijutsu or any elemental jutsus?" Kira smirk. 'As I suspected…'

"…no." Neji grit his teeth as he nodded.

"But honestly… you're just going to give up like that?"

"…" Neji look at Kira.

"…so much for the superiority of the Hyuuga clan…" Kira search something underneath his cloak. He pulls out 2 scrolls, and opens them. Smoke arises from both scrolls revealing two 1 meter long Katana. "Try to use these."

"…Katana?"

One Katana is colored in white silver while the other in darkish gold. Both hilts have ornaments of dragon holding an orb. The blade had some engravings carved on the surface.

"Souryuu, Tenryuuga and Chiryuuga (Twin Dragon, Heaven Dragon Fang and Earth Dragon Fang). If in battle your Jyuuken is your 'sword', replace that 'sword' with these two."

Neji look at the two swords. He looks at Lee first. "…no. Lee is using his bare fist to fight. It would be unfair if I use them both."

"…well… I'm not forcing you or anything… but if you just give up without a fight when your greatest weapons are taken away… you're insulting your enemy, even more."

"But… Lee…"

The said Konoha Nin look at the two swords. It seems to be extremely sharp. He gulped.

Gai understood. "Konoha Azure Dragon-sama, I understand if you're trying to help… but… sword fighting against bare-hands…"

"Gai, Gai, Gai… you don't expect real enemies in a shinobi world will follow an ethical code of fairness, are you? Lee-kun, consider this training. Try to fight, an armed shinobi with your bare fist… Let just say… this is another form of your self imposed rule."

Lee's face brightens up in an instant. "I AGREE! NEJI, MY ARCH-NEMESIS! FEAR NOT TO USE IT! I'M READY! AND IF I STILL CAN'T LAND A BLOW AT YOU, I WILL PUNCH IRON LOGS 10,000 TIMES!"

"OH LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

"LEE!"

"GAI SENSEI!"

"…" 'In all the millennia I've lived, I've never heard of anything like this.' **THE FEELING'S MUTUAL, KIRA.**

"…" Neji shook his head. He walked slowly towards the two swords and grabs them. The moment he touches the blade he feels both of his chakra increases at a fast rate. "Gwargh!" 'Wha… What is this… my power… increases… tenfold… twentyfold… it keeps… growing!'

"Ne… Neji…? You're… okay?" Gai look horrified at Neji. Before he could take a step forward Kira grabbed his shoulder.

"No. Let them be. And watch."

Chakra began to flare up from Neji's body. "O… Okay…"

"READY! GO!" Lee disappeared and reappeared at Neji's back.

Neji turned his head towards Lee.

The Taijutsu expert's eyes widens…

----------------

"…and I beat him… he asked me to kill him. He said he didn't wish Zabuza to have a useless weapon."

"…" Yukiku had been listening to Naruto's story for a greater part of an hour.

"…then, Kakashi-sensei tried to kill Zabuza with his jutsu. Haku-san took the hit for him… and he died."

"…" Yukiku tilted her head down.

"…I'm sorry."

"…did he… die… peacefully?"

"…" Naruto remembered Haku's face when he died. Naruto smiled sadly. "…yes. He died the way he wanted it to be."

Yukiku smiled sadly. She looked to the sky and muttered a silent pray. After a moment the girl looked at Naruto. "…thank you for telling me this. It means something to me… thank you."

"…I'm sorry." Naruto muttered the same sentence again as his head tilted down.

"It's alright. Well, I guess I'll take my leave. I suppose you need some time to be alone?"

"No… Not really… I could use some company to talk with."

"Then why you choose to… walk on the rooftop?" Sakura mused.

"…because of… you-know-who." Naruto pointed at his stomach.

"Who's… you-know-who?" Yukiku looked confusingly at Naruto's stomach.

Naruto smirked. "…You-don't-want-to-know-who."

----------------

Meanwhile, back to the training ground, Kami no Angouka realm…

Cuts and gashes filled the ground. Some trees were ripped off from the ground. On the training ground, a panting Neji and Lee, in his Ura Renge state, are on sight. Both have lots of scars and bruise all over their body.

"(Pant)… (pant)…" Lee's panting. 'What was that? Neji doesn't have his Byakuugan but now, all the sudden, the moment he use the twin Katana, he goes somewhat… berserk?'

"Haa… Haa…" Neji grab both Katana tightly. 'What… is this… with each passing moment, I feel my power grows… but…' Neji look at the two Katana. The engravings glow bright yellow. '…it was as if… in return for the power these two swords give me, they suck my life-force along… and what are these voices echoing in my head?'

Gai is literally biting his nails out. He's completely worried about the well being of both of his pupils, Lee in particular.

Kira still observed everything as if nothing happens. He keeps eying Neji cautiously.

"KIRA-SAMA! I BEG YOU, STOP THEM!"

"No. They haven't reached their limit yet. Not to worry, when things getting too dangerous, I'll drop in."

"BUT… But…"

"Look at them Gai. At this rate, where your student goes to the point of using Ura-Renge… Do you really think he will stop even if you ask him?"

"LEE ALMOST DIED THE LAST TIME HE USED URA-RENGE! I WILL NOT LET THE SAME THING HAPPEN AGAIN!"

"…what's his limit?"

"…5 gates."

"5 gates… he had opened 3 so far. When he tries to opens the 5th, I'll stop the whole thing. I promise."

'…okay… fourth gate… Harm Gate… OPEN!'

"And here goes the fourth gate."

"RUAAAA!" Lee dashed towards Neji with almost unseen speed.

Neji steady himself.

'**Retaliate and attack with all your might!'**

'**Dodge the attack and counter with quick attack!'**

'What… WHAT! WHAT SHOULD I FUCKIN' DO?'

Being so confused, Neji didn't realize when Lee had kicked his chin to the sky. Followed soon after, the Taijutsu expert follow up and landing blows after blows to the Hyuuga Prodigy's body.

"…" 'Just as I thought… Doujutsu users are extremely vulnerable when their eyes are taken away…' He secretly unravel the Kami no Angouka realm.

Soon after, Neji start falling to the ground, unconscious. Before he could touch the ground, Tenten caught the falling Hyuuga midair. "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?"

Lee landed soon after and dropped to the floor, writhing in pain.

Kira smirked as tears falling on Gai's eyes.

"Finally… finally… FINALLYY!" Lee yelled to the sky.

Kira walked slowly towards Neji. He kneels down in front of Neji. "…well… I guess you lose."

"…" Neji stared disbelievingly at Kira, then to Lee. 'I've… lost… to Lee…'

"…it's alright Neji…" Tenten tried to cheer him up. But the Hyuuga was too shocked to listen anything.

"…Hyuuga Neji… what are you, without your Byakuugan?" Kira smirked before he stood up and disappeared soon after.

Neji's completely still. Kira's words echoed in his head.

"_What are you, without your Byakuugan?"_

----------------

"…so… what is this…Mr. You-said-I-don't-want-to-know-who-but-in-fact-I-do-yet-you-don't-want-to-tell-me?" Yukiku asked again.

"For the 10th time, Mr. you-don't-want-to-know-who-yet-why-you-insist-to-know is not somebody you want to mess with."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"He could turn you into a soup in less than 10 seconds. There. End of story."

**CORRECTION: A SOUP IN LESS THAN 1 SECOND; ASHES, LESS THAN A HALF; NOTHINGNESS, LESS THAN A QUARTER.**

'Whatever.' "Change of subject. How do you end up the way you are back there?"

'What's wrong with him…?' "…okay… what do you want to know?"

"First of all… you're Haku's twin sister right? Why… you wear a Konoha symbol?"

"…from your story, you know that my brother born in Water country, right? The truth is, our mother gave birth to both of us. …I heard that it's because there was a huge civil war occur in Water country, and us, the bloodline limit bearer, are blamed for it. Thus, she sent me to a relative in Konoha when I'm still a baby."

"I see. But why only you?"

"…it is said that, my bloodline limit power is… more unstable than my brother's. It keep showing around, even when I tried to hold it back. My mother fears that it would blow our cover, so she kept my existence hidden ever since… even my brother and my father didn't know that I exist…"

"How do you know all this?"

"My Mother came here often; disguised as a commoner, she checked up on me… taught me bit by bit about how to utilize my power… she gave me this pair of gloves." Yukiku showed Naruto both of her hand, which is covered in 2 pair of white gloves.

"…what's that for?"

"My mother put some seals on it. The gloves suppress my power, keeping it hidden. When those zombies came, they broke into my house. In panic, I released one of the gloves. My power went out of control, and I got trapped in the ice coffin."

"…I see." Sakura nod in understanding.

"…" Naruto nod once.

"…so… what are you planning now Naruto?" Sakura turned to Naruto.

"Me? The initial plan was… to train under that Ero-Sannin… but… there's… a slight change of plan. And what's with that watermelon?"

"Oh, this? This is for the sick ones… that include you. But actually I plan this for Kakashi-sensei. Anyway, what do you mean slight change?"

"Well… word has it, I'll be trained by someone else that is said 1000 times stronger than Jiraiya-no-hentai."

"Ain't that a bit… exaggerating?" Sakura frowned.

"Dunno… but… it's worth the try nee?"

"…maybe… that crazily strong guy is the one who's going to train you." Yukiku muttered.

"? Which one?" Naruto sent a dumb look.

"…you know… that dragon guy who beat the shit out of you." Sakura caught up.

"…hmmm…" 'Oh yeah…silly me. That's right. He's here to keep an eye on me. I guess it is only natural that he needs to stick with me all the time. Training will be a good excuse…' "Yeah… maybe you're right; I'll go meet him now. Ja ne." Naruto start to walk to the edge of the roof.

"Naruto watch out where you…" Sakura trieed to warn the blond but…

"Yeow!"

…too late. Naruto trip one of the roof tiles and fell over the edge. "Who… WHOAAA!"

"Watch out!" Yukiku rush forward shoving a hand. But instead of catching the hand offered, Naruto catch something else.

"…!"

"Wha…!"

Which is, again, Yukiku's kimono. And AGAIN, Naruto got an eyeful.

"…"

"…"

Sakura sent her infamous Demon fake smile at Naruto. "U. Zu. Ma. Ki. Na… RU… TOOOO!" Sakura spin the watermelon at the top of his head.

"Sakura… no… look I… I… AAAAHHHH!"

Down below… just a floor beneath where Naruto's hanging right now…

Kira was walking to the hospital wing in the Hokage tower when he ran to Hinata, Kiba, Shino, Shikamaru and Temari.

"Hello there folks. Nice day, isn't it?" Kira smiled. Te people addressed immediately recognized him from his dragon garmented cloak.

"You're the one that Naruto talked about… one that beat him." Shino muttered.

"Yes." Kira nodded.

"H-Hai… P-P-Pleased t-t-to m-meet you." Hinata bowed her head deeply.

"Oi ossan! You really kicked Naruto's ass back there?" Kiba showed his fist with a grin.

"Well… kind of… err… I don't know if this much to ask but… could guys… move to that side please?" Kira point to Shino's right.

"Hm? Yeah sure… but what's the big idea?" Kiba, Shino and Hinata do as they told.

"Let's see… 3… 2… 1."

With a loud CRASH, Naruto drops down to the floor right where Kiba was standing beforehand. His face is in… bloody mess. His hospital clothes were covered in red.

Kiba look at the blond. If other people see the situation, it will look as if the fox-host was drenched in a pool of blood.

"…GYAAA! MURDER!" Kiba yelled at Naruto.

"Chill off, dog breath… it's watermelon." Naruto start to get up, brushing some pieces of Watermelon off his clothes.

"Geez… Naruto what are you doing?" Shikamaru winched seeing the bumps and scratches on Naruto's face. 'He must be doing something troublesome again…'

"Getting fresh air." Naruto simply stated.

"You got hit… with Watermelon… just because you're getting fresh air?" Temari look at Naruto disbelievingly.

"Ahh This watermelon? You see… I met this fairy godmother and…"

Everyone sweat dropped.

'…complete idiot.' Kiba is speechless.

'Lame… totally… lame…' Shikamaru shook his head.

"Good day, Naruto-kun." Kira bowed down.

"You… I need to talk with you."

"Yes… yes… I know. Follow me. We'll talk… in another place. I believe you had enough with walking on the roof and try to get yourself killed by falling over the roof or seeing woman's breasts." Kira smirked. Others glare straight at Naruto.

"…Lead the way." Naruto walked slowly towards Kira. The Dragon Shitennou grinned as he start walking while everyone deathglare at the gulping Naruto.

Soon, in the middle of battered village…

Kira was jumping from one ruin to another, while Naruto followed behind.

"So… I heard from Ero-Sannin that you're going to train me?"

"Correct. How do you figure it out?" Kira jumped to another rock.

"Guessing." Naruto jumped twice to another ruin.

"…I see, so Sakura-san caught it up for you eh?"

'Geez… Kyuusei ain't lying about this guy could see through any lies…'

"So… seeing your condition, I say we can start soon enough."

"Guess you're right… So! So! What kind of training we'll do?"

"Eager aren't we? Well, the first thing we have to do is redo your seal. This time to make sure NOT a single bit of Kyuubi Chakra can be transferred to you."

"EEH?"

"That's right. You heard me clear. I'll redo the sealing before we begin training. It's important. We need to train the human part of you to be… stronger. Much… much stronger then your current condition. Only then, can you survive Akatsuki."

"You knew about…Akatsuki too huh?"

"…a group of Missing Nins chasing after Demon kings that is NOT supposed to even BE here. The ShuShin and Shitennou can't just sit back and watch everything unfold. And we're already on the move."

"…I see…"

"…I know I've said this before but… right now, you're no match against them."

"Oh and why's that? I'm the guy who massacred an army by my own… but still… man you're right. I'm still too weak… Say… do you know how strong Akatsuki is?"

"…? Why you ask me?"

"Well since you're a half god I thought you'll be short off… all-knowing…"

Kira chuckles. "Maybe so… but… even beings like us have our limits… but if you want a comparison, I'll give you 2: 1. As far as I know, Akatsuki comprised of Kage-level shinobis… each of them have the ability to take on a single village, if not country, on their own."

"That's… Nuts…"

"…and there's point no 2… you know Uchiha Itachi?"

"The bastard who call himself Sasuke's brother. What's the big idea with him?"

"…remember when I fought you? Back there, I merely showed you a spike of my power. But if my calculations are correct, the level of strength I showed in that battle is exactly the same with the level where Itachi's standing right now… That is…IF he ever goes all out."

Naruto look at Kira disbelievingly.

"Understand? Itachi weren't entrusted to take on YOU for no reason… He does possess the strength needed. The worst part about him, that he can grow strong…VERY fast. You can beat the shit out him in one day and the next day he'll turn the table the other way around in an instant… YOU might go to face people like him in the future quite often."

Naruto slumped lightly. 'Sasuke's brother…is THAT strong? Mother F----r… if that was Itachi… Even I won't be able to lay a finger on him?'

"…correct. As far as you can do is probably scratch him. He's truly a perfect genius."

"…you… knew him?"

"**Kira-sama."**

Naruto jaw dropped. Behind Kira a female Oni suddenly appeared. This Oni had long silver white hair and pure white skin. His eyes look Demonic but at the same time kinda beautiful. Two pairs of smooth silver horns protruding from her head, and her face is quite beautiful, unlike the stories he used to hear that Oni are ugly and messy, this one is very neat and clean. She wears a white and blue Miko robe.

"Junki? What is it?"

"**Kira-sama… Zaiki is making prank on Torii again."**

"I see… Torii's back already eh?"

"**Yes…" **The female Oni burst out. **"I swear Zaiki (Guilty demon) is getting out of control every second. I don't get it why you still keep him around! He's crazy to the core and…"**

"You only say that because you're worried he might hurt himself?"

The white Oni blushed. **"Anyway… if you don't stop him now, he'll end up hurting poor Torii."**

"Nah… As wild as he maybe, he's a kind person. Besides, he'll incur Lacus' and Athrun's wrath if Torii got hurt. Mine too anyway…"

"**Please… And… what do we have here? Kyuusei's Jinchuriki isn't it?"**

"A… Anu… pleased to meet you, Oni-sama."

"**Quite polite for a Demon Lord's host. I'm Junki (Innocent Demon). We've…'met' before… I hope your wounds are not so serious…"**

"Wounds? How do you know?"

"Junki." Kira smirked.

"**Hai. Henge!" **Junki transformed into the White sword Kira used to fight him before hand. The next second, the Tenkaiken reverted back to Junki.

"Wow… just like Gintsume!"

"**Gintsume-san, eh? Well, could you tell him I say hello. Zaiki has been itching to have that Janken (Paper Rock Scissor) race again with him."**

"JanKen race?" Naruto smirked. 'Why does it resemble somebody I know well?'

"**Yes… anyway, Kira-sama, please. Torii."**

"Right. Well, I'll be going. Prepare yourself well Naruto."

"Wait! How do you know Itachi so much?"

"Because… …he was my pupil." Kira disappeared along with Junki soon after.

Naruto's jaw couldn't get any lower.

----------------

"I still don't understand."

"What is it that you don't understand?"

"…last time I see you that were after Obito's funeral. After that you just… disappeared."

"And you think I'm already dead?"

"…well… short of…"

"Honestly, did you really think I would die that easily?"

"No… I mean 'die' here is not literally. I mean your spirit."

"You think I'll just go broke after Obito's death?"

"…Short of… you always love him."

"I did… and I still do… even after his death…" Rin's eyes began to water.

"Hey… hey… come on… I'm not good in dealing with a woman's tears…"

"Sob… I missed him Kakashi… I missed him so much… sob…" Rin continued to sob.

"Geez… come here." Kakashi stretched his arm and patted his old teammate's hair as Rin buried her face to the bed.

After some time, Rin got her tears under control. "…sob… still… I'm glad you're okay."

"…glad to be alive…" Kakashi pat his silver hair as he yawns. "So, what have you been doing all these years?"

"…I've… gone to one place to another… keep learning and learning more about medical science, jutsu or non-jutsu, lending my skills to those who need it. Then, one day, I felt kinda homesick. Just in time when I heard that Konoha was attacked… I guess I was late nee?"

"Yes you are… still, its better be late than never. We need all able doctors we can get."

"Are you referring to Tsunade-baa-san wounds?"

"Can you do anything about it?"

"The injuries that she had suffered are very extreme to the point where even I, unfortunately, can't help it. The surgery required to heal her is… special. Only Tsunade-baa-san that can do it. I don't know how… so… I'm sorry."

"…Damn…" Kakashi lay his head back to the pillow.

"…say Kakashi… how have you been doing lately?"

"…hmh? Well, you see, I've been doing well. I got my own team, and believe me it really feels like our old team: an Uchiha and two 'normal' children. A prodigy, an idiot, and a fangirl."

"I'm NOT a fangirl."

"But you love Obito. This one too. She loves the Uchiha."

"Oh. And I suppose the Uchiha is… an idiot?"

"Nope. On the contrary, he's the genius one here."

"Talk about karma."

"Yeah. Anyway, things had been… a little awry a bit… and my team is now malfunctioning so… practically I'm jobless. That's all."

"…I see…" Rin nodded.

----------------

Neji walk aimlessly towards the Hyuuga compound. Kira's word echoes still.

"_What are you without your Byakuugan? What are you without your Byakuugan? What are you without your Byakuugan? What are you…"_

"…without your Byakuugan? Neji, what are you talking about?"

Neji snaps when he recognizes the voice. "…Hiashi…sama…"

The hyuuga prodigy had bumped into Hiashi. "What've happened? You look… beaten up."

"…I am…"

"…something wrong?"

"I… I…" '…I've lost… to Lee…

"…you were muttering this sentence over and over again… What are you without your Byakuugan… what was that all about?"

Neji remembers again about that said sentence.

"_You Hyuugas are NOTHING without your eyes!"_

"_Hyuuga Neji… what are you, without your Byakuugan?"_

Suddenly, everything goes clear all the sudden. He stares at Hiashi and flow the _real _question out.

"…Hiashi-sama… what are the Hyuugas… without our Byakuugan?"

Hiashi jaw drops. "…Neji… what kind of question is that?"

"…I kept on thinking… and suddenly, everything went clear… Hiashi-sama… what are the Hyuugas… if they lost their Byakuugan?"

"…that's impossible. Byakuugan is the very thing that makes a Hyuuga. Without it, a Hyuuga can no longer be called part of the clan. What made you think so?"

"…this world… is so vast… We always thought that the Hyuuga are supreme… but we are not… even before him… the supremacy of Byakuugan glows pale…"

"What are you talking about?" Hiashi chuckles nervously. Then he realizes that Neji's serious. "…Neji… what happened?"

"…I fought with Lee…"

"Uh hum. For the umpteenth time I guess…"

"And I lost."

To say that the Hyuuga head wasn't shocked is an understatement.

"...Hiashi-sama… is there any Hyuuga Jutsu that does not require Byakuugan to work effectively?"

"…not that I know of…"

"…I see." Neji tilt his head down. "…I'm sorry I've tarnished the name of the Hyuuga."

"…Neji…"

Neji look at his hands. "…surpassing one's limit… surpassing one self…"

Kira's statement in his battle with Naruto and Gaara flashes again.

"_Your strength isn't real. What you thought your greatest weapon will be your greatest weakness. Took that power away, and you two will be nothing more but powerless weaklings."_

"That statement… it wasn't just for both of them…"

"_What are you, without your Byakuugan?"_

"It's for us… for all bearers of bloodline limits…" He immediately stands up and starts walking towards the opposite direction. "…Hiashi-sama… I'm going to train for a few more hours near the Shi no Mori… maybe I'll return late, so don't wait for me."

"…be careful." Hiashi nods. He still don't know what had happened to his nephew, but he knows, from the look on his eyes, it had somewhat changed him. 'I just hope that it will not bring him to a wrong path…' Hiashi start walk back to the compound.

Neji walk briskly towards the said forest. 'To free oneself from the clutch of dependency on the power of the bloodline limit… this is going to be a REAL hardwork.'

Neji arrived soon after at the borders of Death Forest. He's surprised to see a person that looks like had been waiting there for some time.

"…Naruto?"

"Neji? What are you doing here?"

"…I was… I was planning to train… but what are you doing?"

"…as you can see… I'm training as well. So far, all I did is running throughout the edge of the forest 20 times. I still got 80 more to go."

"…mind if I join?"

"Be my guest."

----------------

In the field where Kira fought with Naruto and Gaara…

"Thanks for the news Torii."

"Torii! Torii, Torii!"

"Yes, yes… Zaiki, don't do that again okay?"

"**Hey, I didn't chase him with a Giant butcher knife like I usually did this time…" **An Oni with red hair and tanned skin walks behind Kira, scratching his extremely messy and spiky medium hair. Long, gold horns protruding from his head and his eyes are yellow slit, which has some good eyebags below the said eyes. Unlike Junki whose appearance is so neat and bright, Zaiki is far from neat. Scary and dark would be appropriate. He left his black chest bare while his left arm is covered in Demonic black, spiky, Japanese shoulder and gauntlets. Also, unlike the fuming Junki, Zaiki looks… cold, lazy and messy.

"**No, you didn't… but you chase him with A FREAKIN' 18 POUND CANNON BALL!"**

"**At least I didn't try to swat him…"**

"**No you didn't as well… BUT YOU'RE SHOOTING AT HIM FOR GOOD-LORD'S SAKE." **Junki screamed to Zaiki. The latter yawned lazily.

"**Only a few shots…" 'The damn chicken got away anyway…'**

"**Torii's not a Chicken and you know he's NOT your meal! He's Kira-sama's friend and trusted messenger! How could consider everything to be your meal?" **Being an Oni, Junki was able to read minds.

"**Well there are some things that I like and don't like… I like eating, drinking, sleeping, killing, teasing… and I don't like you. As for food…I eat everything except veggies and fellow Oni like you."**

"**Zaiki… don't change the subject!" **Junki gritted her teeth.

"**Che… it's still a bird… a bird is always edible, no?"**

"**You. Are. HOPELESS!" **Junki shrieked in frustration.

"It's alright you two… at least Torii's okay." Kira laughed at the amusing conversation. He looked at Torii. "Torii, well done. Good report. Now, go to Athrun, and tell him to wait in the road from Konoha to Suna. Gaara and his siblings will pass that road on their way back to Sunagakure."

Torii pecked Kira's palm friendly once before set off.

"Okay… now on to the second matter." Kira shifted his gaze towards a certain Gourd. Gaara's gourd. It has been left there after the great fight.

The gourd trembles.

"**Shukaku isn't it?"** Junki smiled playfully.

Kira cracked his knuckles. "Let's get this over with. You're in charge of direct violation towards rule of yadda yadda… by the rights bestowed upon me from all the numbo jumbo up there and etc, etc… I order you to leave **him** alone." Kira muttered lazily. The two Demon servants look at Kira questioning his seriousness. Kira simply answered. "We have to get **him** out of there first. Then he will listen."

The gourd is still trembling in its place.

"**For bloody god sake, let's just kick him out of there, behead the bastard and end this…" **Zaiki scratch his messy hair in annoyance. **"Damn fleas…"**

"**If you listen to what I said and have at least a BATH once in your life, you want have those blood sucking little devils on your hair!"** Junki scolds. Kira look at the two Demons behind him with glee.

Not wanting to wait any longer, the gourd shot out a burst of sand. The Sand Demon tries to escape. Kira smirk as he still gazes at the bickering duo.

"**Hey, look… He's escaping…" **Zaiki points out lazily.

"**Nah don't worry about it… rather than worrying about him, you should worry on how to deal with that hair of yours!" **Junki retort. She turned to Kira. **"…still Kira-sama… is it wise?"**

"Hmmm?"

"…**you can only use Ura-Satori: Kami-no-Angouka 4 times a month, even with your current level of Chakra… is it wise to use it more than once in a day?"**

All the sudden, a burst of sand appears right behind Kira. It pauses for a moment and continues to swirl angrily in place.

"Well, I'm not going to use it again any time soon…" Kira smirks. The parameters had been set. The Kami no Angouka realm had ensure that NOBODY going in or out the area. He glared straight at the swirling sand.

Eventually, the sand forms a face of a man. But it looks so horrible. It was as if it's melted down due to the sand. His eyes, mouth and nose had become nothing but holes on the sand swirl. It howls angrily. **"lEt… mE… GO!"**

"…to be more specific, you've violated the rule of Demon misusing and guilty of Demon harassment. Moreover, you're threatening the balance between the three worlds. 50 years ago, Kyuusei had been yelling on my desk, asking a search party to be assembled… He's been itching to put a blade on the head of whomever mortal who dares to kidnap his little Shukaku. If I were you Kunugi-san, I suggest you leave Shukaku-kun, here and now… before we force you to." Kira states.

"**riDiCulOus. I'vE aBsoRbEd all hIs poWeR! I AM Shukaku!"**

"No. You're not, and you'll never be. Kunugi-san. You were once a respectable Sunagakure priest. Your lust for power, however, made you performed a demonic ritual and summoned the true Shukaku unto this world. Since it's a mortal that summoned Shukaku, we the Shitennou couldn't do much about it. But your actions towards Shukaku-kun and all its Jinchurikis, which are in total of 3 Jinchurikis, for the last 50 years, were deemed as unforgivable. Now I'm offering you a chance. You can leave Shukaku alone now and go to the spirit world peacefully, or I'll force you."

"**Actually, we prefer to just kill you, right here, right now…" **Zaiki yawns. Junki nudged his rib tad hard. **"Still… Kira-sama has given you the chance… so it's your decision."**

"**HoW DarE yOu tO OrdEr Me ARounD? I aM ShUkaKu, thE gReaT DeMoN oF tHe SanD…"**

"And I told you, you never were. Now we're running short on time here. So if you please hurry up and make up your mind?"

"**GrAAhR! DiE!" **The sand swirl shot a burst of sand that head straight at Kira. The latter simply stand still as both of his Demons charges forward and stop the attack.

"**GuH!" **The sand swirl dashed out, trying to run again. But before he could even go far…

"**Where the hell you think you're going?"** The sand stop dead on its tracks. Kira appears right behind him, grabbing the sand. Electricity filled the air as Kira's eyes turn to Seiryuu's eyes. **"You're not going anywhere tonight, Mr. Kunugi."**

"**No… PLeaSe! DON'T!"**

"**Unfortunately… I'm not as forgiving as my host is… heck, even if it was my host… I doubt he will show any mercy at all… Shukaku's soul is on his heart. Do it Kira."** Kira raise his hand and gathered electricity. He mercilessly shoved his fist to spot where Seiryuu had point it out. The sand shrieked.

In the hospital, Gaara's body suddenly goes rigid as he starts let out low gasps. He unconsciously grips his heart. The seal on his neck burn hot. Both of his sleeping Siblings didn't realize this.

After a pack of wailing and howling, Kira pull his arm out. "Got him." Kira palm holds a yellow bright ball of light. Some sand swirls around the ball. Meanwhile, the 'Shukaku' in Kira's hand is writhing in pain. The sand crumbles apart the moment Kira pull off the spirit out, revealing a half naked, bald, extremely obese old man (He only wears torn shorts). He nearly resembles an overgrown pig if not for the small grey white moustache below his crooked nose.

Zaiki looked at the overweight person, saliva dripping. **'Okay… let's see… we can make a stew out of his heart, a nice big steak from his thigh, boil his inner organs for a very nice soup, some sashimi and sushi from his other thigh, and… ah yes… some barbeque with his fat loaded meat would be VERY nice…'**

"**Stop the cuisine list. We got work to do." **Junki shook her head in amusement.

"LET GO OF ME!" He squeaked in horror.

"Well, I've warned you Mr. Kunugi…time for you to go back to the spirit world. Now, we can do this the easy way…"

"RHAA!" Kunugi charges towards Kira's arm, attempting to get Shukaku back. Kira raise the mortal before slam him back to the ground, head first.

"**Or we can do this in the VERY easy way." **Seiryuu's eyes are back as he growls. Kira/Seiryuu holds the guilty mortal firmly; face down, to the ground.

"**Kira-sama… with the Shukaku is in his current state, I think the Jinchuriki is…"**

"I know. He's dying right now. Junki, Zaiki, I'll leave him to you. Do what you need to do." Kira disappeared soon after, leaving a very terrified Kunugi.

"No… NO! I don't WANT TO DIE!" The fat sand priest stared at the two Demons with horror.

"**You should know. Kira-sama had given you the choice… yet you threw it away. If you want to hate, hate yourself for making your own situation worsened."** Junki look with utter disgust.

"**We'll try to kill you… as less painful as we can…" **Zaiki smirks evilly.

"A… AAAHHH!" Kunugi rushes backwards. Or at least, he tries to do so when he suddenly realized that he could no longer move. He looked at his plump legs to find they're no longer there. A fiery yellow aura flows out from the stump where his legs had been. He looked to the front to see Junki, carrying a pair of white blades she had used to cut both of the Priest's legs.

"**Namu Amida Butsu…"** Junki silently pray.

Zaiki appeared right next to the terrified Kunugi's head. A black Zanbatou materialized on his left hand. **"Sayonara." **With that, Zaiki beheaded the mortal in an instant.

Back to the hospital, Gaara's breathing start to fade when Kira materialized right on his room. "…Gaara-kun… Shukaku-kun… I hope you two can get along and help each other… until we can help you two for good." Kira looked at the ball of light on his palm, then to the very weak Gaara. His two siblings are still asleep.

The Shitennou made a set of one hand seal. 'Fuuin Jutsu: Genryuu Ichi Fuujin. (Sealing Jutsu: Illusionary Dragon Complete Seal of One.)' Kira's chakra accumulates around Shukaku's soul, forming a dragon. The Chakra dragon swallowed Shukaku's spirit before rushed in to Gaara's belly. The dragon sank in and a few moments later, Gaara's breathing stabilizes. Kira smiled.

"…oyasumi-nasai…Gaara-kun."

The dragon Shitennou dematerializes again…

----------------

----------------

----------------

It's now 23:30. Okay, that's it. For those who had been waiting for a long time, I'm sorry. It's just… I got the idea… but to carry them out is the hardest part… Know what I mean?

About Haku's twin sister name, I think it kinda fit well with Haku's name that means white. You know; black and white concept… something like that… Yukiku's existence is hidden from her brother and father's knowledge while Haku's is let known. That's where I get the idea for her name: Yukiku: Shrouded/covered in darkness. She's a child whose true identity has been hidden or covered from her own family.

For Zaiki's outfit, remember Mitsurugi's first outfit in Soul Calibur 3. Add some long spikes on the shoulder armor and color it jet black.

I'm thinking of rewriting Chapter 9… I find it that some of you are confused… I know. That chapter is very hard for me to explain too. (Kira's armor and weapons in particular.) I'll try to figure out a way.

Oh, and, I know it's probably a bit late but… HAPPY NEW YEAR 2006!

As usual: Read and Review please.

Ja ne.


	11. Bulls and Cola Cans

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": in Naruto's case, him in berserker mode. However, I will use this format for other purpose when it's necessary.**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA: Kyuubi demon form speech**

Disclaimer: I'm bored of repeating the same thing again and again so… Read the first 5 chapters

Chapter 11:

Bulls and Cola Cans

"Could you guys tell me once again WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?" Tenten's eyes couldn't stop twitching.

"Eerr… well…"

"You see… err…"

"Very…unusual things occurred last night… err…"

"…well?" the weapon expert had refrained herself from hurdling a pack of Shuriken to the asses of the two, in her opinion, idiots before her for the last 5 minutes.

"…well… you see… we were… training."

"…and?" The weapon mistress was thumping her foot on the ground.

"…yeah… well… we trained… rigorously-"

"-VERY rigorously."

"…that doesn't explain why we found you two were half naked with this part of the forest burned down." Hiashi shook his head. His hand's stroking poor Hinata's head, who, had passed out a few minutes ago. Here they were: worried sick that Neji didn't return from the forest for the whole night. Eventually, that morning, they decided to bring some food to the forest and find him. And now, here they are, looking at Neji, who, in all his glory, most of his clothes had been burned down. Next to him, is none other than one Uzumaki Naruto, whose condition was nearly exact same with the latter beside him. Tenten might be able to withstand a sight where Neji only wear what's left of his boxer shorts, but poor Hinata can't. She fainted the second she saw Naruto wearing only tiny bits of what's left of his burned pants.

"…well… during the training, a thunder struck!" Naruto cried out.

"…thunder?"

"Yeah! Yeah! A big, huge, THUNDER!" Naruto smiled nervously. He turned his head towards the glaring Neji.

'…this is your entire fault, you know.' Neji sent a deathglare to Naruto. He remembered again what happened last night…

_Flashback…_

After the two finished their run around the forest, they found that it's already late at night. Neji was contemplating to go back when he suddenly realized something.

"…Naruto? Where are you going to sleep tonight?"

"I make a little house here."

"House?" Neji look surprised at Naruto.

"Yeah. Honestly I was quite surprised as well. I thought that place won't last after the Chuunin exam and the Sound invasion but…"

"…you… made a house?"

"…yep. It's just a simple tree house made of some twig and leafs. I built it when I was seven… as I grew older I've enforce it with soil, mud, wood… anything I can use." Naruto began to walk.

"…why you made such… house?" Neji followed Naruto.

"…well… I used to made lots of pranks to the villagers… sometimes, they got pretty mad to the point where the whole village after me. When that happens, I go there… I used to play in it, thinking it as a mighty fortress… That…'tradition' kept on until I was 8, then I started reinforce it little by little… And now, it has become a nice, convenient little spot of mine."

"Oh… you lived there?"

"For the time being, yes. My apartment is destroyed, and I wish to sleep in peace without any… hooligans break and entry."

"…hmm… where is this… house?"

Naruto smirks. "I understand if you can't see it now. Recently I've reinforced with… some of Kyuusei's gifts."

"Huh?"

Naruto smirk widened. "…Kitsune Genjutsu: Kai!" Some trees suddenly disappeared in a wisp of smoke, revealing a single giant old tree. On one of the tree trunk, a small tree house is on sight.

"A… tree house?"

"Welcome to Uzumaki Manor." Naruto bow jokingly at Neji.

The tree house is not so big, but it's not so small either. The walls look as if they were made by crisscrossing twigs and branches. Apparently, some of the pillars of the house were part of the tree. The wooden roof had a single hole on top. The house is built on top of a platform made of bundles of wooden logs tied together with roots and stuff.

"Well, well… that's pretty… nice work you've done there."

"Heh. I guess this deadlast could do anything if I put my minds into it."

"You shouldn't call yourself a deadlast anymore… you're not one… and you never were." Neji looked at Naruto friendly.

Naruto look at Neji and smirks. "…yeah. So, wanna come in?"

"Well… sure." Neji is more interested in this… Uzumaki Manor. "How do you… go up?"

"Well… you're a ninja… you should be able to walk on the trees."

"Oh. No no… I mean, when you're still don't know how to do so."

"Oh… see those vines?" Naruto points at some vines lingering around the tree base.

"I see."

"I stop using it after my first C class mission, since I already know tree climbing technique by then."

"You did? Gai didn't teach us that until a year after we were graduated."

"Really?" 'I guess Kakashi did give us a really good teaching then…'

"But… this is Shi no Mori. The DEATH forest. Have you never had any problems with the beast that live here?"

"No."

**YOU COULD THANK ME FOR THAT.**

'Huh?'

**ANIMALS CAN SENSE DANGER BETTER THAN HUMANS. THEY KNOW THE CONSEQUENCES OF DISTURBING YOU, WHICH IS MY FURY, THUS, THEY LEFT YOU ALONE.**

'Interesting…' "Kyuubi's reputation warded them off."

"Hmmm… I guess having an eons old demon in your body is pretty neat ne?"

"Yes… it is… but at the same time… is not really that… beneficial for my stomach… if you know what I mean?" Naruto gather some fire woods and light it with his red hellfire. The place was illuminated instantaneously.

"Ha, ha… I guess I am… the creature was so scared at you… even the ones that are edible ran away from you just before you can get close to them."

"Correct. They ran away from me even before I've reached the distance of 10 feet from them. Thus, I have to resolve on mushrooms and other edible plants so far… still… I've survived." '…come to think about it, these animals had never been so scared like this before I got my body modified.'

"Need a hand?"

"Are you okay with it? I mean, it's already near midnight and your family…"

"Nah… they must've finished the dinner already…" Neji cracks his fist.

"Okay then…"

And the two began their night hunt. With Neji's Byakuugan, it would be ridiculously easy to find any edible swine. But it looks like; the hyuuga had something in his mind.

"Err… Naruto, do you mind if I didn't use my Byakuugan?"

"Neee? Why? It's already dark! We're going to need it!"

"Err… something… happened to my eyes today… and I rather not to use it." 'That's right… I need to learn not to depend on it.'

"…"

**KIT. YOU CAN USE YOUR EARS IF YOU WANT TO.**

'How?'

**CLOSE YOUR EYES.**

Naruto did as he was told. Then all the sudden, everything gone a bit weird. He could barely see things vaguely. 'What… is this?' He took a step forward. The echo of the sound of his footstep glows blue as he dimly see his foot. 'What is this?'

**HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN THE LIMIT OF YOUR EARS NOW? YOUR ENHANCED EARS CAN NOW WORK THE LIKE A SONAR RADAR. IT CAN PICK UP ANY KINDS OF VOICE. TAKE EXAMPLE, YOUR FRIENDS HEARTBEAT.**

Naruto looked around (His eyes are still closed) than he heard thumping. Heartbeats. He looked at Neji's direction. "…Neji?"

"Yes, Naruto?" Neji looked confused for a moment then it hit him. "Naruto… Why do you close your eyes?"

"…I'm testing my new ears… damn! It's too cool!"

"Really? How is it go?"

"Felt like I got two sonar sensors on my head… I can tell your location just by the sound of your heartbeat."

"Really… can you see in the dark?"

"No. But the information acquired from the sound was enough to bring the picture to my brain…" 'It's just like when I tested it on the Battlefield (AN: Remember the breathing mask on the chapter 6) back there…'

**TRY TO MAKE A TAD LOUD SOUND.**

'Tad loud…' Naruto stomp the ground tad hard. Although it doesn't sound really loud on Neji's ears, it results differently on Naruto's head. The sound of the thump from his foot creates a 10 feet diameter, blue circular shockwave around Naruto, surveying the ground around him to the tiniest detail. (AN: For those who had watched Daredevil the movie, Naruto's ear works the same way with DD's ears)

**YOU KNOW BATS RIGHT? THEY HAVE AN ABILITY TO LET OUT ULTRASONIC SOUNDWAVE. WHEN THE WAVE HITS AN OBJECT, IT WILL REBOUNCE BACK TO THEIR EARS. THEN, THE INFORMATION SENT TO THEIR BRAIN WOULD BE ENOUGH FOR THEM TO GENERATE AN IMAGE OF THEIR SURROUNDINGS. YOUR NEW EARS WORKS THE SAME WAY.**

'Too cool.' "Okay, Neji. I'm going to locate our food. Once I told you where, can you catch it?"

"No prob." 'The irony… we both switch roles here… he locate, I catch… oh well.' Neji smiles at the amusing thought.

"Bring it on!" Naruto stamp the ground hard. The sound shockwave surveys the area within 15 feet radius. Naruto smirks. "The closest one is… a rabbit, 3'o clock; it's kneeling on the grass, about 12 feet from here."

"! Wait! A rabbit?"

"What?" Naruto look at Neji.

"I may not look like it, but cutie animals like Rabbits and alike aren't really my thing." 'Can't stand their innocent little eyes…'

"…okay, another target will be…" Naruto stomped the ground once again. "…a herd of rabid wild bulls, 11'o clock, 8 feet from here, running straight at us, full speed." He muttered thoughtlessly.

Neji was about to set off when the last information click in. "Excuse me… bulls… running straight at us?"

"Yes." Naruto looked at Neji questioningly, and then the information also sunk in. "JUMP!"

The two immediately jump towards the tree house. Shortly after, a flock of bulls come crashing into view.

"…"

"…"

After the last trickle of rising smoke vanished, Neji look at Naruto, questioning his sanity. "What are you THINKING? Asking me to charge in to a flock of rampaging bulls?" He thanked to all the gods up there that he was born a genius. Otherwise he would've head out without much of a thought. "Are you trying to kill me?"

"…" Naruto's figure stays silent.

Neji look angrily at Naruto, and then he notices something. "…Naruto?"

"…" Abruptly, LOUD grumbles sound out from Naruto's stomach. "…I'm… Hungry…"

"…" Neji almost sweat-dropped. He finally understood. Right now, Naruto is extremely hungry. He's so starving, that his mind can no longer think straight. All he could think off right now is probably to find anything that is EDIBLE. No matter how dangerous they are. 'This is definitely not good…'

Grrr… grr… Naruto's stomach grumbled even louder, demanding to be filled.

"…man… oh well…" 'It's emergency anyway… Byakuugan.' Neji's white eyes scanned everything in the area. "…found them. Naruto, gather more firewood okay?"

Neji dashed out soon after. Naruto, slowly, gathered some sticks and dead branches around. His stomach continued to growl in protest. 'Stupid stomach… just wait will you?'

After a few minutes, Neji returned with his hunt.

"…Neji… what are… those?"

"…This? This is our dinner."

"…I'm not. Eating. Lizards."

"Well, your loss then… but from what I've heard, it tastes like a chicken. Put the woods over there."

"…" Naruto frowns a bit, but his stomach enforced its emptiness with another loud growl. "…okay." The blond put the stack of woods on the ground. Neji grabbed some sharp sticks, and then drive it through one of the lizards' head. Naruto light the woods again with a flick of his Hellfire.

A few moments later, the smell of roasted lizards start to arise. Naruto, no matter how reluctant he does to eat a lizard, had to admit: it smells quite good.

The two continue to wait for their meal to be all cooked up. Naruto tried his best, and fail miserably, to contain the sound of his hungry stomach. When another growl slips through once again, Naruto decides to try to forget it for a moment. Right now, the only course of actions he could think of: either eat the lizards raw, or talk to his white eyed companion. 'The second option sounds better…' "Say Neji."

"Hmm?"

"Let's talk."

"About what?"

"Well… anything. Like… your team or something… the three of you, Tenten, Gejimayu and you. You guys were from a year before me… right?"

"Yes."

"…what it's like… back there… you and your team."

"…I don't know."

"Eh?"

"I mean… I don't know where to start… really… all I can say is… me and Tenten is probably the only person that is mentally sane in our team."

"…no doubt about it… how many times Gai gave out his youth fire lecture?"

"Nah… I've lost count." Neji smirked. "…still… at first… I don't really give a damn. All I care back there is just to follow the winds of destiny and let it blow me around… but now… I have to say it… I don't know since when but… now, I begin to feel that… a live without them… would probably as empty as hell."

"…" Naruto smiled. 'Spoken like a true comrade.'

"…off course, dealing with Lee challenging me everyday… Gai yelling his lecture at 8 decibels each day… I begin to wonder why I didn't go insane after so much exposure."

"Ha, ha… but you enjoyed it right?"

"…kind of… there are times that… somehow, I kind of happy that they're around… all in all… I'm glad I have them…" Neji smiles contently.

"…say Neji, what was your Genin test?"

"Huh?"

"You know, when a Genin are graduated from the academy, their Jounin instructor give them a test, to know whether they can become Genin or not. What Gai asked you to do?"

"…don't ask."

"Huh?"

"Believe me… you don't want to know. It was so…"

"So…?"

"So… So."

"So what?"

"…just so. Indescribable. Believe me. You wouldn't want to know."

"…hmm." Naruto eye Neji sharply.

"…what are yours Naruto? It must be pretty tough for you. Especially with Kakashi. I heard he never pass a single student."

"Kakashi, eh? Well, one thing you need to know, whenever you make an appointment with this guy, make sure you tell the time is 3-4 hours ahead of your intended time. Cause he'll always late. Saying reasons like: I lost in the way called life, I have to help the old lady on the streets of justice or what-shits…"

"…Anything else I need to know?"

"…well… he got this sixth sense, that whenever somebody's trying to rip his mask off, something always came about that we almost never saw it." Naruto remembered the time when team 7 tried to open the said Jounin's mask. They've bribed him with Ramen, tried to shower him with hot water, challenged him, forced him… but still he somehow shook it off and the god-damn piece of leather are still stuck on his face. Even when in the hospital back there, he still wore the god damn thing. 'One of these days… I'll do a prank, especially made just to uncover his face. Just you wait KAKASHI-SENSEI!' "…as for why he's so god-damn perverted, I don't have a single clue."

"…" Neji sweat drops. 'And Gai is trying to beat that kind of guy?' "What is his exam?"

"His exam… is actually pretty… 'Simple'. Grab the bell."

"Grab the bell?"

"Yep. He got two bells; we have to get it before 12 o'clock."

"Well that's too simple, no?"

"Ah-hah! You fell for it. Check the sentence: two bells. Three future-Genin. Bring any bounce?"

"Two… oh I see. That's cruel."

"Yeah…he wants us to compete each other. The loser 'that's me' will be tied to a log, and the others will eat their lunch right in front of him."

"…nasty."

"Sadistic, I tell you. In fact, he did say that whoever loses that day will be kicked back to the academy. But eventually he sentenced us all to quit being a ninja."

"Eh?"

Naruto smirked at the memory. "At that time… all of us… I'm telling you buddy… at that time, we're no team. We're a band of stupid brats who doesn't know our place… we are individuals… with our own selfish goals. Me, Hokage title, Sakura, Sasuke's love, and Sasuke…" Naruto frowned at his renegade friend. How many months now has it been ever since Kakashi graduated them? So many things changed. They've become a team. A group of… brothers and sisters in arms that can depend on each other. And now… his team was… shattered like this…

Neji noticed the sudden change of mood. He regretted that he had brought the subject up. "Here." Neji grabbed one of the lizards and give it Naruto. "Eat up. You could use some meal."

"…thanks." Naruto took the stick and sniffed on the lizard. "…say… Neji… what are your… missions?" Naruto took a bite will he said so. Much to his surprise, it tastes good.

"…missions? Well mostly are ridiculous and boring D missions. 2 or 3 C class missions… nothing serious. You know… helping the farmers, warding off some gangsters, buying groceries…" 'Which is a nightmare since Tenten will also go to her shopping frenzy mode. Thank goodness I had Byakuugan…' "…what about yours?"

"Pretty much the same…most of the D rank mission involves a certain cat with a blue ribbon on his left ear, and his name starts with T. The last time that Sandaime almost give me that mission again, I put a face saying: 'give me a C or B rank mission or I'll choke that cat's neck'."

"That's the Daimyo wife's cat you're talking about." Neji snorts. He remembers that poor cat very well. It must be Tora. The Fire Country daimyo wife's pet. He had that one mission once, and Lee became infatuated with the said cat. The mission ended up in a nightmare which involved some scratches and clothes shredding. Ever since that, he swore that if he saw that rabid cat again, he's going to use a Jyuuken to put it down, permanently.

"With that kind of fat lady singing everyday on my ears… if I were that cat, I would probably do the same." Naruto remembered again the poor cat. "Say Neji… any… interesting events during your missions?"

"Not that I know off… unless if you have to count the bills we receive from all the damage caused by that dynamic insane duo with their hyperactive overacting destructive techniques!"

"I bet that Sandaime nearly fainted?"

"Not really… but he cut it out of our wages."

"Ouch."

"…what about yours?"

"Me? Ah ha, ha… Nah. I only make a fool out of myself most of the time… But I… I do have a very interesting mission… my first C; unofficially A; class mission."

Neji blurt at the word. "A? Are you kidding me? What do you mean unofficially?"

"It's a long story."

"It's a long night."

"Don't fall asleep."

"Hurry up."

"…Wave country. It's a small poor country on a rural island in the middle of a sea. As you might already guess it, most of the work there involves everything about water. Fishing, shipwrights… stuff like that. BUT, unlike other countries, they don't have any hidden village of their own. That's why, for missing Nins and alike, that place is their favorite spot. That's what written on the Atlas. Now, there's this asshole named Gatou. He wants to monopolize that island. That son of bitch terrorized the city, and isolated it from every outside contact. Our client, named Tazuna, wanted to build a bridge that connects the island to the outside country. Gatou didn't like that so…"

"He tried to kill Mr. Tazuna. And you guys are ordered to protect him?"

"Correct. At first, Tazuna assigned that mission as C class rank. We thought that mission would only involves beating some punks and alike to pulp. We were wrong."

"You guys facing Chuunin shinobis instead."

"Jounins. One Jounin level and 3 Chuunins. By the gods… when you compare it with our skills back there… they're powerful bastards I tell you."

"Really…" Neji frowns.

"…still… I learn something very important that day. And I still hold on to it until now… probably for the rest of my life."

"…what?"

"Neji… do you have… do you have someone important to you? People you're willing to give up your live to protect them?"

"Important? Well… my family… my teammate… so many."

"Don't worry; numbers had nothing to do with it. But I do learn this: that when you protect someone that is important to you… that's when one's true strength appears… it maybe sound ridiculous but… I'm telling you, it's the strength that has kept me going until now. The battle with Shukaku, the battle to get Sasuke…so many battles…until now." Naruto smiles sadly.

"…I see… so that's what keeps you going?"

"Huh?"

"Well, aside the fact that you got Kyuubi on your stomach, I always wondered what hold your strength… I guess that's one."

"Hm." Naruto smirks.

The two continued to chat happily through the night. Naruto was quite shocked at how easy it was to talk with the supposedly ice block guy Hyuuga Neji. 'Maybe hanging around with Sasuke does have its uses. Neji's pretty much like Sasuke… a genius type.'

"So… Naruto, tell me… about yourself."

"Myself?"

"Yes. You know much about me… and my family too…" 'Come to think of it, the whole village knows.' "…but… I never know about… well… yours."

"…me? Oh… my family?" Naruto smirks. "…I… well, seriously… I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"Yeah… all I know is, they've given me birth right on the day when Kyuubi attacked… I never know them. Maybe… they got killed during the attack or something…"

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to…"

"Nah it's alright. Somebody had to bring that up… sooner or later anyway…"

"…so all those years… no, forget it. I don't want to think how you have survived your childhood."

"…Sandaime took me into his care."

"!"

"For that time being, yes. Then, from what I've heard, after a series of break and entering, a couple of murder attempts by the supposedly my… bodyguards…, food poisoning, choking… etc, etc… he got me moved to that apartment just when I started learning about the word 'ramen'." Naruto smiled sadly. "Then, he funded me with all the money I needed to live. That continues on until I've become a Genin. Where I can start make a living by myself." The blond took another bite from his lizard.

"…did you ever… well… curious… about who they are? Your parents… I mean… you might have some relatives."

"…well… sometimes… yeah. In fact, when I stole the forbidden scroll, I even considered trying to find out who're my parents…"

"Excuse me? Forbidden scroll?"

"That's where I get my signature jutsu. The Kage Bunshin. Some… ass of a Chuunin got me into it. Trying to frame me, telling me the 'real' me. That's where I kinda dropped the idea of trying to see my relatives or some short… I doubt they want a family member with a Demon King on his belly."

"…but that just doesn't go! At least…"

"I said, I don't want to see them, not to find them. I still hope that I could at least know who they are. I don't expect to meet them in person… but at least… I just want to know… whether I really have a family or not… that's all I ever want to know."

Neji look at Naruto. "…perhaps having no memory of your family is… even worse than having a memory of how your loved one taken away from you."

"…you still miss him… don't you?" It doesn't take a genius of who Neji's referring to.

"…every day."

"…spoken like every son to his late father." Naruto sighed. He looked up to the black sky. "But no. Yours are worse…" Then his ears caught up something. "Something's coming."

"The ground's shaking." Neji looked at Naruto, whose face was now horrorstruck.

"Oh shit… those bulls again! Jump!" The two immediately jump to the tree house. Not a minute later, the herds of bulls came charging in.

"Do these bulls have something on you?"

"Don't ask." Naruto gulped. 'I thought your reputation supposedly herd them off?'

**WELL… BULLS HAD SOMETHING FOR RED… AND… MY HELLFIRE HAD THAT… REDDISH FEELING. NOT TO MENTION THAT IT'S COLORED BLOOD RED.**

'Not funny. I thought your killing intent supposedly stop them on their tracks.'

**WELL, I GUESS I'M NOT REALLY 'IN' TO IT TONIGHT.**

'Then go in! I'm tired of jumping up and down like this!'

**NO… I DON'T THINK SO. BESIDES… IT'S PRETTY AMUSING… TO SEE ALL THOSE BULLS HOT ON YOUR BUTT.**

'I don't like you. Seriously.'

**MUTUAL.**

"…oi Naruto, you're comin down or what?"

Naruto look at Neji, he's already landed. "…kay."

The fox host lands with a thud. Then, he sits back to where he had been.

"…well… I guess so much for our dinner." Neji look at their crushed lizard.

"I'll light it again." a flick of hellfire and a bigger blood **RED **fire arises.

"…Kyuubi taught you that… didn't he?"

"Yep. When I'm still in suspended animation… he taught quite a lot."

"…how did you… well… live with it? I mean… to live with… a Demon Fox overlord on your belly… that ain't really nice… no?"

"Well… let's see… how you put it… well… I guess it's pretty much… like you and your curse seal."

"Hmh. You mean… to live in a… predestined life?"

"…I wouldn't call it… predestined. It's more like…err… damned."

"Well it wasn't so bad."

"Truly. Kyuusei is a pretty nice guy… that is if you can withstand his… somewhat sadistic sarcasms and mocking. The headache. It kills, I give you that."

Neji let out a good snort. "I bet it is fun bickering with him all the time?"

"Don't sweat it. The bastard got some good words up his fur."

**AND I STILL HOLD THE SCORE. 10 Vs 0.**

'Shut up.'

**ANYWAY, YOUR HORNED FRIENDS ARE COMING. AGAIN.**

"Right. Neji stay here."

"Huh?"

Naruto gathered some chakra and generated a ball of Hellfire on his palm. 'I've had it.' The ground shakes as the bulls appear once again. But before they get close though…

"LEAVE US ALONE OR YA'LL GONNA GET SOME FREAKIN B-------, S--O-B----,F----,00--XXX--!" THAT, nailed them… for a second, before they get back on their tracks.

"That doesn't seem to work well… JUMP." Neji jump but Naruto don't.

"You asked for it. Tonight supper will be Roast Bull! Kitsune Endan!" a ferocious burning fox head shot out from Naruto's mouth. The bulls, surprisingly, are quick on their toes. The herd scatters to every direction in a flash, and the fire fox hits the trees instead.

"Oh. Shit."

That part of the forest is turned to red ablaze soon after.

_End of flashback._

Neji grunted. After that, they spent hours trying to stop the fire, losing their clothes in the process. What's worse, the animals on the forest gone rabid. Some of the accursed bulls charge on him since they got their ass on fire, literally. He had to use a Kaiten to stop them. He didn't want to hurt the animals. But some of those crazed bulls had gone rampage and rammed the burned trees to burning smithereens, increasing the bushfire.

"Anyway… I really don't want to think what you guys had done. Since I think this thing would be all over the village by now. So I suggest, before we arouse anymore ruckus, let's go back home, shall we?" Hiashi ushers Neji to go while handing him his coat.

"Right." Neji was about to walk before he remembers something. "…uh… Naruto?"

Everyone look at the fox's host.

"…" Naruto look at the burned forest. He could see the remnants of his burned tree house. He looks at the group, smiling widely. "Well, I'll be on my way."

He was just about to walk to the forest when Neji stop him.

"Naruto."

"…it's alright. I'll be fine."

"No you're not. Where are you going to sleep tonight? Your tree house burned, and I think all the creatures in the forest are completely scared out of their wits. What are you going to eat for god's sake?"

Hiashi stunned. 'Oh my god, how could I've forgotten…?' "Um… Naruto kun?"

"…yes?"

"…well… the Hyuuga were given a special shelter for us to live… I hope you don't mind staying there for the time being?"

"…" Naruto looked at Hiashi. "…you sure your people won't mind?"

"I don't." Neji smirked.

"Me neither." Hiashi smiled.

"M-m-me t-to…" Hinata woke up for a second. She looked at Naruto before fainted again.

Naruto smiled. "…okay."

----------------

"…where… am I?"

A certain red haired sand-nin was standing in a middle of a desert. The sky was rather dim. Gaara scanned his surrounding. Sand. Yellow golden sand stretched as far as his eyes could see.

"…is this… a dream?" Gaara shivered. He never had any nice dream. Not even once. Thanks to a certain sand demon. "…okay Shukaku. What kind of nightmare you're going to show me this time?"

Silence. That's all he gets. And he doesn't really like that. '…where is he?'

Gaara kept silent for a moment. Then all the sudden, he felt someone poking his back. Instantaneously, he turned around to see… nothing. '…what?' Shaking his head, he reverted back to his original position. A few seconds later, someone poke him again tad harder on the same spot.

"Who the…" He looked around yet he still sees nothing.

"Down here."

"!" Gaara was shocked to say the least. It's a voice of a little boy. He looked down only to meet a pair of all too familiar demon eyes.

…well, not to familiar.

For one, there is no bloodlust in it, but rather, pure innocence and curiosity.

Secondly, the owner of those eyes was not the usual 80 feet sand raccoon that constantly hounded him with nightmares…

"Ohayo, Aniki-san! I'm Shukaku no Ichibi. What's your name?"

…but rather, a 10 years old boy.

"…what?" Gaara couldn't believe his ears and eyes.

…a 10 years old boy wearing a shade hat with the kanji of 'sand' on it and a small gourd on his left hip, to be exact.

"Huh? I'm Shukaku. What's your name, Aniki-san?"

"…you're… Shukaku?"

"Hai." The boy smiled cheekily.

"…" Gaara was confused to no end.

"What's wrong?"

"…so… you're Shukaku?" Suddenly a new emotion fills him. All those years… all those nightmares… all because of this little brat? Gaara gritted his teeth in anger.

Shukaku seemed to understand the sudden tension. What surprised Gaara the most is the demon's next reaction.

He… the so-called Sand Demon… cries.

"…are you… going to hurt me too?" Shukaku took a step back. "Please… he had hurt again and again… please… don't hurt me again."

"…" The sand Nin was speechless.

"Sob. It… hurts… don't hurt me again… please…"

"I've thought of this would come about."

"!" Gaara looked upwards. A hollow white dragon was flying above them. The dragon circled around Shukaku before landed right between them.

"Good morning."

"…who are you?"

"I'm Genryuu Fuujin. I'm the seal placed upon you by Kira-sama in order to put Shukaku inside your body."

"And why did he do that? Why can't he just separate us both?"

"Because if he did, you'll be dead by now."

"What?"

"…Shukaku was sealed inside you, the moment before you were born. Like Naruto, Shukaku had became a part of you. Take it away… you'll die."

"But…"

"I assure you that this 'Shukaku' knows nothing of your nightmares. He's not the one responsible for all those… hell you've been through."

"…I don't understand. If he's not the one who gave me all those nightmares… then who did?"

"…I'm sorry. I'm unable to answer that. Kira-sama had granted me thoughts of my own to inform you that, just in case you're about to try anything rash on him. Perhaps you should ask Kira-sama himself."

"…so are you going to seal him away now?"

"No. Kira-sama had given order to seal him, after a week. He says something about… giving you guys… some time to get along or something."

"…"

"I'll be going for now. Get along, you two." The white dragon soared up to the sky once more.

Gaara looked back to the ground, to Shukaku. He's still crying.

"Please…(Sob) don't hurt me…"

"…" Memories of his past flashed into his head.

"_Aaaah! Monster!"_

"_Get away from me!"_

"_Stop it! I'm no monster!"_

"Please (sob) don't…"

"_Eat this monster!"_

"_Don't! Stop throwing stones at me, or he'll be angry!"_

"Don't…"

"_Don't hurt me!"_

"…" Gaara shook off all the memory. 'Heavens… is this… fate?' He walked slowly to Shukaku, knelt down right in front of him, and staring at the sobbing figure with concern.

"Sob… Sob…" Shukaku was sniffing lightly.

"…my name… is Gaara." The sand Nin hugged the small figure. "It's alright… I'm not going to hurt you… nobody's going to hurt you now."

----------------

"Okay. For the five hundred and thirtieth time… you lose. Mendokusee… I tell you!"

"…" Temari couldn't stop twitching. "AGAIN! This time, you got no rooks, no queen, no bishops, and no knights! AND, both of us can move twice! How bout that handicap?"

"Why don't you just said no king for me and make me defeated the moment we started?"

Kankurou sweat dropped at his sister's attitude. She really became obsessed with this lazy of a genius. They've been playing some western shogi called chess. Temari had been in a very dangerous mood ever since the first Chuunin exam. Despite the fact Gaara was getting better back there, her mood wasn't. Every time there was somebody who was brave enough to mention about the fateful Chuunin exam right in front of her, that person just bought a one way ticket to Hades. Kankurou had made it absolute clear to every sand Nin in Suna regarding to that single fact after he almost got himself killed when he stupidly mention her demise from the sluggish genius in front of the Sand Council. The nightmare that she had for him after that…

"Oi, oi… Temari-san. Why can't you give Shikamaru a break?" Kakashi massaged his temple.

Temari pout (read: Deathglare) at the Copy Nin, then to the lazy bum in front of her. "…okay."

Shikamaru stood up.

"Wait! Where are you going?"

"…I'm going to the vending machine in front. You got problem?"

"…you're going to run away aren't you?"

"No. I'm not."

"Yes you will."

"No I'm not."

"Yes you will!"

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes!"

"No! That's it, I'm tired of this. I'm going to get some drink whether you like it or not!"

"Not without me! I'm gonna make sure you're not going to run away."

"…girls are all troublesome."

"What did you say?"

"Troublesome…"

The two went out of sight soon after.

"…you know, in my opinion, your sister seem to make… a twisted crush with Shikamaru-kun." Rin giggled in amusement.

"…don't. Ask. Me." Kankurou rub his aching temple.

Outside the room…

"What do you want?"

"What?"

"I'm already in a vending machine… so what do want for the drink?"

"…okay let's see what a Konoha Vending machine got."

"Go on." Shikamaru stepped aside. Temari bent down while she rested her Tetsusen (Steel Fan) on her shoulder menacingly. The shadow user could only gulp.

"Let's see… Konoha Fire Burst cola?"

"…that's a cola with a warm fire bomb inside it. They compress a good amount of hot bubble using chakra inside that bottle. When you drink it, you'll feel a warm fuzzy feeling in your stomach when it explode."

"…reminds me of Suna Tornado Tonic."

"…tornado?"

"They use a Gufuu no Jutsu to put in a pack of cola inside a chakra hardened bottle. Shake it and drink it instantly, you'll feel a tornado in your stomach. Good for cleaning your belly."

"…forget it. I don't want to get a typhoon in my stomach."

"I like it though."

"Girl's taste is so weird."

"You talk… anyway, what's your favorite?"

"Nah… I don't care. It's too troublesome to choose."

"…typical you."

"Whatever…"

"…now… what's this? …Konoha Herbal Tea cola… aromatherapy flavor? Hmm… interesting. I'll buy one."

"Hmm? Why did you pick that?"

"You mind?"

"No… just curious."

"…and here I thought that you would think that's it's to troublesome for you to ask." Temari giggled.

"Hurry up and answer before I change my mind."

"Well… I grew up in Suna. In my village, most of the land is covered in sand. Being of such… there aren't many herbs that can be used to make something as luxurious as tea."

"You call tea… luxurious?"

"Yes. Since fertile soils are so rare in wind country, we decided to make the best use out of the available land. Flowers… Tea leafs and alike are deemed useless. So, we only plant medicine plants instead. Although you can make a tea from those medicine leafs, it tasted awful, and the use of the plants for other purpose than medical purpose is forbidden. Soooo… I've never taste a good herbal tea, not even once in my life."

"That sucks."

"It is." The fan user opened the bottle, inhaled some of the scent. "Konoha… leaf… herbal tea. Indeed, you guys got some name to life on. It smells good."

"Troublesome…"

"What?"

"Why can't you just drink it and finish it up?"

"Idiot! It's called aromatherapy because it wants you to smell it before you drink it!"

"I think that's troublesome."

"You're hopeless." The sand Nin took a gulp. "Mmm… this thing's tasty."

Shikamaru almost considered of running away when the sand Nin dropped her fan next to her menacingly while she threw another question.

"Say… Shikamaru… I was wondering. How come a lazy git like you had that kind of brain?"

"Why did you asked?"

"Well you just don't seem to be the type… But you're insanely brainy for a lazy donkey."

"Was that a compliment or an insult?"

"Depends on how you see it."

"…I don't know."

"What?"

"I don't from which side of my family I was… damned… with this intelligence."

"Damned?"

"…yep."

"…I wouldn't call ingenuity as a curse…"

"Well… all I want is to have a nice easy calm life. But nooo! The great Kami in heaven gave me this over booted brain for me to live with."

"It's the brain that saved your sorry ass from my wrath on the Chuunin exam, remember? Besides, if you really think… that a Shinobi's life is a nice, easy, and calm life… you're so busted, sweetie."

"What?"

Temari realized what she just said and burst out. "No! Forget what I've said. I'm going inside. And if you're not inside for our rematch in 5 minutes, prepare to get a Kamaitachi on your ass." Temari ran inside and before Kankurou and other occupants in that room could ask her anything, she banged her head to the wall 10 times in a row. 'What the hell did I just said?'

Back outside…

"…troublesome…" He looked at the vending machine and draw out his favorite drink, which, he was too lazy to mention it in his conversation with the said Suna Kunoichi.

And as he opened a can of Konoha Herbal Tea Cola: Aromatherapy flavor, he drink a half of it in an instant. "…" He looked at the can; sniffed the scent for a moment, before drinking the rest in a single gulp.

'Troublesome… though it indeed smells good…' He looked at the door. 'I could just run away…'

Than, strangely, he went back inside to face another match.

'Nah. It's too troublesome to run.'

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I'm out of ideas on what to add on this chapter. Shorter than usual but that's it. Read and review as usual. Critics, comments… anything that is constructive is very well warm welcomed. Sorry it took so long to update. It's the Exam. They kills.

Till next time. Ja Ne.

A little glimpse on next chapter:

The Hyuuga House family is about to be introduced with a new calamity: Uzumaki Prankster strikes back!

By the way, anybody know a good Shikamaru Temari pairing fanfic? I need some reference on how should I develop their relationship.


	12. Preparation for Disaster

I don't want anyone to think that I've forgotten Naruto's true behavior. So, I'll bring about one his signature trait: PRANKS! But then again…I'm not really good at that department… But I'll do my best. Enjoy the 12th chapter.

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": in Naruto's case, him in berserker mode. However, I will use this format for other purpose when it's necessary.**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA: Kyuubi demon form speech**

Disclaimer: I'm bored of repeating the same thing again and again so… Read the first 5 chapters

Chapter 12:

Preparation for Disaster

"The first thing we do after we get there is to do something about that blasted (literally) attire of yours."

"Otherwise, Hinata will need a blood transfusion immediately." Tenten chuckled.

"Okay." Naruto nodded.

They were walking in the streets with Hiashi and Hinata, who closed her eyes tightly so that she won't faint, on the lead. People staring at Naruto in particular as if asking: was this guy for real? Naruto just shook it off and intent on getting something to wear immediately.

"We're here." Hiashi announced.

"Whoa… it's big…"

"Well Hiashi-sama did say that it's special." Neji smiled.

"Amazing…" Naruto stared admiringly at the huge house in front of them.

It's a huge, palace-like complex. The complex consisted of a three, massive buildings with about 7 slightly smaller sized ones surround them. The three main buildings are connected one to another. The roofs were colored in jade green with many beautiful ornaments and statues on sight, making the houses look more impressive as ever. Big white flags with the kanji of Hyuuga are on top of the main buildings.

"How could it survive the Sound invasion?"

"Well… actually, this place was used to be the old Hokage office before during the second's reign; they moved the administration and all activity to the current Hokage tower. This place was protected by your summoned walls before any snakes could do any damage to it. Some of its outer walls were smashed a bit though…"

"Ain't this… too much?" Naruto frowned. "This village is in devastated state and many people lost their home. A house with the size of this caliber could shelter hundreds of people until they can build a new house."

Hiashi looked at Naruto. 'Well what do you know… this child can be wise… pity.' "Well actually it's… uuh…"

"Welcome back Hiashi."

An elder Hyuuga, wearing a councilor coat welcomed Hiashi. He's around his 50s, quite shorter than Hiashi, and has a crooked nose.

"Nice to see you too, Hitoshi."

"I was wondering this morning that you were leaving… mind if ask what's the matter?"

"Ah yes. Actually, I was fetching my nephew and his friend here."

"Friend?" Hitoshi looked at Neji, his forehead, and then finally to Naruto. His eyes twitched. This doesn't go unnoticed by everyone. He moved closer to Hiashi and whispered to his ears. "Hiashi, I think you should 'discuss' with your nephew about his choice of friends."

Naruto enhanced ears caught every word.

Hiashi twitched in disgust. He retorted back clearly. "I think it's my nephew's right to choose which person he could befriend with. Not yours."

Hitoshi flinched back. He looked at Naruto with repulsion. Much to his surprise, the fox's host glared back at him with equal intensity.

'Abomination.' Hitoshi stared at Naruto with much resent in his eyes.

'Old fart.' Naruto mentally cursed.

Hiashi noticed the tension in the silence and decided to break it up. "Anyway, Neji, why don't you show Naruto your room… and his at that?"

Hitoshi gave a look at Hiashi, as if asking: Are you out of your mind?

"Right. Naruto over here."

"HOLD your horses! Just where do you think you're taking him Bunke?" Hitoshi yelled.

"I thought it's obvious with what I've stated. Uzumaki Naruto will be staying in our compound."

"Preposterous! The council will never…"

"I assure you that I will inform the council immediately. Neji, Naruto, everyone, go on. I'll take care here."

"…" Hitoshi went silent.

"If that's the case, I'll take my leave. Be careful next time, you hear me?" Tenten glare menacingly, yet friendly, at the two before she left.

"Got it."

"Right. Naruto, this way."

"Wait! To which compound you're taking him?" Hitoshi snapped.

"Hitoshi-sama, I'm taking him to **my** room. Also, we need to do something about his wardrobe."

Hitoshi however, were not anywhere pleased. "…Hiashi, the council…"

"We WILL discuss this, at the meeting. That's final." Hiashi gave a shut-up-or-I'll-kill-you glare at his colleague.

"Come on Naruto."

"…right."

The two walk inside the main mansion. The interior was as impressive as the exterior of the said main mansion. Everything, as Naruto put it, is in order. The floor is clean, the pillars shone, not a speck of dust is in sight.

'Holy shit… this is no shelter… this is a palace!'

**DISGUSTING… ALL THIS… JUST BECAUSE THEY HAVE A PAIR OF WHITE BLANK EYES?**

'You're suspecting that they were using their… well… influence to get this place.'

**NOT SUSPECTING… BUT THAT MUST BE IT! GEEZ… THESE HYUUGAS… THEY'RE MORE OF A JERK THAN I THOUGHT.**

'…all for the glory of the clan names… for once you're right… something is not in place here…'

"Naruto?" Neji looked at Naruto, he was frowning.

"…Neji… how many… Hyuuga lived in this complex?"

"Well… the main family lived in the main mansion, while the branch lived in the other smaller houses."

"…how many main families lived in this house alone?"

"…around 30 families."

"30! Just 30? Good god. Neji, this single mansion could hold up about 50 to 80 families!" Naruto couldn't believe it. Out there, hundreds of family lived in the carcasses of their house, in desperate need of shelter. "How many branch families lived in the surrounding mansions?"

"…around 70 to 80 families per house."

Naruto twitched. The more he heard it, the angrier he became.

Neji noticed the sudden anger. He sighs. "Naruto, come into my room. We'll talk inside."

"…okay."

The two went inside. Naruto immediately scanned the surrounding. Neji's room is very simple. The furniture consisted of a wardrobe, a bookshelf, a table, a trashcan and a bed. One that caught Naruto's eyes is the floor. It's covered in Tatami.

Neji opened his wardrobe, checking his clothes. "Here, wear this for now. I'll be back." Neji hand over Naruto a set of new clothes before leaving the room. A few minutes later, Naruto had finished change. He looked at himself. The clothes look quite good on him. (Think of Naruto wearing Neji's attire, minus the bandages, and replace the dark shorts with black trousers.) Neji hadn't returned yet. He decided to look on the surroundings. He looked at the floor. 'Tatami!'

(Naruto becomes Tare-Chibi-Naruto!) 'Wow… it feels good…' The fox host lay, face down on the floor before went on rolling around.

Outside…

"Neji?"

"Hiashi-sama?"

"What were you doing?"

"Well, I've given Naruto one of my clothes, now I'm bringing some tea to him."

"I see… well, I was about to go and talk to him about certain things… so… shall we?"

"Yeah. Sure."

The two Hyuugas went straight to Neji's room while having a little talk.

"Naruto's not all too pleased."

"About what?"

"Well… about the Hyuuga being… so spoiled."

"Hmm… Who would've thought he could think that far at such a young age."

"Ha, ha… He said when he became the Hokage, he'll change the Hyuuga. I think we know now the first thing he's going to change when that happens."

"Hmm… perhaps, but it's not that simple. The council may react negatively."

The two reached Neji's room. The first sight they saw when they opened the slide door is Naruto, rolling on the floor from side to side with the look of pure bliss.

Naruto was in his own world. He didn't realize that Neji and Hiashi were holding up their laughter. After a few minutes, the rolling stopped, and Naruto looked at the two. Neji was trying his best not to rolling on the floor laughing his ass off. Hiashi could only smirk. Naruto's face resembled that of a tomato.

"Okay, so… what do wish to talk about?" Naruto began. The three had sat down after 1 full minute of laughing by Neji.

"(Chuckle) Well… I think (Chuckle) it is best if (Ha, ha) Hiashi-sama begins first." Neji's face, however, said things differently: if I talk to you now, you won't understand a single word I say because the truth is I haven't done laughing at you.

"…" Naruto wished that the floor just split open and swallow him up here and there.

"…ah-hem. Right. Naruto, I was going to say that, you'll be staying in the Hyuuga Compound as, hopefully, a main family member."

"…uh hum. And…?"

"Well, I don't want to be rude… but the Hyuuga also have some rules that must be followed."

"Such as no running in the corridor, no screaming on the roof, don't leave the room after 10 o'clock… something like that?"

"How do you know?"

"I'm breaking them everyday. So I know."

The two sweat-dropped.

"Well… you've mentioned the basic ones. But there are other rules as well."

'Sheesh…' "Let's have it."

"Right. You have to wake up at 6 o'clock sharp. You may do whatever you pleased after that, but you are expected to return before 7 o'clock where dinner will be served. And… oh yes, err… you may not bring any food from outside."

"What kind of rule is that? I mean, I'm okay with waking up at 6 o'clock, but… don't bring food from outside?"

"Well… we Hyuuga had a little problem with foreign foods… you know, being a clan of a frightening reputation among other villages, we've experienced too much food poisoning attempt."

"Hmm… point taken. I know what it felt like."

"Okay. Next, you cannot bring any of your non-Hyuuga companions inside the complex. The gates are the limit, unless if there's something else."

"Another stupid rule. Afraid of secret leakage?"

"Short of. And, to correct your previous statement, you're expected to be on your room at **8 **o'clock. If you wish to leave above that hour, you must be able to provide an acceptable reason to the guards, and you will require a main family's or a Hokage's permission."

"Anything else I need to know?" 'This is getting more like a prison.'

"Well… aside from don't contaminate anything or breaking anything that is unaffordable… I guess that's it."

"Phew… Okay… by the way… is there any… training field around here?"

"Well yes. You can use the garden if you like-"

"No! Not garden. I might accidentally burn something. Dojo or some short? I want to let of some steam."

"Well… we do have one… and I was planning to go there anyway, want me to show you?" Neji prepared to leave.

"Please."

The two boys got up, and after give a bow to Hiashi, who returned it, the two left. Just when Naruto and Neji open the door, they were welcomed by Hitoshi, along with some Branch House member. His expression was far from happy. The fact that Naruto's face was the first one he saw didn't seem to make things better.

"Councilor." Neji bow deeply, while Naruto just stood and returned the councilor's glare. Neji, Hinata, and Hiashi may have earned his respect. But other Hyuugas… well that's another story for another time.

Neji, still bowing, looked at Naruto nervously. The boy in question, however, didn't show any sign of respect at all as he simply gaze at them.

"Eh hem. I believe the councilor had something to say to me?" Hiashi broke the tension.

"Well yes. I would like to come in and have a word… but apparently, some ill manor 'people' is in my way."

Neji was about to step aside when Naruto stopped him while snorted in a sarcastic tone. "Look who's the ill manor one… didn't your mother taught you that when you wanna comes in… you have to let the people from inside to get out first?"

Neji looked at Naruto, horrorstruck. Hiashi gaped. Naruto just practically snapped at the Hyuuga elders!

"You're the one who gets in our way. So please. Could you let us out first? Otherwise your mother, god blessed her soul, would regret the fact that she gave birth to an ill-manor old fart." Naruto smirked.

Neji's face was as pale as paper. He knew that Naruto did have some guts. But nobody, not even the Hokage would dare to mock a Hyuuga ELDER! The branch house members behind Hitoshi also stared, wide eyed at Naruto, questioning his sanity. Hitoshi's face was red in fury. His Byakuugan went active. Naruto's eyes also flashed and became bright blue slit eyes.

Hiashi gulped. He never thought the boy would be so daring.

"What's the matter? Look, we could do this easily and nobody get hurt. Just let us leave first, and then you can continue in whatever business you have in mind."

"I will not yield to a monster!" Hitoshi spat.

"Oh? So what do you want?"

"Just step aside… or you'll be sorry!"

"To hell with that. I'm just a monster who can't be reason with. So no, mister. This monster doesn't take orders from a spoiled old fart." Naruto replied fiercely.

Hitoshi prepare his hand to Jyuuken, while Naruto cracked his knuckles. The branch family members gulped.

"ENOUGH!" Hiashi roared. "Hitoshi could you just… please, kindly move aside?"

"But Hiashi! This M-"

"PLEASE?" the Hyuuga head cut him short.

Hitoshi relaxed his stance. He glared at Naruto and straight to Hiashi. "…the elders are waiting for you in the meeting room. We wish to discuss about this… matter. That's all I wish to say actually." Hitoshi left soon after.

Hiashi nodded before looked at Naruto and then to Neji. His nephew was extremely pale.

"…Neji." Naruto spoke in a gloomy tone.

"…y… yes?" Neji flabbergasted. He never knew that Naruto had this icy cold side of him.

"…take me to the dojo. I really need to let out some steam now. Otherwise, I might end up breaking that old fart's skull to pieces."

"O… Okay."

"V… Very well then… I should be on my way too." Hiashi left soon after. 'Convincing the council will be harder than I thought now…'

And the rest of Naruto and Neji's trip to the dojo went in silence.

----------------

"So Shukaku… uhh…"

"Yeah?"

"…damn, I forgot what to ask."

Shukaku chuckled. "You're funny!"

"How long you've been… well… being a demon? I mean… become what you are… right now?"

"I don't remember… I've become the way I am for soooooo long. I don't remember anymore…"

"I see."

"…how bout you?"

"Huh? Me?"

"Yeah. How long you've become the way you are?"

"…ever since I've been brought unto this world I think."

"Hmmm… that's so sad…"

Gaara had to admit: The Genryuu Fuujin was right. This Shukaku is COMPLETELY different with the one he used to know. No bloodlust, no hatred, no evil thoughts whatsoever, only naivety of an innocent young child. It's like having a little brother. 'The irony. I was the youngest amongst the three siblings…'

"Hey… wanna play?"

"Play what?"

"Creating sand castle! I like that game a lot."

"…sure… but I don't know how…"

"I'll teach you! It's easy! Here, first, you gather some sand, enforce it with a little bit of youki…"

'Youki… demonic power…' "You use…Youki for building sand castles?"

"Yes! The result is better and tougher then when you glue it with water! Here let me show you!"

Shukaku started to draw on the sand several circles and rectangles. "This one for the main tower…" He draws another circle. "This one for the walls…" He carved a long rectangle, encircling the circles. "And this is for the bridge." He connects two circles with a line.

"You draw a castle… seen from above?"

"Yeah! And then put a little Youki…" Shukaku gathered a good amount of Youki in his palm. For a second, Gaara shivered. The little boy excitedly grabbed a handful of sand from the middle of the drawings and let it fall. Then, right before Gaara's eyes, a miniature of a grand castle, complete with the bridges, the walls and the towers, all composed of sand, arise on the spot.

"See? Cool isn't it?"

"Wow… you always did this?"

"Yes. This is my original Oni-jutsu. Kyuusei-nii-san gave it a name: Desert Voodoo no jutsu."

"Desert… Voodoo?"

"Hai." Shukaku nodded cheerfully.

"It's not doing what I think it could do… right?"

"Well… basically… if I create a building that truly exist or I know… whatever I do with the miniature will affect the real building's condition."

"So you're saying if I destroy this sand castle now, the real castle in the real world will also be destroyed?"

"Uh huh. But don't worry… I think this one was destroyed a few thousand years ago. So it doesn't exist anymore… Pity… it's a beautiful castle."

"Yes… I can tell… Say… can this be used on person as well?"

"Off course… with mental note that I've seen that person beforehand… wait… you're not going to use it on a person now are you?"

"I… see… Don't worry… just curious." 'Amazing… this… single Oni-jutsu… is even more effective and probably more powerful than any of my old Shukaku jutsu! So… this is the power of a Youma'ou? And he's just the youngest one for crying out loud!'

"You want me to teach you or not?"

Gaara looked at the child before him. "…sure."

----------------

Naruto was practically crushing his punching bag to pieces. 'God damn it! After all the things I did, there's still some jerk like that old bastard! What have I done to them? Was it a sin just because I've become the way I am? Fuck this!'

Neji look at Naruto with concern. The boy was punching his bag non-stop for the last 20 minutes now. 'Naruto…'

After a few moments, Naruto stopped. "Haa… haa… now I feel a lot better…"

"You sure? Is it safe for me to come close now?" Neji joked.

"…it's alright… I'm not going to eat you or anything." Naruto gave his trademark smirk.

The Hyuuga prodigy could only laughed. "Say… Naruto."

"What?"

"I wanna try study your inner coil a little bit. Mind?"

"What for?"

"I mean… no mean to be rude… but you know that your body system is no longer human… sooo…"

"…point taken. Go on ahead."

"Thank you… Byakuugan."

Neji looked at Naruto's body. He was greatly amazed. "Incredible."

"What? What?"

"Well… for one, there are twice the numbers of the opening points in your body, compared to normal human."

"And?"

"…as there are twice the numbers of Tenketsu, there are twice the numbers of the inner coil but… this is…"

"What?"

"…some are of normal size… but some are smaller then the others… what's weirder, the flow of chakra in the coils are minute."

"Hmm… Kyuusei? Mind explaining things up? After all… You created them."

**SAY WHAT I SAY.**

"…**you might already aware, that this Kit now have twice the number of a normal human's inner coil vein. There are bad and good side of this."**

"Which is?"

"**Well the good side is, chakra will flow faster and more efficiently. The bad side is, it will shorten his lifespan."**

"WHAT?" Both boys yelled.

"**Relax. That's why you only see minuscule flow of chakra in his chakra veins. The coils only take a small bit from this kit's chakra reserves. Since there's more inner coil now, the amount of chakra must be distributed evenly to all coils, so that his inner metabolism works perfectly. Now, imagine if the chakra flows in its normal rate."**

"…what would happen?" Neji gulped.

"**Several part of his body will become overloaded with Chakra, resulting in an unimaginably fast rate of cell cycle and imbalanced body metabolism. Caught my drift?"**

"You're saying… that Naruto might become old very fast?"

"**If he doesn't blows up to smithereens first…yeah I guess that's it."**

"So it means…" Naruto looked at his stomach. "…if I use any jutsu, I will shorten my own lifespan?"

"**No. When you use a jutsu, you expel the chakra out. So you won't have to worry."**

"Thank god…" Naruto exhaled. "And if I use your Youki?"

"**Well, this is the part where it gets interesting. Your body now consisted of two types of chakra veins now. The active ones and the passive ones. Did you notice that every time you use my Youki, there are those bulging veins on your skin for a brief moment?"**

"Hiashi-sama once said that it's Naruto's inner coil."

"**Correct. Youki is by far more dangerous as they are more powerful than human chakra though they work the same way. The ones you saw with your Byakuugan are the active coils. This one stays active and functions as a normal inner coil system, whose job is to pump AND distribute the chakra to his whole body. The second type is the passive ones. These ones received the excess chakra FROM the active ones and distribute it to his whole body, which is why it's smaller because it works lesser. **

**Now this new inner coil system is designed so that the moment it made contact with Youki, it'll enlarge itself. When the first surge is sent, the active coil will enlarge, resulting in those bulging veins you saw. At that time, the active coils will be overloaded. Automatically, it will send its excess Youki to the other coils…"**

"…and when the Youki surge is evenly distributed in Naruto's body in both active and passive coils, the vein sank back in." Neji finished. 'Incredible… such system!'

"**Very bright."**

"I see… that explains why I could shot a jutsu from my hand."

"Huh? What it has to do with your Tenketsu system?"

"You said that the amount of my Tenketsus are doubled. More opening points mean more chakra can be channeled out. Normally when people performed an elemental jutsu, the jutsu were let out from your mouth, because mouth is the biggest opening point in your body. That's why; you can get the maximum result. With me… I can get it out from anywhere I like."

"Is like having mouths all over your body huh?"

"Don't say that. You freak me out."

Neji laughed.

…**IF THERE IS A DOCTOR FOR YOUMA, I'M SIGNING UP NOW.**

"And why would you need a doctor?" Naruto looked at his stomach, while Neji looked confusedly at Naruto. (Neji couldn't hear Kyuusei since Naruto didn't voice it out)

…**BECAUSE I'M STARTING TO SEE THE SIGNS OF THE SKY'S FALLING. THE DUMB-ASS WAS ACTUALLY ABLE TO THINK.**

"What do you mean?" After a few second, the meaning clicked in. "HEY!"

**GWA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA!**

"…I take it that Kyuubi crack you again?" Neji smirked.

"You damn right." Naruto looked at his hand. "So I guess… now, I'm part human part… what?"

"Hanyou?" Neji pointed out.

"…guess so." Naruto smirks. "Well, I'll just have to make the best use of this." He balled up his fist.

"Want to have some sparring with me?" Neji went to Jyuuken stance. 'Just for this training I want to use Byakuugan… for now, I wanna see my luck against Naruto's new capability.' "…I need to find out the weaknesses of the Hyuuga's Jyuuken style. Thought you can help me?"

"Sure. I'll… do what I can… I may be not much of a help though…" Naruto went to his fighting stance.

"Don't worry, just a simple spar."

"Alright. Ready… and…"

But before they could begin, the door to the dojo slid open. Several dozen main family teenagers came in.

"Well look at this." A stout looking boy with short black hair looked at Neji mockingly. This doesn't go unnoticed by Naruto.

"Oi Bunke, what are you doing in our training field?" Another with medium length straight hair and rather skinny face spat.

Neji looked at the group. Naruto glared at them.

"Hey look at that blondie… he's not a Hyuuga is he?" Another, the shortest one, but, in Naruto's opinion, had the most annoying tone he ever heard.

'His attitude is just as annoying as his tone.' "…so what if I'm not?" Naruto retorted back.

'Hulo… you got some guts." The stout one glared at Naruto. Much to his surprise, Naruto glared back.

"…we got this place reserved. So you know what's good for you, you better get out of here right this second." Another spoke up. This one, unlike the others is quite well built and quite a looker. But his arrogant manor doesn't really bode well with Naruto.

"Sorry. Don't see any sign saying this place booked up." Naruto replied almost monotonously.

"You don't take the hints do you? This place is off limit to outsiders like you and Bunke like him! Now buzz off!"

"…Sorry. We don't take hints. Nor we take orders. Come on Neji, we'll train on there. Let them train on… anywhere they like."

"Err… Naruto… don't you think you're a little bit too rude?"

"I'm already being nice. Normally, if anybody even dares to order me around like these cocky bastards, I'll throw them out for good. But since I'm the guest here, I tried to be as nice as possible. But it doesn't mean I'll follow whatever these spoiled brats want."

"Are you challenging us, outsider?" The skinny Hyuuga growled.

"I think we should teach this guy who are the Hyuuga."

"Ooh… I'm so scared." Naruto glared at them over his shoulder as his eyes turned to slits.

"Give him a taste."

"Pleasure." The stout Hyuuga and the skinny one move forward, Jyuuken ready.

Naruto cracked his fist.

The stout boy lunged at Naruto trying to hit his neck, much to his surprise; Naruto caught his wrist, and crushed his bone right on the spot. Causing the owner of the said hand growled in pain.

"Neji! You might want to take notes: Hyuuga's weakness no. 1: Jyuuken is not so dangerous, as long you grab hold of their wrist."

"DAMN you!" the stout Hyuuga brought another hand but Naruto caught the other wrist while crushing it before giving the hyuuga a good head butt that instantly knocks him out.

"Hiruga! Che… Get him!" The skinny Hyuuga charged at Naruto.

"Here, hold him." Naruto threw Hiruga to the skinny boy's lap. Caught unprepared, the Hyuuga went off balance a bit. Naruto immediately gave a sweep to his leg that knocked him off the ground. Before he could even land, another kick went straight at Hiruga's back and sent the two flying to the wall.

"Hadao! Damn him!" A slightly plump (Yes. Not pleasantly plump but slightly plump) boy charged forward followed with 3 more Hyuuga.

"Come on." Naruto motioned them to come.

"The bigger they are, the slower they move!" Naruto dodged a swat from the Hyuuga easily. He immediately grab hold of his wrist before break them like he did with the first attacker.

"Hirai! Watch out!" The three Hyuuga charged forward.

"…and the bigger they are, the harder they fall!" Naruto take hold of Hirai's collar while standing upside down right on top of Hirai's head. Just as the Hyuuga attackers were about to enter attacking range, Naruto spin counter-clockwise while throwing Hirai right toward the incoming attackers' heads in the process.

Hirai's body slammed right on the three attacker's heads and instantly knocked them all out, including Hirai.

"Oowie… that's gonna leave a mark." Naruto winched at the sight.

"Sonnava…! Get him!" 10 more Hyuuga charged forward.

"You asked for it." Naruto grinned as he cracked up his knuckles.

----------------

Meanwhile, in the Hyuuga Meeting room…

"This is completely UNACCEPTABLE!" Hitoshi roared.

"Give me reason why it is."

"Good god, Hiashi. You're well aware of what it carried!"

"_He_. Hitoshi. _He_. Not _it_. He's a boy. A 13 years old boy, without food, relatives, or any proper shelter."

"Be advised Hiashi. He maybe 13 years old, but he had an eons old fox demon, which nearly destroyed our village, sealed in his belly." Another elder, pretty much calmer then fuming Hitoshi, stated.

"Yes. I'm well aware of that fact, Haruma. And I'm well aware that he had used the power of said demon to save all our lives."

"AHA! So you're saying that the host is under control of the power of the demon's influence?" Hitoshi shot out.

"Is that what you think? Because that thought never crossed my mind. And for me, Naruto is pretty much as sane as any of us when he pointed out our wrongdoings."

"…such as?" An older elder spoke up.

"…such as the fact that we were so tied by our arrogance as the most powerful clan, that we've ignored more important things."

"Could you be a little more specific?"

"Our village is in shambles. No matter what we are, we're still, part of the Konoha. There are many people out there in need of shelter. HE, that Demon's host, POINTED out that fact for us. We could've provided with something that those homeless people couldn't get and while we're having plenty of it yet we didn't care."

"Just what are you pro-"

"The fact is: Naruto's right. We the Hyuuga have been spoiled for too long. Here we are, with all our glory, and out there, people suffer; and we don't give a damn about it."

"You're changing the subject Hiashi." Hitoshi burst.

"No I'm not. Now I want you elders… please… think this matter with your logical heart. We, 'the great and powerful', Hyuuga and he, a Demon's host. Yet, he cared for other people's sake. His village's sake. OUR village's sake. If that boy's a demon, will he think that way?"

Several Hyuuga elders, much to Hiashi's relief, nodded in agreement.

"But it's…" Hiashi glared at Hitoshi. "…He's wild. I've seen him up-close. And he's extremely out of control." Hitoshi retorted back.

"Well… I would say that Naruto could be very unpredictable. But I have to admit…" _'_…Since I'm also one of his… well, 'victims'… in a manner.' Hiashi smiled at the last part of the thought, remembering how much his family changed after 'making contact' with Naruto. "…but I have to admit that he had his own style in settling matters."

----------------

"WHUAAAAA!" a Hyuuga were thrown across the room before hitting the wall, head first.

Naruto cracked his knuckles. "That's it? I haven't even broke' a sweat yet." The demon host smirked. Around him, about a dozen Hyuuga lay down, writhing and moaning in pain, while the rest were gaping on the door. "Say, Neji, take note of this: Hyuuga Weakness no 2: They have a low physical endurance."

Neji meanwhile, just rested his back on the wall as he smirked while he memorized all the hints that Naruto mentioned. 'These idiotic greenhorns really don't have a single clue who's they're dealing with.'

"What the hell is he? Our Jyuuken do nothing to him? You! Bunke! He's your companion! What clan is he?"

"…to be honest? I don't know." Neji answered short, much to the Hyuuga's horror.

"That's right buddy. I don't have a clan; though I'll be glad if you ever heard of it aside from today. My surname is Uzumaki, the full name is Uzumaki Naruto. And don't you forget it." Naruto smirked evilly.

"Hey I know you! You're that fox-kid… aren't you?" A hyuuga female spurted out.

"Hey! You're right. He's the one who got Kyuubou sealed on his stomach."

"It's Kyuubi, pea-brain." Naruto corrected sarcastically. 'This is the almighty Hyuuga main family? What a dumb-ass…' Naruto showed his stomach, where the seal is now visible. The spectators could only gasp.

"…he's the demon boy!" All the Hyuuga took a step back.

"What are you doing here Demon?"

"It's none of your business." Naruto retorted.

"This is our compound you're standing in."

"As far as I concern, this is still Shodaime's and Niidaime's compound, until you Hyuugas forced your way in."

"The Hokage gave to us what we deserve as the greatest…"

"…the greatest pain in her neck. The reason she gave you guys this is so that she could concentrate on helping this village without having your so called elders hounding her back about all those bullshits of the most honorable clan whatshits." Naruto finished it.

The Hyuugas were now red in fury. "How dare you…"

"You want some more?" Naruto took a step forward.

----------------

"Consider this councilors, he had contributed a great deal in the last war against the sound. And if what I heard was true, it is because of him that we're still breathing right now during the previous war. Had it not for Naruto, who risked his life, trying to stop another Youma from destroying our village again, the result may have been different."

"Sandaime Hokage was the one who stopped Orochimaru! Not that boy!"

"Consider the fact that at that time, Sand was in allegiance with the Sound. As far as I know, the Sand had a sand Demon sealed inside the belly of a little child, named Gaara. If it weren't for Naruto, the Sand Demon would've destroyed the entire village!"

"But …it could've been just some stories made up from thin air. There is no shred of proof of it!" Hitoshi's still persistent, much to Hiashi's irritation.

"Proof? You want proof? How bout this proof Hitoshi. How bout the proof that after that, I heard from the Suna's councils themselves that Gaara persuaded them to make Leaf as an ally!"

"But… but… maybe it's because…"

"Hmm… I see. I get the point Hiashi." Haruma rubbed his chin.

"Haruma?" Hitoshi looked at his colleague.

"…Suna was in critical economic condition. Their attempt to invade Konoha was based on that situation. Judging by all the things that have occurred and all… despite the fact that they were manipulated by Orochimaru, they actually did not possess a good enough reason to ally with us. If the stories about Gaara being the son of the deceased Kazekage were true, then he may have played a good part in establishing the current relationship between Konoha and Suna. Then, if we link it with all the sudden occurrences that happened lately, there ARE some faint evidences that Uzumaki Naruto did have a hand on the alliance."

"But it doesn't mean that Naruto played any part of it!" Hitoshi snap again.

"ENOUGH! Hitoshi, I'm tired of your blabbering. Why can't you accept everything that child had done for us? We did nothing as the most respected clan in Konoha while he had contributed so many things that secure the safety of this village. Things that WE should've done, he accomplished it. If you ask me, HE deserved this place. Not us."

"…" Hitoshi was speechless. The whole elders looked at Hitoshi and then to Hiashi. Silence for a few moments until Haruma broke it.

"…Hitoshi, Hiashi's right. I mean… how long we're going to act like this? That child had proven time and again. He's not Kyuubi. I'm tired of giving that kid a cold shoulder. I know that there will be a few risks… but we could always try."

"The worst that could happen is probably… well… I don't know. Probably… burn the garden?" One of the elder sniggered.

Hiashi chuckled. "Nah. Naruto may be rash… but if I know him, he's not the irresponsible type."

"Everything starts with chance." One of the elder which is the oldest one amongst them finally spoke up. Everyone went quiet. "Very well, Hiashi. For now, we will accept that child here."

Hiashi smiled. But that only settled part of the problem. "Which family he will be…"

"That." The elder cut Hiashi as he knew where this is going. "Will depends on his actions."

"I beg your pardon, Hirigi-sama?"

"…I see that you value him so highly. However, not all of us share your sentiment. Allow us to judge by ourselves his worth. He will be placed in Main family for a time being. We shall observe his activity. Then, we will make further decisions on the next meeting. Note that, due to his… unique lineage, we need to prepare a set of specific rules that are appropriate… for both sides."

"I understand." Hiashi nodded. "Very well then. I agree."

"Me too." Haruma voice out.

"Can't find reason to say no." Another nodded.

"Hitoshi?" Hirigi looked at Hitoshi.

"…if this is the decision of the council… then I will see it done. But mark my words, Hiashi. If that child caused any damage to us that is unaffordable, than I expect you, as the one who propose such idea, to take full responsibility."

"Fair enough. What about you, Hiashi." Haruma nodded.

Hiashi glared at Hitoshi. The Hyuuga was a friend of Zoshi. He had been holding grudge to him. This was, without doubt, one of his plots to thwart him. Nevertheless, he caught the logic in his words. "…yes. I will take full responsibility."

"So be it. This Meeting is hereby adjourned until future outcome arise."

The hyuuga got up one by one. Everyone left until Hiashi and Hirigi remained.

"…you owe me that one… son."

"…Thank you… father." Hiashi bowed.

"…but understand this Hiashi. The truth is, I do this for the sake of my grandchildren. Hinata in particular. You and I knew too well of Hinata's feeling towards that boy. And I see it, that's what have been fueling her spirit and thus enables her to progress so rapidly."

"Yes. Hinata has this… crush… on him."

The Elder sighs. "…the moment when Shizuka gave birth to her, I realize it in an instant that she carries her trait. Whilst Hanabi carries yours."

"…tou-san… Hinata reminds you a lot of Shizuka isn't she?" Hiashi chuckled.

Hirigi sniggered. "If it weren't for her size, I would've thought that my daughter was revived."

Hiashi smiled.

"…still… like me, an old man I am. My age… my lost years can never return… and so does my daughter and your beloved wife's life cannot be regained."

"…Father, please. Even though you've lacked the strength, you still have the wisdom, and the experience that you can pass on."

Hirigi laughed but soon replaced with coughs. "(Cough), (cough)… I'm dying, Hiashi. And like any dying old man, I sometimes hounded with worries… In some way…I was glad… that the great Kami granted me lifetime long enough to see… a glimpse… a brief glimpse of what the future holds… and I have to say that… your task, Hiashi as I've seen it… will be… difficult. Good god… I cursed the day I sentenced Hizashi to be the member of Bunke."

"…Tou-san… you've taught me a lot of things… You, who were once the Hyuuga head, taught the rules, the principles and the philosophy of what it means to be a Hyuuga Head. I promised you that I will use for good. I will make sure your knowledge will be passed down to the future generation." Hiashi bowed to his predecessor.

The EX-Hyuuga head let out a small laugh. "I've taught you so many things… Hiashi. You've understand what it means to be a Hyuuga head; which is why there's not a single doubt in my mind that you will make a good leader when I chose you amongst other student years ago. But the problem is… some of my knowledge cannot be passed down. They have to be lived to be learned. Hiashi I've taught you all things you've needed… but still I feel there's so much more… that I haven't taught you… knowing this… I feel like…" Hirigi laughed quietly. "…when you've reached the age of 97… you'll understand, son."

Hiashi's look saddened. "…Father. I've promised to Shizuka and to you as well… I will live and die for the Hyuuga, bearing your knowledge and your spirit. I intend to keep that promise."

"Oh? Ha, ha, (cough), (cough)… live and die for the clan, Hiashi? Goodness me. And here I thought, with all the speeches back there, I thought you've understood."

"Father?"

"…there are things… Hiashi. Things that… sometimes you will need to die in order to protect… but, there are also things that can only be protected by living. What are those things… it's up to you decide… and I mean only you. Don't let your task as the Hyuuga head clouded your judgment on what it is that you value so highly, that you're willing to live and die for."

"To… Hirigi-sensei?" Hiashi blinked.

"…no one can determine the life and death of one, except oneself… no one… not even our great Hyuuga clan's tradition, Hiashi. No one. Remember that, my son."

Hiashi knelt deeply in respect. "Yes… father."

Hirigi smiled. Just then, a yell boomed from the dojo.

"Now what is that ruckus?" The two hyuuga activated their Byakuugan. Hiashi gasped at the sight.

Hirigi looked amused. "…Hiashi… the one with blond spiky hair… is that…"

"Yes… Hirigi-sama. That IS Uzumaki Naruto."

"Well I'll be damned. That's about… he just incapacitated 20 to 30 Souke members."

"…" 'Oh… great.'

-----------------

"Sorry Naruto."

"They're the one who start it."

"I know… but you did the beating."

"Truth hurts." Naruto was lying on his bed inside his confinement house; which is, as used up warehouse just behind the main house. After the Dojo incident, Hitoshi demanded that Hiashi took full responsible on the commotion, something that did not really bode well with him…

Flashback…

"Is this what you mean by his 'own style in settling matters', Hiashi?" Hitoshi screamed at the top of his lungs.

The Hyuuga head had just arrived at the dojo when Naruto threw another Hyuuga teen through the slide door. Hiashi immediately open the slide door only to find a jaw-dropping sight.

Naruto, in the middle of piles of groaning and whimpering Hyuugas, holding a bloody Hyuuga on his neck with one hand.

"Guh… damn you… you cheating! Why… why our Jyuuken… did nothing to you? What have you done?"

"Hmm… don't you know? Jyuuken no longer works on me… ask Neji. He knew it the most."

"You… cheating bastard…"

"Ku ku… who do you think I am? Saint? I'm Uzumaki Naruto, the master prankster. Cheating runs in my veins thicker than blood."

"Guh… grr…"

"Uzumaki Naruto!" Hiashi bellowed.

Naruto dropped the person to the ground. "Yes, Hiashi-san?"

"…c-could you… could you please explain yourself?"

"…ask them." Naruto looked at the Hyuugas around him.

"…well?" Hiashi looked at the Hyuugas.

"He… he went berserk… and start punching us out."

Hitoshi glared at Naruto, but Hiashi could see the malice in the confession. "…don't lie to me, boy." Hiashi hissed.

"B… But… I swear to you that's the truth!"

"…Neji. Explain."

"…me and Naruto… we were training back there. They came, and they asked us to leave. Naruto refused, and they struck first."

"He's lying!"

Hiashi however, know best then to retort. The damage has been done. Despite the fact that there was a good chance that Naruto was actually innocent, the fox-host was not in a very convincing condition: He was caught, wet-handed, beating the crap out of the Hyuuga.

Hiashi sigh. "…Hitoshi. I've promised you, and I will uphold my word. Let Naruto go. I'll take responsible."

Naruto perked up. "Promise? Wait the minute. What promise?"

"Silence, Demon Child. This is Hyuuga's business." Hitoshi shot out.

"Hyuuga's business or crap, I don't care. Punish me if you like. But if others would have to suffer the consequences of MY actions, that's out of question."

"…" Hiashi looked at Naruto.

"…you're well aware of what have you done, young man?" Hirigi suddenly appeared and joined the conversation.

"…yes." Naruto looked at the elder. This one seemed different. Unlike the other Hyuuga, there is no hostility whatsoever in his tone. That and the fact that this one seems to be a lot calmer compared to the others. "…yeah. I did the beating. But like Neji said, they started it."

Hirigi nodded. "So be it. Uzumaki Naruto, I hereby sentence you a full day solitary confinement. Is that okay with you Hiashi?"

Hiashi nodded in relief. "Whatever you say Hirigi-sama."

Naruto just nodded.

End of flashback.

"I hate that Hitoshi-guy."

"Hitoshi was one of those who oppose Hiashi-sama's policies."

"Hmm… By the way, who was that old man?"

"Which one?"

"The one that sentenced me here."

"That's Hyuuga Hirigi. He's the previous Hyuuga head. He's the eldest and perhaps the wisest one amongst the elders. Hiashi-sama asks for his advice often."

"I see… he's pretty wise indeed."

"Well, consider yourself 97 years old, you've must have experience a lot of things."

"No… sometimes, the older, the worse."

"Huh?"

"…I've experienced it too many times. Every old man I met, all except Sandaime Hokage, either they have some temper tantrums, possess all the qualities of being a psychopath, or openly testify that they are super open pervert."

Neji sweat dropped. Abruptly he noticed Hinata was coming.

"A-ano… T-tou-san asked me to bring some food…" Hinata stuttered. She brought a bento.

"Thanks Hinata-chan."

Hinata's face resembled that of a tomato. She immediately put the bento on a small opening just beneath the door before ran off. Neji smirked. Naruto's hand slithered out of the opening and grabbed the food.

"Well. I guess I'll just stay here until things getting better. But I still wanna kicked that old-fart's arse."

"Naruto. Please. This is your first day and I believe Hiashi-sama had done the best he can just so that you could stay here. Stay out of trouble for a while will you? I kinda worried for you too."

Naruto sighed. "Okay. You won." 'I so wanted to burn his ass…' he grabbed the chopstick and looked at his meal: a cup of rice with sea-weed on top of it, miso-soup, tempura, salmon, and salad. "Itadakimasu."

Neji smiled as he left. "Itadakimasu."

----------------

"I still think that your punishment is too mild, Hirigi-sama."

"Hitoshi, he's our guest, not our prisoner and as the host, we should've treated him with hospitality and respect."

"Yes he's our guest… who happens to have a nine-tailed Demon on his stomach, and he just whacked 20 to 30 of our younglings-"

"-younglings who doesn't know how to watch their tongue." Hirigi finished the sentence.

Hitoshi looked at the senior elder.

"…we want that child to respect us. So far as I concern, I can say that, the child's policy was practically simple: respect me, and I'll respect you. I did not endorse or share Hiashi's optimism or his value on the child. But I do see that he had gained that child's trust. Now, it'll depend on us on how **we** gained his trust."

"Is it so important to gain his thrust?"

Hirigi smirked. "That child dreamed of being a Hokage. If one day that happens…"

"Which is I doubt it." Hitoshi snap.

Hirigi sniggered. "Ku, ku… don't go around judging things, Hitoshi. How would we know?"

Hitoshi was about to say something when Hirigi cut him off.

"That should be enough of you now. You are dismissed."

"…hai."

-----------------

Meanwhile, back to the warehouse…

Naruto was snoring in his bed. In his mind, he was having another heated conversation with his demon.

"Mad ferret!"

"Loud mouth idiot!"

"Cocky-sadist!"

"No talent bum!"

"Four legged fur-bag!"

"Dandruff Freak!"

"WHAT?"

"I said dandruff. That's right kit. Dandruff freak."

"What are you talking about?"

"Consider I've lived with you for 13 years and bath is an activity that you do… what? Once every month?"

"Look who's talking."

"Well sue me. The first thing I'm going to do if I ever get out is taking a meal and then a good long bath. Then again… you're not the one living in this cage on a sewer filled with water."

"…" Naruto slump down. He looked at Kyuusei (in human form). "…okay. Got the picture."

Kyuusei smirked. "That'll be… 0-11."

"Yeah, yeah whatever."

Kyuusei looked at Naruto. "…what's wrong? I thought you'll scream: Damn you fox, or just you wait… something's nagging you?"

"…short of."

"…you're pissed on the Hyuuga weren't you?"

"…I don't hate them. Neji and Hinata's case had already given me a good glimpse on how bad their family is… I never thought would be this bad."

"That's what I've told you. Oh, I think someone's coming."

Naruto instantly woke up. When he looked at the window on the warehouse, it's already evening. A knock on the door woke him up. He looked through the window. Much to his dismay, it was Hitoshi and some of the Hyuuga whose asses he kicked back there.

"What do you want?"

"We're bringing your food."

"Put it on the opening under the door. Then leave." He doesn't want to sound so rude, but he doesn't want to cause any trouble at night.

Hitoshi winched. He may look calm, but inside, he was fuming. 'Who does he think he is? Abomination!'

Hitoshi turn to leave, but not before he motioned the two hyuuga with him to do something…

Inside, Naruto's was waiting impatiently for the food, just behind the door. He waited for a good long 15 minutes until he finally can't take it and yelled. "Hey where's my food?"

No response.

"What the hell…"

Naruto looked through the opening to find his bento pack 5 feet from the door.

"Those sons of a… Damn it I can't reach it!"

**KIT.**

"What?"

**COME HERE FOR A WHILE.**

Soon, Naruto's back to Kyuusei's cage. "What do you want?"

"Teaching you something that is EXTREMELY useful." Kyuusei make a short two hand-seal movement while aiming his hand towards Naruto. Less then 1 second later, 9 flurry tails shot out from the demon Fox's sleeve. It hit the jail bars before rushing back to the conjurer.

"What's that?"

"Kitsune Gen'eishou (Fox Phantom Palm). Though it may not exactly look like a palm, the main function of this jutsu is to grab something that is out of hand's range. This is actually pretty simple… you don't need to be genius to learn it. Just make two seal, very small amount of chakra, and you got 9 grabbing tails per arm at your disposal."

"Two seals? What are they?"

"The first one is tiger seal, simply to gather chakra, and then 2ndly, Demon seal. Here. Make your hand like this." Kyuusei showed his palm. Naruto flinched. It was covered with gauntlet. The color was blackish gray, and the fingers are all nailed… correction: clawed. "The Devil's seal is like this: you put middle and little finger up, and hold the rest on your palm with your thumb."

Naruto do as he was told. First he gathered chakra for one full second before changing the seal to demon seal. A rumbling sound could be heard from his sleeve. Naruto looked at his hand before 9 yellow tails shot out from the sleeves and hit Naruto full on his face.

"Whuaa!"

Kyuusei let out a good laugh. "That's why I told you that you only need to gather a small amount of chakra. This jutsu is VERY simple. Any idiot would be able to do it."

"Urrh…"

"The only thing is you shouldn't put too much chakra on it. A little surge is already enough to shoot 2 to 3 tails out for a maximum distance of 4-5 meters or so."

"I see… that's pretty useful indeed."

"It's my basic jutsu… you were able to do it without my Youki now since your body is half human, half Kitsune Hanyou. So you, and only you, that can do it. Now hurry up and get our meal. Remember I share a part of your calories also."

"That explained why I have such a demanding stomach."

Kyuusei smirked as he expelled Naruto back to his body.

Naruto jerked up. "Man! Kyuusei! Do you have to do that every time I have to get back?"

**JUST SO THAT YOU HURRY UP. NOW COME ON, GRAB THE FOOD.**

"Kay." Naruto kneel down, looked at the food in front of him. He gathered chakra with tiger seal and change it to devil seal in an instant. He aimed his sleeve towards the food, and the next second, a pair of tails grabbed the box firmly. "Alrighty! Come here!" Naruto pull the food box back in.

When he opened it though, his smile faded. Inside the box, the only food remained is a cup of rice. The other plate is already empty. Even more infuriating, the rice was mixed with dirt.

Naruto looked at the spoiled food.

**KIT.**

"…don't talk to me now."

**LOOK, YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO'S BOTH HUNGRY AND ANGRY HERE.**

"…so?"

…**IN MY EARLIER DAYS WHEN I FIRST CAME TO POWER, I ONCE CROSSOVER INTO THE HUMAN WORLD QUITE OFTEN. SOME HUMANS THERE, TAUGHT ME SOME VERY GOOD LESSONS, IN WHICH I LEARN IT THE HARD WAY.**

"Kyuusei, I don't think this is the time for childhood stories?"

**IT ISN'T! IT'S TIME FOR 'REVENGE'! THOSE HUMANS TAUGHT ME ABOUT RULES AND REGULATIONS, AND THE SPECIAL TREATMENT WE DO TO THEM, ON A SPECIAL OCCASION. AS FOR ME, ON THE OTHER HAND, I CAUGHT ANOTHER FORM OF LOGIC OF IT.**

"And just what are you suggesting?"

**KIT. DO YOU KNOW WHAT RULES FOR?**

"…what?"

Kyuusei smirked evilly behind his cage. **RULES…ARE MADE TO BE BROKEN.**

Naruto, in his hunger, managed to catch the sense of the sentence. He grabbed the rice pot, and swallowed it in an instant. Holding the disgust of eating the rice and dirt altogether, he sat down. "Okay. I'm listening."

A few hours later, at midnight, several figures appeared right in front of the warehouse. One figure spoke. "Okay, you guys know the plan?"

The other figure nodded. "Sync up our time… tonight is exactly at 00:00. Remember to put on your Henge. Okay… begin!"

"Operation Uzumaki Catastrophes no jutsu, commence!"

Pool, 00:01

"Get the fish out!"

"Hurry! Put these in!"

**HAVE YOU WRITTEN IT WITH WATERPROOF INK?**

Bedroom, 00:10

"Okay, I guess that's enough with this room."

**WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? I'M NOT DONE YET.**

"Kyuusei, how many plan you have?"

**WELL, THE ONE YOU'VE JUST FINISHED, THAT IS THE FIRST ONE, FOR THIS ROOM ONLY THAT IS.**

"Holy… what's next?"

Meeting room, 00:15

"Auw! What's that for?"

"You did the writings the wrong way moron!"

"Oh I suppose you could do it genius?"

**QUIET! WE DON'T WANT TO WAKE THE WHOLE HOUSE!**

"Che… Okay Kyuusei, next seal please."

Ceilings, 00:16

"How big should we cut it?"

**ENOUGH FOR A FULL GROWN MAN TO WENT THROUGH.**

"Hayaku! I'm almost finished with the stairs!"

Fireplace, 00:20

"Give me that can."

Kitchen…

"Put the oil out and change it with this."

"What about the refrigerator?"

Living room, 00:35

"You sure this scroll will work?"

**IT'S FOOLPROOF.**

"What about the TV?"

Garden, 00:40

"Done. Now come on, let's get to the other house."

**HURRY UP! WE ONLY GOT 20 MINUTES BEFORE D-TIME!**

Poultry, 00:45

"(Auw) stop (ouch) pecking me! (Aiee!)"

"Shhh! Quiet! The night-guards are coming soon!"

Dojo, 00:50

"You sure this work?"

**YOU'RE TALKING TO THE MASTER.**

Finally, D-time: 01:00 in the morning…

"Okay… so… what should we do?"

**MAKE A RUCKUSS. ANYTHING. JUST SO THAT THE WHOLE COMPLEX WOKE UP.**

"Why should we do that?"

**IT'S TO DERIVE THEM FROM SLEEPING. THAT WILL ENSURE OUR PLAN TO WORK MUCH MORE SMOOTHLY.**

"…Any idea on this? This is my very first grand scale prank against one clan."

**WELL, YOU'RE THE MASTER OF TROUBLE… THINK OF SOMETHING!**

"…" Naruto was out of idea. "Sorry Kyuusei. I've put every single large scale prank I knew on this one. I'm out."

Kyuusei sighed. **OKAY. I GUESS IT'S TIME FOR SOME MORE FOX MAGIC.**

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Kill me if you want. But yes. This is some short of a cliffhanger. The menace will start on the next chapter. Otherwise, this chapter will go awfully too long. So enjoy, folks.

Read and review as usual. Critics. More then welcome. Don't worry, the next chapter will come in a zippo.


	13. Uzumaki Catastrophe Code: CHAOS

Sorry for the long update. This chapter is by far the hardest one to write, since I have to go look everywhere for a good prank… haih!

Some earlier jokes here are inspired by the movie: the Mask and a bit from Home Alone. Oh, and this chapter featured the music of FLOW-GO! (Naruto 4th opening song, my favorite)

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": in Naruto's case, him in berserker mode. However, I will use this format for other purpose when it's necessary.**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA: Kyuubi demon form speech**

Disclaimer: I'm bored of repeating the same thing again and again so… Read the first 5 chapters

Chapter 13:

Uzumaki Catastrophe-Code: CHAOS.

It's now 01:05 in the early morning. Anbu hunters are still swirling in the complex.

"(Yawn) Men. Why do we have to do this all night?"

"You know. It's those Hyuuga geezers' request."

"Fuck them… we got our own problem… hey, who's that?"

"Hey who are you?"

The two Anbu immediately intercept the person. They gaped when they saw the being.

"Holy… What're you doing?"

"What's with that dumb cloth?" The two Anbu are currently looking at the person in front of them and question each other whether they're hallucinating or not. The person in question wore a blue Elvis clothes showing his bare black chest. He wears a pair of blue loose trousers with 10 white pockets embedded on it. His hair was… White and blue afro, whilst the said person himself wears a pair of big spinning binoculars. He's wearing a pair of white plushy gloves.

"OOOHHH? You don't know style mister!" 'Kyuusei… tell me once again WHY oh WHY on earth you could come up with something as crazy as this?'

**WELL… WE NEED TO ATTRACT SUSPICION. JUST KEEP UP YOUR CONTACT WITH ME. THE TRICKS IS JUST ABOUT TO BEGIN. MORE YOUKI'S ON THE WAY. DO THE JUTSU EXACTLY WHAT I'VE TOLD YOU.**

'Let's just hope I don't mess up…' "This style is the STAR! You don't know fashion!"

The two Anbu sweat dropped. "…nevertheless… sir, you've had trespassed a private property. Please show us your Id card. Otherwise I'm afraid we need to search you up. We're sorry for the inconvenience."

"By all means, baby!" Naruto searched his pocket and the next second, pulled out an IV.

The Anbus sweat dropped even more. "Id. Not IV."

"Oh alright." Naruto searched his pocket again and pulled out an ivy leaf.

"…ID! Not ivy!"

"Sorry honey but I'm afraid I've lost it. It's somewhere in my pockets…"

The two Anbu looked at each other. "Alright. Sorry buddy. But we have to search you."

"Go ahead baby." 'God I'm dead… I'm so dead!'

**JUST CONCENTRATE AND DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO. LEAVE THE REST TO ME.**

They began to search his pocket one by one.

"Okay let's see… we're looking for his wallet I guess…"

"Let's begin."

The two start rummaging Naruto's pocket. The first two pocket.

"Some coins…"

"Can opener…"

"Yoga ball…"

"Pea shooter…"

"Beans…"

10 minutes later…

"Turkey…"

"Frankfurt Sausage…"

"Swimming pants…"

"Swiss cheese…?"

"Big Sun Glasses…"

"WTF… giant condom?"

"Jumbo underpants? Wow."

"OUCH! Errh… mouse trap…"

"AAAAAAAHHH! W-wolf-trap…?"

"Bowling pin…"

"Lamp… I wonder if there's some genie inside?"

The two Anbu kept on rummaging at the **exact** same first two pockets.

"Elf boots… what in god's name… we're getting nowhere!"

"What the hell is this? A Durian? That's it! Get help!"

"Okay."

A few minutes later, 8 more Anbus were helping the other two rummaging all of Naruto's pockets.

"Comic books…"

"Elephant Doll…"

"Ughh! Stinks… guano(fertilizer made of bird's dung) ?"

"Outdated Milk…"

"…eyeball glasses?"

"Dorayaki…?"

"Spinach…"

"What's this? Honk doll?"

"Pizza? Who's hungry?"

"Sun tan monster size?"

"Skunk fur hat…"

"Bowling ball…"

Naruto was greatly amused. Inside he was trying his best not to roll out laughing. It was another of Kyuusei's prank jutsu which was called: Mugen Kaukan Ranmyaku (Infinite Space Chaos). A technique in which, mess up with the time and space of a room. As the result, the space as small as a pocket could connect with various other places and items will pop out randomly. Right now, the jutsu was already in motion.

"Hey look! Naked jumbo poster of Karin, the star on Icha-icha paradise the movie!"

All Anbu glared at him.

"…giant toothbrush?" One of the Anbu pulled out a 20 feet long toothbrush.

"Whoa… I wonder the size of the teeth."

"Err guys? Speaking of teeth, I think I've found it. Here help me."

All 9 grab hold of the said Anbu. "3… 2… 1! Pull!" All ten Anbu jerked back and to pull out a 10 feet long, 5 feet wide, 4 feet tall, fake teeth.

"This is nuts!"

"How many stuff did he carry in his pockets?"

"Could you please explain?"

"Hmmm… well, if it's not in these pants… maybe my ID is… on my other pants. Wait a second will you?" Then Naruto pull out 10 more exact same trousers from EACH of the trousers' pockets (Meaning: they got 10 pockets also. Now kindly count how many bloody pockets are there now:D ). The Anbus were almost screaming a bloody murder.

"THAT'S IT MISTER! WE'RE TAKING YOU TO THE BASE!"

'Great. Now what?'

**EXCELLENT. THIS IS OUR PERFECT CHANCE TO CAUSE A GREATER MESS.**

'At this rate, the Uzumaki Catastrophe won't be able to go in motion on time!'

**KIT. IT'S ****ALREADY**** IN MOTION.**

A short while later, Anbu base…

"Ibiki, sir!"

"What?"

"We found this suspicious character wandering around the Hyuuga complex. Sir!"

Ibiki looked at the person in question and sweat-dropped.

"What's with those clothes?" Ibiki sweat dropped.

"I-I don't know for sure. He's already like this the moment we found him."

"And you brought him here because…?"

"We pulled all this from his pockets." The ANBU showed Ibiki all the stuff they've pulled out in a cart. The interrogator Jounin jaw-dropped.

He looked at Naruto. "…what are you? New generation Doraemon?"

"Hmm… I don't know."

"…search him." Ibiki sighed.

"Again?" one of the Anbu whined.

"That's an ORDER!"

And so it began again. All ten Anbus, along with Ibiki, start checking Naruto's pockets.

"Violin…"

"O-Oxford ultra b-big dictionary…"

"Giant swimming tire…"

"Table Mirror…"

"Water gun…"

"Pan Cakes?"

"Mustard sauce…"

"Sashimi…"

"Siren lamps…"

"Anbu toy mask…"

"Afro wig…"

"Big rabbit doll…"

"Mobile Suit Gundam HG Strike Freedom model kit…" (AN: How I want one… T T;)

'This is getting nowhere…' Ibiki sighed as he pulled out "Worn out socks?"

"Naked picture of Ibiki-san's girlfriend…" One of Anbu muttered thoughtlessly…

"WHAT?" Ibiki yelled. All Anbus were thunderstruck. He grabbed the picture. "ANKO! YOU SON OF A BITCH!" In his hand, in all the glory, was the picture of Mitarashi Anko, naked, with big red writings of: Ibiki's girlfriend.

"Gee… I thought you guys supposed to have some short of sense of humor. After all…" Naruto looked around as if to ensure if there were any eavesdroppers, pulled out a megaphone from his pocket and screamed at the top of his lungs (Loud enough for the whole village to hear): "YOU'VE SLEPT WITH HER!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRGGGH!" Ibiki screamed.

A puff of smoke later, Naruto was nowhere to be seen.

All Anbus murmured among themselves with giant sweat-drops at the back of their heads. Ibiki's anger meter was at the peak of a volcano. "GET HIM!"

Meanwhile, Naruto, still in his insane disguise, was zooming through the village like never before.

'OKAY KYUUSEI! WHAT IN THE DEVIL'S NAME POSSESS YOU TO PULL THAT ONE OUT?'

**WELL I THOUGHT THAT WAS SURE A GOOD LITTLE PIECE OF INFORMATION TO BURN HIM UP. AFTER ALL, THAT'S THE TRUTH… NO?**

"And here I thought I could use that to blackmail him…"

Naruto keep zooming until suddenly he caught a person… several person were following him. He looked through his shoulder and found a pack… no, several dozens of ANBUs was following him at top speed.

'He's so angry isn't he?'

**CONSIDER YOU GOT YOUR SEXLIFE EXPOSED TO THE ENTIRE VILLAGE. I THINK YOU'LL DO THE SAME THING.**

'I did that because YOU pulled the picture out.'

**PEOPLE WILL KNOW IT. SOONER OR LATER. HELL, REMEMBER WHERE YOU SAW 'EM DOING 'THAT' WHEN YOU WERE RETURNING FROM ONE OF YOUR MISSION? I SAW IT TOO EVEN THOUGH YOU DIDN'T KNOW. **(Which means it's before Sasuke left)

'Okay, okay… now that I have their attention, where should I bring them?'

**WHERE ELSE? TO GROUND ZERO.**

'Gotcha.'

Before Naruto could reach his target though, tons of ANBUs suddenly appeared right in front of him.

"WE GOT YOU CORNERED! PUT YOUR HANDS WHERE WE CAN SEE 'EM!"

Naruto gave a full stop. Behind him, the ANBU pursuers blocked his way back.

'Now what?'

**LET'S ROCK THIS JOINT.**

'Huh?'

**DO THE SEAL: TIGER, FOX, BAT, FROG, GOAT, FOX, LAMB, DEVIL, BIRD, TIGER! HURRY! **

Naruto finished the set of seals in a flash. 'Now what?'

**SING!**

'WHAT?'

**ANYTHING! JUST DO IT!**

"Errh! HIT. The. MU. SIC!"

(AN: Now if Naruto sing it'll be italicized and if the ANBU sing, it'll be put in _"…")_

_We are Fighting Dreamers Takami wo mezashite_

_Fighting Dreamers Narifuri kamawazu_

_Fighting Dreamers Shinjiru ga mama ni_

_Oli Oli Oli Oh-! Just go my way!_

"Huh?" All ANBUs jaw hung open.

_Right here Right now (Burn!)_

_Buppanase Like a dangan LINER!_

_Right here Right now (Burn!)_

_Buttakitteku ze Get the fire!_

_Right here Right now (Burn!)_

_Buppanase Like a dangan LINER!_

_Right here Right now (Burn!)_

"…" some of the Anbu start nodding to the beat.

_Kewashii shura no michi no naka Hito no chizu wo hirogete doko e yuku?_

_Gokusaishoku no karasu ga Sore wo ubaitotte yaburisuteta_

_Saa kokoro no me Mihiraite Shika to ima wo mikiwamero! (Yeah!)_

_Ushinau mono nante nai sa Iza mairou!_

Several Anbu suddenly follow on as they dance.

"_We are Fighting Dreamers Takami wo mezashite_

_Fighting Dreamers Narifuri kamawazu_

_Fighting Dreamers Shinjiru ga mama ni_

_Oli Oli Oli Oh-! Just go my way!_"

_Right here Right now_

"_BURN!"_ a good part of the Anbu also chorused.

_Buppanase Like a dangan LINER!_

_Right here Right now!_

"_BURN!" _Now **ALL** Anbu chorused.

_Oto wo tatezu shinobiyoru kage ga Itsumo bokura wo madowaseru_

_Yuugenjikkou Ooki na kaze ga Uneri wo agete fukiareru_

_Kazashita surudoi katana de Onore no asu Kirihirake!_

"_YEAH YEAH!"_

_Hoshoou nante Doko ni mo nai sa Naa Sou daro?_

Now everyone, including Naruto, sang.

"_**WE ARE FIGHTING DREAMERS TAKAMI WO MEZASHITE**_

_**FIGHTING DREAMERS NARIFURI KAMAWAZU**_

_**FIGHTING DREAMERS SHINJIRU GA MAMA NI**_

_**OLI OLI OLI OH-! JUST GO MY WAY!"**_

_Right here Right now!_

"_BURN!"_

_Buppanase Like a dangan LINER!_

_Right here Right now!_

"_BURN!"_

_Buttakitteku ze Get the fire!_

_Right here Right now!_

"_BURN!"_

_Buppanase Like a dangan LINER!_

_Right here Right now!_

"_BURN!"_

_Buttakitteku ze Get the fire! Fire! Fire…_

_We are Fighting Dreamers Kono nakama-tachi to_

_Fighting Dreamers Subete wo makikomi_

_Fighting Dreamers Kokorozashi Takaku_

_Oli Oli Oli Oh-!_

"_**WE ARE FIGHTING DREAMERS TAKAMI WO MEZASHITE**_

_**FIGHTING DREAMERS NARIFURI KAMAWAZU**_

_**FIGHTING DREAMERS SHINJIRU GA MAMA NI**_

_**OLI OLI OLI OH-! JUST GO MY WAY!"**_

_Don't forget your first impulse ever_

"_GO MY WAY!"_

_Let's keep your adventurous ever_

"_GO MY WA-Y!"_

_Don't forget your first impulse ever_

_Let's keep your adventurous ever_

"_**GO!"**_

_Right here Right now_

"_BURN!"_

_Buppanase Like a dangan LINER!_

_Right here Right now_

"_BURN!"_

_Buttakitteku ze Get the fire!_

_Right here Right now_

"_BURN"_

_Buppanase Like a dangan LINER!_

_Right here Right now_

"_BURN!"_

_Buttakitteku ze Get the fire BANG!_

At this point, the whole ANBU squad was now in line dancing cha-cha along the streets of Konoha, chorusing the last part at the top of their lungs with Naruto in the lead. With all that, the whole village, including the Hyuuga complex, woke up.

"What in the name of…"

"Honey, what is the number for Guinness book of World Record?"

Meanwhile, in the Hokage Tower, Kira was sharing some tea with the Hokage, Jiraiya, Baki and Chiyo when the voice reached out

"What's with all that ruckuses…" Kira spit out all his tea at the sight. "…Tsunade… did you put sake on my tea? Cause I think I've gone drunk."

"What?" Tsunade looked at the window and felt her jaw hung open.

Jiraiya whistled. "Not bad."

Baki gave a giant sweat-drop.

"_**RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW! (BURN!)**_

_**BUPANESSE LIKE A DANGAN LINER!**_

_**RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW (BURN!)**_

_**BUTTAKITTEKU ZE GET THE FIRE!"**_

"_**RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW! (BURN!)**_

_**BUPANESSE LIKE A DANGAN LINER!**_

_**RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW (BURN!)**_

_**BUTTAKITTEKU ZE GET THE FIRE!"**_

"_**RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW! (BURN!)**_

_**BUPANESSE LIKE A DANGAN LINER!**_

_**RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW (BURN!)**_

_**BUTTAKITTEKU ZE GET THE FIRE!"**_

_WE ARE FIGHTING DREAMERS!_

"_**JUST GO MY WAY!"**_

A loud explosion later, Ibiki appeared. "CUT IT OUT YOU WORMS!"

Naruto smirked as he disappeared in a puff.

The ANBUs were still dancing while chorusing the song again and again. Ibiki was red in fury. "PARTY'S OVER! SNAP OUT OF IT!"

In the warehouse, Naruto jerked up as his consciousness reentered its original body.

He smirked. "Heh… Oni Bunshin no Jutsu. Success."

**AS ALWAYS. **Kyuusei was now rolling in laughter.

At this point, the two had a same thought: Revenge is best served when cooked well.

0000000000000

Morning, Jounin HQ, Ibiki's office…

"I'm doomed… I'm so doomed." Ibiki banged his head to the table again and again.

"It can't be that bad." Kira smiled in glee.

"What do you mean? Battle hardened ANBUs dancing in the streets singing like there's no tomorrow! And what's worse, the Hokage, the whole representative from the sand and their reinforcements also knew! It's gonna spread like a wildfire!"

"I think it has spread." Jiraiya muttered. He was reading the Fire Country Times.

"What?"

"It looks like the press of the Fire Times visited us just yesterday to make a documentation of our situation. It's in the headline now. And look at this: the Anbu team got a job open in Tanzaku Gai streets."

"I'm dead. Hokage-sama's gonna get my butt for breakfast. With pension and wages as the sauce."

Kira chuckled. He looked at Jiraiya, who had turned the pages to the red-light adult district information. The dragon Shitennou twitched dangerously. "Uh hum… Jiraiya, if I were you, I'll close those pages right this instant."

"R-right! At once!" The toad Sannin sweatdropped.

"Come with me for a second."

"Okay."

Once the two got out, Kira sounded his opinion. "I think Naruto's behind all this."

"Huh? Why would he want the entire ANBU squad dancing and singing in the street?"

"It's a diversion… he wants to do something else… I think he's trying to derive us from sleeping or something…" Kira rubbed his eyes.

"Why don't you use that future seeing eyes of yours to see what he's up to?"

"Nope. I don't want to use it unless it's important and life threatening… maybe I'll mind-read him if I met him… but if you ask me… he's planning on doing some pranks… something big, something of a grandiose scale."

"Well… the biggest prank he had done so far… is… vandalizing the Hokage mountain."

"Hmmm…" Kira rub his forehead.

"Let's just hope nobody gets hurt?" Jiraiya scratched his head.

0000000000000

"Last night was (Yawn) nuts… you should've seen it. Hundreds of (yawn) ANBUs were dancing in the streets." One Hyuuga was chattering happily with another.

"They (Yawn) did really awesome (Yawn) huh?" Another chuckled.

"You didn't sound too surprised?" Neji looked at Naruto with sleepy eyes. The latter's head jog up and down, showing that he's also worn-out.

"I didn't see… but I heard." Naruto replied as drowsily as he can be.

"Right. (chuckle)" Neji and Naruto was now in the Hyuuga kitchen, having their breakfast. Many Hyuuga is present at the time, including Hitoshi. All of them, much to Naruto's satisfaction, were dozy.

'Kyuusei, as I much as I wanted to give these Hyuugas a little lesson, I don't want Hinata, Neji, or Hiashi-san to get hurt. Any idea on this?'

**WELL… FOR THAT BRIGHT ONE, YOU MIGHT WANNA ASK HIM TO HAVE A SPAR ON THE OUTDOOR. IT SHOULDN'T BE TOO DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO ASK HIM. AS FOR THE GIRL, YOU COULD JUST ASK HER. SHE'LL SAY YES…AND AS FOR THE HYUUGA-HEAD…**

"Neji?"

"Hai Hiashi-sama?"

"Hokage called me, and I'm might won't be able to return until nightfall, so you don't have to wait for me. Okay?"

"Hai."

Naruto sighed. 'Problem solved.' "Say Neji, are you free this afternoon?"

"Sure. I'm free for all day. What do you want?"

"Let's have some spar? Remember, you owe me one. And we might have some short of picnic out there?"

"Hmm… good idea… I think I'll take Hinata-sama along."

"Perfect." 'Smooth.'

**THE TRAPS WILL ALL GOES ACTIVE THE MOMENT YOU RELEASE THE TRAP LOCK SEAL. IF MY CALCULATIONS ARE CORRECT, WHICH THEY ALWAYS ARE, IT SHOULD TAKE 6 TO 7 HOURS UNTIL ALL TRAPS SET OFF.**

'Kay.'

The two walked to Hinata's room. After learning that Hinata went to the dojo from one of the Bunke maid, they head there instead. Upon reaching the place, they could hear voices of two people fighting each other.

"Again!"

"H-Hai."

Naruto nodded. "That's Hinata-chan's voice alright… who's the other one?"

"That must be… Hanabi-sama."

"Who?"

"Hinata-sama's little sister."

"Hmm."

The two entered the dojo to saw Hanabi, all battered up, and Hinata, with her face showed a great worry.

"…What… happened here?" Naruto looked confusedly at Hanabi.

"Shut up! It's not your business!" Hanabi snapped.

A twitch appeared on Naruto's head.

"A… anoo… N-Naruto-kun… H-Hanabi and I were having a little s-sparring…"

"Hmmm… by the looks of it… seems you're winning." Naruto nodded.

"Not for long! Again!" Hanabi turned to Jyuuken stance before charging at Hinata.

Hinata saw it coming and moved to the side, gracefully avoided the attack while tapping Hanabi's shoulder. The next second, the latter's shoulder slumped down.

"Anoo… Hanabi-sama! Don't push it! You're losing your calm!" Neji gave some advice.

Naruto rubbed his chin.

"SHUT UP! AGAIN!"

The blond looked at Hanabi. "What's with her?"

"Hanabi-sama used to be always winning against Hinata-sama. Some elders had speculated that she might become the Hyuuga head… that was; until Hinata-sama started to show a rapid development and beat her to it… she's been challenging Hinata-sama in every chance she gets ever since."

"…pride huh?"

"Pretty much…"

'Darn it… at this rate, this'll go too long.' "I'll stop it."

"What?"

Before Neji could stop him, Naruto paced forward. Hanabi was just about to charge in when she felt someone's grabbing her collar from behind.

"Easy hasty girl. You're losing it. Get a break or something."

"Let me go!"

"Whoo boy… hey, little brat…" Naruto calmly raise Hanabi till her face was looking straight at Naruto's.

"Grrr! Put me down!" Hanabi was swishing her arm helplessly as Naruto's longer hands hold her. "Put me down or you'll regret it!"

"Show me." Naruto smirked, knowing exactly what she would do next.

"Jyuuken!" Hanabi grab Naruto's hand. Much to his horror, Naruto's hand was perfectly fine. "W-What?"

"Jyuuken doesn't work on me."

"G… GRRHH!"

"Hey, bratty. Give it a break… you're tiring yourself out."

"I'm not giving up! I'm the honorable daughter of Hyuuga Hiashi, the Hyuuga head! I will not yield so easily!"

Naruto sighed as he put Hanabi down. Then, all the sudden, he knocked Hanabi right on the top of her head. "DO YOU THINK I GIVE A DAMN? DUMB-ASS!"

"OUCH!" Hanabi winched as she grab hold on the newly formed bump.

"NA…!" Neji's jaw couldn't go any lower. Hinata's pearl eyes widen.

"Y- YOU! JUST WHO THE HELL YOU THINK YOU ARE?"

"Someone who can teach you a lesson. The point is: you're tired. You're going to have a break, whether you like it or not, even if I have to knock you unconscious."

"G… GHH…" Hanabi was already on the verge pf crying but she held it back.

"What? You're going to cry aren't you? Go ahead and cry like a daddy's little girl you are!"

"I won't… Grrr! I'll get you for this!" Hanabi ran off the dojo. She was so pissed that she didn't realize she ran pass Hirigi, who happened to walk around.

"Hmm? Now what was that about?"

0000000000000

Back to the dojo…

Naruto told Hinata, who're still stunned by the act, about their plan. Hinata simply agreed. The three went to the kitchen to grab some food, and then soon, they went out of the complex. After a while the three simply walk across the streets in silence. On the way, they met Lee, Kiba, Chouji, Shikamaru, Tenten, and finally Temari, respectively.

Everyone decided to tag along. And thus, they decided to go and grab some more food at the Hokage-tower.

"Get double provisions for back up. Remember, now we got Chouji."

Tenten nodded. "Hai."

Meanwhile, before everyone noticed, Naruto made a single seal: 'Kai.'

0000000000000

At the Hyuuga compound…

Dojo, 5 minutes BEFORE the seal release…

"Well, at least we gave that Demon Fox Boy a little revenge." One of the Hyuuga teenagers who tried (AN: Yep. Tried, but failed as we all know) to bully Naruto smiled contently. At that time, inside the Dojo, there are many Hyuuga teenagers. About 50 or so. A good part of them were the ones who got their crap beaten out by Naruto.

"Yeah. Imagine what's his face looked like when he saw that rice we gave him last night? Ha ha ha ha!"

"Maybe we should do it more often."

"Careful. Remember, last time we challenged him, he butch our butt like cattle. Last night you did it because Hitoshi later cover your back. We're lucky that Uzumaki boy hadn't extorted some payback on us."

"What will he do? Create an army of wooden zombies? Hah! The elders were hot in his tail. He won't dare to do anything!"

"I just hope you're right…" The hyuuga left the dojo soon after.

"Okay. Let's have some training shall we?"

"Yeah… imagine these wooden logs as him! Ha ha ha!"

"Hey… is it just my imagination… or the logs just moved?"

"Nah… maybe it's just your feeling?"

"I don't know… Anyway, let's begin the training." The Hyuugas start punching the logs, unaware of what awaits them.

Several minutes later… 5 minutes later to be exact…

"OUCH! What the? The log just moved!"

"What? OUCH! Hey it does!"

The Hyuuga watched in horror as the wooden logs began to grow arms and legs, devilish black spiked roots burst out, forming a demon like… wooden creature. Soon all the logs followed suit.

A little information, the place the Hyuuga took shelter at the moment, was the former first and Second Hokage's office, the two Hokage love to train in that dojo. Every time the two brothers fought, they'll leave massive destruction. That's why, the dojo was huge. It is a common story that the Shodaime Hokage had a unique Mokuton (Wood elemental) no jutsu. Every time he used his Mokuton jutsu he always ordered the remnants to be turned into something useful, mostly, into training logs. After the two left that office, it was decided that dojo was opened for every citizen of Konoha who wised to train there. During that time, the wooden logs were finally put to use, and the dojo, since it's so huge, were divided into sections, in which by the way, there at least 10 logs put into each section… and since there are tens of sections… not to mention stockpiles of wooden logs in the Dojo's warehouse… I'll leave it to you guys to count on how many wooden demons are there now. ;

"What the hell is that thing?" A Hyuuga cowered in fear.

"I don't know… w-w-what do you want?"

Then, all of the wooden demons raised both of their rooted spiky hands (Chinese zombie way) and answer in a creepy howl: **"Your. Head."**

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"

0000000000000

Naruto smirked. By now, the Uzumaki catastrophe should've begun. 'What do you think Kyuusei?'

**I THINK THEY'VE TASTED THE NAIMOKUTON: TOHO SHI NO KI NO JUTSU (Dead Wood Element: art of the walking tree of death)… **

'They won't… kill them… don't they?'

**NOPE. NOT IN THIS OCCASION. THE ORIGINAL ONE IS VERY SADISTIC AND CRUEL. YOU WANNA HEAR ABOUT IT?**

'Don' a sadist like you called it sadistic. I hate to know how the true jutsu looked like, when we use it for real. At least… don't tell me when I'm about to eat. I think I'll puke.'

**OKAY. NOW JUST SIT BACK, AND LET'S GIVE A FRESH BAKED CHAOS A VERY WARM WELCOME.**

0000000000000

"Aaahhh… nothing more relaxing than walking around the pond in the morning. Don't you think so?" Hitoshi took a deep breathe.

"(Yawn) You know, all I want was actually to go to sleep."

"Sleep? It's still morning."

"I know… but aren't you sleepy after what happen last night?"

"Not exactly… I did wake up… but then, I put a pair of earplugs afterwards…" 'And since I've given that Demon brat a little lesson…"

"(Yawn) Suit yourself then. But I'm going to sleep."

"Fine. But I still want to spend some time here."

"Okay. (Yawn)" the Hyuuga left.

Hitoshi stood at the edge of the pond. "Aaaaahh. What a calm morning… and a good pool and good fishes too…" Hitoshi bo down to get a better look on the fishes. All the sudden, bubbles began to erupt from the surface.

'Hm? Now what is this?'

The bubbles grew fiercer by the second.

'Is something wrong with the fishes?' Hitoshi's face was just inches away from the water surface.

Then, something welcomed his face.

And that's not hoping fishes.

But an open mouth of a 25 feet crocodile.

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"A-Anoo… Naruto-kun."

"Hmm?"

"W-why did you… p-punched my sister like that?"

"Oh? Well, I just thought, she might need some good beating."

"Still, that's pretty rash. The council might came up with something again to punish you…"

"Nah, I've been punished too many times in my life. I've punched the grandson of Sandaime Hokage in the same manner before… can't see any reason why I can't add a Hyuuga-head youngest daughter into the list."

"…Hiashi-sama could have your head."

"Hah. Yeah, maybe. It'll be fun to run away from him."

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"WHAAAAAA! AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" the hyuuga youngsters were running here and there as the army of wooden demons continue to march forward.

"Open the door! We have to get out of here!"

"It's LOCKED!"

"WHAT?"

"**Capture. All."**

"NO! GET AWAY FROM ME!"

One of the wood demons lunged forward, capturing one of the Hyuuga youngsters' legs.

"AAAAHHHH! NO! NO!"

The wood demon took no notice as it harshly pull the boy away before throwing the boy right into the middle of the wooden zombies. Few seconds later, torn clothes flew out to the sky.

The scene simply unnerved them all.

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"Here's your takoyaki!"

"Thank you sir!" Konohamaru grabbed three takoyaki from Genji.

"Where are you going? Are you having a date?" Ayame teased.

"No, Ayame-nee-san! I just wanna take a walk and find Naruto-nii-san!" 'Then, I'll force him to teach me some jutsu!'

"Tee hee… well good luck." Ayame chuckled.

Konohamaru walked through the streets, searching for Naruto. That is, until he heard someone's crying. He looked around, trying to find the source of the sound. After a while, he found Hanabi, crying near the pool (not the one in the Hyuuga compound)

"(Sob) That… (sob) jerk…"

"Who's the jerk?"

"?" Hanabi jerked her head to the side. To her horror, she saw Konohamaru staring at her innocently while handing her a Takoyaki.

"Here. Stop crying." Konohamaru smiled.

0000000000000

"! HELP! HELP! ALLIGATORS! ALLIGATORS! GET AWAY FROM ME!" Hitoshi slither back from the growling Alligators. The Souke immediately ran off for his dear life. When Hitoshi was no where in sight, the Alligators popped back to fishes.

A little while later, Hitoshi returned with a band of Hyuuga fighters and some Anbus.

"Here! Over here! There's a pack of alligators here!" The Hyuuga frantically pointed at the pool.

"…" Everyone looked at the pool. Nothing happen. "Is this a joke or what?" One of the Anbu smirked.

"…I see only fishes… no sign of any Alligators were here."

"But I swear! There're alligators here! Dozens of them!"

"If there are that many, there won't be any fishes left."

"B… But…"

"Hitoshi… are you hallucinating or something?"

"I… I'm NOT! THERE ARE DOZENS OF CROCS HERE! I SWEAR!"

Everyone looked at Hitoshi incredulously. One of the Hyuuga sighed. "You're too tired, you know that?"

"But… but…"

"There's no alligator here Hitoshi. Give it a break. You're hallucinating or some short. You may leave guys."

"Okay." The Anbu dismissed the others, much to Hitoshi's dismay.

"Tell you what, Hitoshi, why don't you go and get some rest."

"Dear god…" Hitoshi groaned, practically embarrassed out of his skull. "Okay, I'll go to sleep."

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"I thought we came here to have a sparring not a full-scale picnic like this?" Neji looked amusingly at the group.

"I don't know. Guess… the more the merrier." Naruto laughed.

"But this is too merry…"

"NEJI! I CHALLENGE YOU!"

"Uhh… not today. After all, you've won!"

"SHUT UP! HIC!"

"Hic?" Neji looked at Lee horrorstruck. 'Oh shit.'

Tenten yelled in horror. "Who gave him SAKE?"

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"Things are pretty weird today…" Hitoshi drop to his bed. "Maybe if I sleep things will be better… hey, what the…" All the sudden, the bed pumped up at a fast rate; locking Hitoshi right in the middle. It inflate at such a fast rate, it reached its maximum size in mere seconds before it exploded, ejecting a pack of extremely stinky dung gas that filled the room.

"GUAAHHH!"

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"…D-did you see me… crying?"

"Yeah… what's-"

SLAP!

"AUW! Hey! What's the big idea?"

"Uhhh… you… you!" Hanabi ran away, still crying.

"Hey wait up!"

0000000000000

"AAAHHH! I'm OUTTA' HERE!" One of the Hyuuga teenagers immediately tried to ram the Dojo door open. They've seen what will become of them, if they are to be captured by the wood demons. They'll be stripped. And it means completely stripped off their clothes, and the victims will be hanged, upside down, butt naked.

So far, 10 of them had already suffered such poor fate. And the numbers keep on counting.

The remaining, however, wish not to suffer such fate, thus, they flock on the door.

"HEY Come on! We're the great and powerful Hyuuga! We're not going to let some stupid wooden creature scare us just because they're going to strip us! Let's show them who's the boss!"

"Yeah! Let's show 'em Hyuuga's Jyuuken!"

All the Hyuuga activated their Byakuugan, and get to Jyuuken stance.

"Hmm… there're good amount of chakra planted on them. If we could just sever one of the flows, they'll drop down for sure! Come on! Let's kick their arse!"

"CHARGE!"

And the… unofficial battle that will go down to the record of: the most embarrassing moment in Konoha history begins…

One of the Hyuuga charge on to the wooden demon and planted his hand on its neck. The next second, the wooden creature stopped in its tracks!

"SEE? They're not so tough!"

"Wait… it's trembling!"

"Huh?" The hyuuga looked back at his opponent. True, the creature start shaking as green smoke started to arise from its skin.

"What… is that green gas?"

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'So let me get this clear that… if anybody tried to infuse chakra on the Youki you've injected on the doll, it will explode?'

"TOOHH! SHAAA! HWAYAH!"

**NOT EXACTLY THAT EVIL… IT WILL SIMPLY EXPLODE A GOOD AMOUNT OF CLOROPHIL PIGMEN INSIDE THE WOODEN DOLLS. THINK ABOUT AS A…NATURAL PAINT BOMB. IN ANOTHER WORD, IT'LL MAKE ANYBODY TRIED TO TAMPHER IT; IN THIS CASE, IF SOMBODY'S USING JYUUKEN ON IT, THEY'LL TAKE IT DOWN, TRUE… HE OR SHE WILL BE COLORED IN PERMANENT TOXIC GREEN THAT WILL LAST AT LEAST…HALF A YEAR OR SO.**

"CHAA! HAIYAAA!"

'You're evil…'

"TOOH! EIII!"

**HEY, I'M NOT CALLED THE GREAT DEMON FOX KING FOR NOTHING!**

"HWORYAAAAHHH!"

'Okay. Now, could you HELP US TAMPERING LEE DOWN?'

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"LET ME OUT!" Hitoshi tried his best to open the door. Much to his horror, the door stuck. "I have to get out of here!" the Hyuuga took several steps back and charge forward. To his surprise, the door bounced and catapulted him back. The moment he touch the floor, it suddenly opened to reveal… a set of gum web. The elastic web bounced and sent the Hyuuga flying to the ceiling, which flip up to reveal a pack of dung bombs. The bombs hit him full and sent him back to the bed. Yellow stinky dung gas filled the room once more with intensified stinkness…

"WHUAAAARRRGHH!"

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"HEY! Stop! Stop! Hei!"

"What?" Hanabi snapped.

"What's that slap for? Here I am trying to be nice to you and you slap me? Is that how you Hyuuga say thanks?"

"I… I… (Sob)…" Hanabi calmed down. Or at least, she tried to. "I… you… I…" She put her head down in defeat. "…why are you following me?"

"What? You slap my face and now you asked WHY I followed you?"

"Well I never ask you to do THAT!"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY? If you think I'm just gonna stand down after a woman hit me, well you're in trouble!"

"I'd like to see you do that! I'm the daughter of the Hyuuga head!" 'I'd like to see your face when you know…'

Konohamaru knocked Hanabi right on her head, at the exact same spot, with the exact same manner with Naruto. "DO YOU THINK I GIVE A DAMN? DUMB-ASS!"

"ITAI!" Hanabi let out. 'W-what? Is he related with him?' That was her last thought before the pain caused her to black-out, much to Konohamaru's horror.

0000000000000

"NOW WHAT THE HELL DID YOU GUYS JUST DO?" Haruma yelled at a group of half naked, PURELY TOXIC GREEN hyuuga youngsters.

"The training logs in the dojo sprang to life and they're trying to strip us!"

"…if you think that I'm stupid enough to believe in that bullshit, you're gravely mistaken young man."

"I swear!"

"Then can you explain why are you guys are all… green?"

"THOSE DOLLS EXPLODE, THE MOMENT WE USE JYUUKEN ON THEM! SOMEBODY HAD TAMPERED THEM!"

"How?" The elder tapping his foot demanding a much believable reason.

"I… I don't know! Must be some kind of jutsu!"

"What jutsu is that?"

"…I don't know… it's unlike anything we've ever seen before!"

"…I don't know about this boys and girls (AN: Yes. There are girl victims too. Go ahead and went on with all your pervy thoughts you pervert:) ) But I actually expect a much more mature behavior from all of you. Change your ripped clothes and get a bath. I expect all of you to be clean afterwards."

"Yes sir." The youngster group left.

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**YOU KNOW KIT, THERE ARE SEVERAL VERSION OF GEN'EISHO.**

'Really?'

**GEN'EISHO FUNCTION IS MAINLY TO CAPTURE SOMETHING…ALIVE… BUT IF YOU'RE FIGHTING SOME ENEMIES… AND YOU WISH TO DEAL SOME NASTY DAMAGE TO THEM… GEN'EISHO CAN STILL BE MODIFIED TO GEN'EIGA (PHANTOM FANG).**

'Show me.' "Hey guys, I wanna go to that lake for a while, okay?"

Neji nodded. "Okay."

The others were too tired to respond. The drunken Lee had been tied to a tree, trying to break free every now and then.

**OH BY THE WAY, SPEAKING OF WATER, YOU'RE ALMOST FORGOT TO DEAL WITH THE BATHROOM LAST NIGHT.**

'Don't worry. I took the liberty of changing the shampoos and soaps with something else.'

**REALLY? WELL I'VE INSTRUCTED SOME OF YOUR ONI-BUNSHIN LAST NIGHT TO PUT SOMETHING ON WATERWORKS.**

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"Clack, clack, clack HELP! HEEEELP!"

The Hyuuga male were screaming at the top of their lungs while fighting with their clattering teeth. Firstly, their hands were stuck on their hair when they were washing it. Secondly, those who haven't washed their hair yet and were washing their body, their soap, instead of cleaning the green skin, put another color on it, which is baby blue with red dots on top. Thirdly, the water from the shower suddenly turned into snow storm, freezing their body in the process.

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"Here. Next time, tell me if you're already got a bump on your head. So I can hit somewhere else."

"Hmph!" Hanabi grabbed the Takoyaki without question. After a bite, he sighed. "…sorry."

"Hm?"

"…I'm sorry I slap you."

"…fine by me I guess… sorry I knock you on your head… you kinda reminded me of someone…"

"Really? Who?"

Konohamaru smirked. "Myself."

"Huh?"

0000000000000

Hitoshi tried to reach the door. Then he remembered that it's useless. 'Okay. Calm down. You can get yourself in, you can get yourself out. Byakuugan!'

He looked throughout the room. Much to his surprise, there are massive amount of chakra throughout the room. 'Whoever did this… he's dead. I'll simply use Jyuuken.'

After some while, the Jyuuken didn't do much good but absorbing all his chakra. 'Guh… useless… apparently, the jutsu were performed somewhere, using long range chakra transfer. Ain't no way this was done by an amateur… it's simple then. All I have to do is find the source and destroy it. Now where is it?'

His Byakuugan scanned the surrounding. Then he found it. A painting of Kyuubi.

'Come to think of it, I don't recall having this painting before. Someone must've put it… the chakra came from there… son of a bitch…' Hitoshi's glowing hand touched the picture. Abruptly, the eye of the Kyuubi glowed blue. 'W… what?'

The next second, the painting poured out a massive amount of water.

"HEEEL-GLUB GLUB!"

Few seconds later, the Kyuubi painting had flooded the entire meeting room, whose walls were suddenly covered in weird writings, making it extremely sturdy, and apparently: both sound-proof and water-proof.

Hitoshi tried his best to go the door. Much to his horror, the Kyuubi painting dropped something else.

The Alligators decided to drop by once again and say hi.

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"I see… so that's how you do it." Naruto looked at the lake and then to his arm.

**YES. WITH CORRECT MODIFICATION, INSTEAD OF SHOOTING SOME FLURRY TAILS…**

Naruto did 4 seals respectively. The sleeve began to rumble even more. He pointed his arm to the lake. A horde of growling and barking fox heads burst out from his sleeves and dashed to the other side of the lake.

…**YOU'LL SHOOT FOX VERAL SPIRITS INSTEAD.**

"Cool."

**THE INTERESTING PART OF GEN'EISHO AND GEN'EIGA IS THE FACT YOU'RE NOT SHOOTING REAL OBJECTS… THEY ARE A MASS OF ETHEREAL MATTERS. **

"What the hell was that mean?"

**THEY'RE GHOSTS. SPIRITS. SPECTERS. ECTOPLASMS. CALL IT WHATEVER YOU LIKE. THAT IS WHY THEY'RE CALLED PHANTOMS.**

"Hold it. If they're ghost, how could they touch something?"

**WELL THIS IS SOMETHING MORE INTERESTING. THEY'RE ONLY PHANTOM WHEN THEY HAVEN'T GRABBED ANY OBJECTS. WHEN THEY'VE TOUCHED THE TARGET, THEY WILL BECOME REAL… AND THUS, THEY'LL DO REAL DAMAGE. NEAT ISN'T IT?**

"Cool! They won't be able to dodge that one!"

**BEWARE THE FACT THAT DURING THE POINT BLANK RANGE, SINCE THEY BECOME TANGIBLE, THEY'RE ALSO DESTRUCTABLE AT THAT POINT. SO YOU MIGHT BEST BE CAREFULL.**

"Gotcha!"

"Some interesting conversation you have there, young man."

"Huh?" Naruto looked to his side to see Hyuuga Hirigi.

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"H-Haruma sensei… I-it w-wasn't… our fault!"

"Y-y-yes! S-s-somebody… s-switched our shampoo with f-foam glue!"

"A-and switched our soap with color substance… or whatever it is… as well!"

"P-putting a jutsu in the water works!"

"Look I don't care, who did all that. All I care is your actions afterwards." Haruma was thumping his foot in front of the freezing Hyuuga teenagers. Their hands are still stuck here and there on their hair. Shaking uncontrollably.

"W-what action?"

"WHAT ACTION? SNEAKING INTO FEMALE BATHROOM ALTOGETHER, BUTT NAKED, GREEN COLORED HEAD TO TOE, AND RUNNING LIKE A MADMEN ON CORRIDORS, RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS! Some of our elders gone terminally ill because of that, muttering that they've gone crazy and the world is about to end."

"W-we don't know!"

"Y-y-yes! W-w-we just managed to escape the second ice age and ran to the exit! W-w-we opened the door and all the sudden we ended up in the girl's bathroom! W-w-we don't know w-w-what happened! I-it looks as if we were warped right into the place!"

"T-the girls chasing us and…"

"W-w-we don't have much time to explain to them, m-m-much less thinking where we're going!"

"And you expect me to believe that? How?"

"Uuuhhh…"

"Well…"

"…in the past, sneaking on girls when they're having a bath was punishable by castration you know that?"

All teens gasped and those who can (Which is very few) cover their crotch.

"Still, that law eventually deemed inhumane. So, we'll lock you in the ceiling instead. Is that okay?"

"Y-y-yes."

"Good… and now about those hands…"

0000000000000

"Oh I see… you're Konohamaru son of the late Sandaime Hokage-sama? I didn't know. I did hear that Sandaime-sama had a grandchild but I don't know it's you."

"Well… the condition back there doesn't really provide us with good chance for proper introduction… talk about that, what's your name?"

"Hanabi. Hyuuga Hanabi."

"Right."

0000000000000

"Haa… haa… I finally beat them…" Hitoshi stood out with his clothes torn up here and there. The whole bedroom was wet. The torn painting of Kyuubi was resting securely in his trembling hand. Alas, the door is still locked. "Alright. That's it. No more Mr. Nice guy. I'm gonna take that door, apart! FULL POWER KAITEN!"

The yellow dome hit the door full force. The wooden door curved in a logically impossible rate. Eventually, it slammed back to Hitoshi's face, literally, knocking him out through a window, and he landed right on the pond, where the alligators were waiting for him again. Frantically swimming up, Hitoshi's eyes widen in horror when he realized:

The pond's surface freezes over.

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"You're Hirigi-jii-san… right? Neji told me about you." Naruto bowed his head slightly.

"Yes. And you're Uzumaki Naruto… the Jinchuriki of Kyuubi the nine-tailed Demon Fox Overlord… yes?"

"Well I guess we know each other already."

"Not exactly. Your furry friend's reputation is what made you known."

"It's not something I could be proud of…"

"Point taken. By the way… did I interrupt something? Training session or some short? Mind if I drop in for a chat?"

"Oh no. Not at all, jii-san." Naruto smiled as he provided some space for the old Hyuuga.

"Thank you."

0000000000000

"Nice cut. Ouch!"

"Shut up."

The hyuuga teenagers were all over the ceiling. Some were still winching in pain. What happened after their talking with Haruma, was the largest mass haircut session in Hyuuga history. Those who got both of their hands stuck on their hair must have a hair cut. As the result, some of them have weird bald on their hair. To make it worse, all of them were bandaged, head to toe.

"What I don't get, is why there's so many of you who got haircut and still your body got colored in multivariate colors."

"That's because, we were washing our body first, and then, we washed our hair. When our hair stuck, that's when the color change occurred. Followed with that blizzard from the showers. And that's how we got this ordeal."

"Well… to hell with that. Here's what I don't get. Nothing is right today. This can't be coincidence. Who do you think responsible?"

Silence for one full second. And then…

"UZUMAKI NARUTO!"

Now let's leave the male for a while to see the females…

"I'll never forgive them! Ever! Warped to our bathroom my butt!"

"I wonder what's wrong though… nothing's right today. You realized that… didn't you?"

"Yeah… I wonder who did all this…"

"Well, while we waited, let's do something about our skin and hair shall we? It's disgusting!"

"I agree. Hand me over the salve and the hair dyer."

0000000000000

"Sooo… Hanabi-chan! Why were you crying?"

"Don't call me chan. I'm crying because… because I can't proof my worth."

"Worth? Worth as what?"

"As one of the future Hyuuga Head."

"Hyuuga Head? You mean… you wish to become a leader or something?"

"Short of… The Hyuuga were led by one person that is called the Hyuuga head. My father… is the Hyuuga head… I intend to take his place when I've reached the age… but I can't even beat my sister!"

"Hooo… so you… you've been trying to beat your sister… so that you will be acknowledged huh?"

"Yes. I wanna beat her, and show that I'm capable of being a Hyuuga-head!"

Konohamaru was silent for a few moment before start chuckling.

"What so funny you little brat?"

"…ku ku ku… look who's talking? You're a brat yourself."

"What did you say? Well fine, but I'm stronger than you!"

"It doesn't matter… still… you're pretty dumb… probably as dumb as me back then…"

"WHAT?"

0000000000000

'I have to get out of here!' That was the last thought of Hitoshi when he was swarmed by a horde of 25 feet long crocs. Then he noticed it: there's a round hatch conveniently lay right at the bottom of the pond. The crocs seem to avoid it. Too convenient.

'I have to get there! It's my only way out!'

Hitoshi swam like he never before right into the hatch. As predicted, the crocs stop chasing at him. 'Now to get out of here…' Hitoshi immediately opened the hatch. Much to his surprise, the now opened hole SUCKED him up. Then as Hitoshi's leg sank in, the hatch popped out of the existence, the crocs revert back to fishes, and the ice surface disappeared.

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"I see… so… you're kind of mad at me for punching your grand-daughter huh?"

"No I'm not mad. Getting angry at my age is not my thing anymore. Heh, heh."

Naruto smiled. 'At least he's not like Tsunade.'

"Besides… I kinda glad you did that though. Hanabi had been pushing herself rather harshly. I never thought her mother's death would affect her so."

"I beg your pardon?"

"My daughter, Hanabi's mother. She died giving her life to bring Hanabi into this world. After she found out about it, she's been plagued by guilt, that she had took away the life of the person she would call mother. I think she's been working hard… too hard… to make amends…"

"I see… that sucks."

0000000000000

The whole Hyuuga complex stopped on their tracks when they heard a chorus of ear splitting shrieks coming from the girls' room.

"What in the heaven's name…" Haruma was running like hell to the girl's room. 'Man! This is really a busy day! Where the hell is Hitoshi?' "Okay what happened?" Haruma swung the door open and found his jaw on the floor. "…is this some kind of a joke?"

There, standing in the room, were, in all the glory, the female teenagers of the almighty Hyuuga clan.

…one with her hair was colored in bright orange with teal dots all over…

…another got her hair pointing out to every direction like a hedgehog…

…another got her hair spiraling everywhere… with purple and white dots as the color…

…another got her skin, dyed, in sickeningly pale blue…

…while another, were completely bald, exposing her now pink head…

…and some, got hairs, in a variety of colors, sprouting out from every inch of their skin…

…in a word:

Complete make up C. H. A. O. S.

And the only thing came out from the great and busy Hyuuga Haruma is:

"…BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

0000000000000

"I'm not anywhere like you, crybaby!"

"Said the girl who was caught wet-handed crying her eyes out?"

"That was… a mistake. I should've never done that?" Hanabi stutter a bit.

"What's with you and crying anyway?"

"…I'm the daughter of the Hyuuga head… I should've not cried."

"I think it's pretty natural to cry. If you never cry… than that's abnormal… no?"

"…I don't know."

"See? You didn't understand anything either."

"I'd like to see you say that again!"

0000000000000

"How the Hell did you end up here?" The Hyuuga chef was confused out of his skull. Here he was, about to prepare a lunch for the whole house, when the first thing came out of the huge refrigerator room was none other than a nearly frozen Hitoshi.

"I don't know… now turn on the stove… it's freezing here!" Hitoshi was utterly confused as well. The last thing he remembered was being sucked up into the hole, and then it all went dark. The next thing he knew, he was already in the freezing room.

"Hmm… should I summon assistance?"

"No… but do call Haruma. I have something to discuss with him!" 'That Naruto must've responsible for all this…'

"As you wish." The chef left.

After a few minutes, Hitoshi still felt freezing to the death. 'Come to think of it… is the stove working?'

The Hyuuga went to check it up. 'Hmm… weird… the fire died down…' He tried to turn the stove on several times but failed. The stove kept dying down after a few seconds. 'Perhaps… something on the oil?'

The oil tank was in a cupboard below the stove. Hitoshi duck down and open the cupboard. The next second, he felt warm. Very warm. 'Funny… why do I feel warm, all the sudden? Hey, wait the minute… the pipe for flowing the oil isn't connected right… the oil tank were linked to…' Using the Hyuuga 360 degree white eyes, he traced a pipe connected to… a camouflaged flaming flamethrower, placed on the ceiling right on the Hyuuga eyes' blank spot. Then he noticed something. 'Wait the minute… that flamethrower… was right BEHIND me?' He looked at the reflection of himself.

"WHA… ! MY HAIR! AAAAAAAAAAAAHHH MY HAIR'S ON FIRE! HEEEEEEEEEEELLLP! WATER! WATER! WAIT! THE FREEZING ROOM!" The Hyuuga ran right into the freezing room… unaware of another trap were just triggered. The next second after the door was opened forcibly, a string breaks, and out of nowhere a bucket dropped down filled with…

(The drum sounds for 10 full seconds)

…no, it's an empty bucket. It falls right on top of Hitoshi's burning head, enclosing his head… (AN: Don't worry… I'm not evil.)

…in which by the way, the bucket had a dozen of special explosive tags plastered inside it. (AN: …but very-very evil.)

The kitchen's windows were shattered as the explosion went.

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Naruto heard a scream, but he pretended he didn't hear it as he continued listening to Hirigi's story. Kyuusei however, secretly put a check on the Hyuuga compound map he had created. 'And there goes the kitchen… there are only a few traps left now… the victims will increase their awareness from here on out… pity… it's almost over anyway… heh, heh.'

"She tried to look strong. She tried her best not to cry all the time. She also wished to be the Hyuuga head as soon as possible. Pretty impatient wasn't she?"

"Ku ku… remind of someone…"

"Speaking of Hanabi, I was wondering… why did you punch her so? I'm not mad at you, but I'm just trying to understand why you did that."

Naruto smiled. "…because she need to understand."

"Understand what?"

"That… it's not that easy. I don't know about a Hyuuga head or stuff… but I do know that being a Hyuuga head means becoming some short of a leader right? It's just like my dream of becoming a Hokage."

0000000000000

Hanabi was tackling down Konohamaru. Meanwhile, the Sandaime grandson was trying to talk under the pressure.

"L-listen to me. I was once like you. Impatient. Wishing to be a Hokage… I challenged my grandfather all day just so that I could beat him. Somebody came and beat me to it."

0000000000000

"…I've encountered so many bad-things… at some point I nearly lose hope. Barely keeping my life in the process… eventually I got one person, followed by several others who acknowledge my existence… the road to that simple acknowledgement was already incredibly difficult!"

0000000000000

"That somebody taught me that the road of acknowledgement is not a free-way! You can't expect to reach that place in a flash-urgh!"

"Just what are you suggesting?" Hanabi grew impatient and added up the pressure.

0000000000000

"…I don't understand about the Hyuuga's tradition on choosing their leader, nor do I understand how a Hokage is picked. But I do understand this much: A leader, Hokage, Hyuuga head, whatever it is, they are people who are acknowledged by everyone."

0000000000000

"…he had worked… so hard, just so that the village see through the evil shadow that covered his figure! Yet after nearly losing his life so many times, there's still someone who didn't recognize him!"

0000000000000

"Hanabi wished to be a Hyuuga-head. She thought, that beating her sister, is the key… the shortcut to do so."

0000000000000

"You think, if you beat your sister, then the Hyuuga will acknowledge you? I don't know about YOUR tradition, but as far as I know, being a leader of something is not that easy!"

0000000000000

"Being a leader, acknowledged by everyone, she can't simply get it. She had to work her way up."

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"He taught me… that you have to earn it; to make yourself worthy of being called a leader!" Konohamaru gasped.

0000000000000

(Both Naruto and Konohamaru at the same time): "That's why, I know the best. There ain't gonna be any Short-cuts!"

0000000000000

Hanabi stunned. She reluctantly released Konohamaru.

0000000000000

Hirigi nodded. "I understand… such a point. But do you really have to punch my grand-daughter in the head?"

"What do you expect? That's my style."

The two laughed.

0000000000000

"…" Hanabi looked down.

Konohamaru cracked some parts of his aching body. "Ahh. That's better. God you weight a lot."

"Shut up." Hanabi turned to crimson shade.

The sandaime grandson laughed. "Nah, Moegi weigh more than you."

"…whatever." Hanabi shook her head and smiled instinctively.

Konohamaru grinned. "There. That's better."

"Huh?"

"You've just smiled. Good really. I think it's best if you smile." The Sandaime grandson laughed.

Hanabi's face bit red with embarrassment. She silently activated her Byakuugan, scanned for a certain Tenketsu in Konohamaru's body. He tapped it with Jyuuken once. The Sandaime grandson stopped dead in his tracks. "Ha? Oi! What did you do?"

"That's the payback for punching my head. Don't worry; it'll wear off after… 1 or 2 hours or so." Hanabi smirked. She left the paralyzed boy and start walking to the Hyuuga complex. After she reached the distance where Konohamaru couldn't hear her, she muttered a silent "…thank you."

0000000000000

"That should keep 'em for a while…"

"It's your fault that you laugh at them."

"Can't help it. They won't let me cut their hair so… I have no choice but to lock them in the ceiling along with the boys… until, they're calmed down, and we can came up with something. Now. Why did you call me before?"

"Anoo… I found Hitoshi trapped inside the freezing room. Yes, Haruma-sama, you've heard me right. The refrigerator. He's nearly become an ice-block when I pulled him out."

"And what's with the explosion just now?"

"That, I don't have any idea."

"Let's go there."

0000000000000

Meanwhile, in the ceiling…

"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! AAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The whole male Hyuuga couldn't stop laughing.

"Shut up! Stupid mummified idiots!"

"Upset aren't we?"

"Hey-hey. Boys, girls… calm down for a minute. Listen. We have a good hunch on who's behind all this."

"Who?" One of the girls asked.

"Uzumaki Naruto."

"That Demon boy?"

"The very one."

"If I got him, he's so DEAD!"

"Our sentiments exactly. We used our Byakuugan on the entire complex; but he's nowhere to be found."

"Damn! Where is he?"

"I don't know. But wherever he is, we need to be careful still. I believe he got this place completely booby-trapped. I wouldn't be surprised if this entire ceiling were wired with traps as well."

"Really? Have you found anything?"

"So far, only those holes on the rooftops. Beyond that, nothing else. We don't know what those holes for though."

"And you know the weird thing is?" Another Hyuuga followed suit.

"What?"

"We're reading an abnormal density of chakra around us… it's not Genjutsu. That much for sure. We've tried to break it… but no use."

"…so what do you think we should do? Break the trap jutsu with Jyuuken?"

"Don't. We've tried that, but after that experience with the Wood Demons… we have to rethink our actions. So far, all of his traps really worthy of praise from Konoha trap squad. Mostly consist of multi layered traps. You break one; it will be chain reactions, setting up the other traps. That much you've known right?"

"We know. Back there, when we found out about our hair, we immediately tried to wash it. All the sudden, our hair grew completely out of control. Then, when we tried to dye it, instead, it put motives in our multi colored hair! When we try to cut it…" One of the girls pointed at their friend, whose multicolored hair sprouting from every inch of her skin, save for her bald head, from head to toe.

"When we use our Byakuugan to check it, there's a massive amount of chakra infused on the hair-cream, hair-dye, gel, cologne, masker, comb, perfumes… EVERYTHING inside were tampered! Then we tried to break with Jyuuken, it worked, or so we thought, but the next second the hair Blower gone wild: blowing up a -30 degree wind, packed with Chakra. THAT chakra infuse into everything and the next second: the cologne and perfume spraying skunk gasses, a massive amount of hair cream blow out, shooting something that smells like rotten eggs EVERYWHERE. The masker cream sprayed, and like having a mind of its own, it hunt us and stuck on our face, hair, everywhere. The combs charging out to our hair like a rampaging bull, combing our hair turning it into like this."

The Hyuuga male gulped.

"You think that's bad? Wait until you hear what happen next: The ceiling disappear, and guess what awaits us? Sprinklers. Yes you heard me right: Sprinklers. I don't how the hell those things get there, but those things do a number on us."

"How?"

"See those girls? They were the victims that weren't quick enough to dodge."

The Hyuuga male looked at the direction and their eyes widen: If it weren't for the wonder color on their hair, they could've mistaken them for a bunch of overgrown chickens… Chickens… with dots all over their feathers.

"How the hell…"

"-they get like that? Well, guess what those sprinklers sprayed at us? Glue. Liquid pure black glue. Along with a spray of paint with various colors. Shortly after that, all the stuffed dolls inside the room inflate at the fast rate. Some of them reached the size of a full grown Akamichi clan before it exploded."

"Oh…"

"Sending out dozens of chickens to us, whilst exploding a pack of something smelled like dung-bombs."

"Excuse me? Chickens?"

"Yep. Chicken. Alive and scared out of their feather. The chickens rampage throughout the room, and you've seen the damage it has done."

"…question. If it's so grandiose, why don't you girls try to get out?"

"Do you think we're idiots? We've tried, but it's locked. When we tried to infuse Jyuuken on it, it DID opened, only to spray a horde of gum-web out no where at us, followed with dozens of living worms. The roosters' had gone even madder at that, seeing so much food before them, and it attacked us. We can't stand it, and we eventually screamed our lungs out"

"Okay another question. How come Haruma sensei didn't see all that?"

"Here's what I don't get. By the time Haruma-sensei was about, what, 10 feet from the door, everything was popped in smoke, and the next second, everything was gone. It was as if nothing ever happened before… and not even a single feather remains… the only thing left is…the damage it has done… us and the room."

"Sounds like we're dealing with multi layered traps here… wonder how much thing he had tampered?"

0000000000000

"Naruto we need some help with… oh… Hirigi-sama! I didn't know you're here."

"It's alright Neji. I was just talking with your friend here."

"We're having quite a good time." Naruto grinned.

"I assume as much…" Neji sighed.

"Come. Sit with us."

"Okay." Neji sit next to Naruto.

"We were talking about well… daily stuff. Nothing really important." Hirigi inhaled and exhaled immediately. "No… we just having a good chat and enjoy the great scenery."

"I see."

The three went silent.

"So." Naruto broke the silence.

"So." Hirigi followed on.

"So? What should we talk about?"

"Dunno."

"I'm out of topic."

"Hmmm…"

"…"

Silence again… that is, until an extremely-loud scream from Tenten awakened everyone from their trance.

"NEEEJIIIIIIIII! TASKETEEEEEEEE!"

Neji slapped his head. Now he remembered why he's here. "NARUTO! LEE'S GONE RAMPAGE AGAIN!"

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME IN THE FIRST PLACE?" Naruto screamed.

The three immediately dashed to the picnic site. Naruto jaw-dropped. Everything was in complete mess. The tree where they've tied Lee was now torn off its roots. Every party member was incapacitated with lots of bruises and gashes all over. The only one left is Tenten, who was now on top of another tree, holding one of it's trunk for her dear life. Down on the base of the tree, Lee's making the said tree as his kicking logs.

"NEJI! NARUTO! MINNAAAA! TASKETEEEE!" Tenten was on the verge of tears… no she's already crying her eyes out.

"Right of the bat. Gen'eisho!" 10 flurries of tails grab hold of Lee. Much to Naruto's surprise, the drunken Lee pulled the tails and at that, Naruto along. Lee smirked as Naruto was now flying towards him and prepared his fist.

'Oh shit, this is gonna hurt.' Naruto's eyes widen. He braced himself for the impact.

"URRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Lee's fist connected with Naruto's stomach. That sent the fox-host back to where he stood beforehand. The said blond really had to puke.

"Is that the infamous Suiken (Drunken Fist)?" Hirigi was impressed to say the least. "Never thought that I would live to see another user of Ancient Konoha style."

"Hirigi-sama, this is really not the time to admire…"

"Don't worry. I know just what to do. You two listen to me."

Naruto looked at the old Hyuuga. "Okay… what should we do?"

"Both of you… I see there are many intact bottles of sake around here, correct? Well, I don't know how much sake he had drunk, but as far as I know, Suiken require the user to be in a half-conscious state…AKA drunk. Which means, until the effect of the sake wear off… he will continue to go on rampage… yes?"

"Yes." Both boys nodded.

"Well… judging by the condition and all, I'd say that waiting until he regained his sanity is a lost cause. As far as I know, many challenger of the Suiken died a gruesome death, for their arrogance, thinking they can survive the wrath of that style until the user's awake."

"You're inferring?"

"If we can't wait until it depletes… then overload it." Hirigi concluded.

Naruto looked at Neji and fro. After a moment, they two understood. "Jii-san, you're a genius!"

"Fruition of experience." Hirigi smiled.

The two looked at the drunken enemy before them. "Okay! Grab all sake bottles!" They immediately ran and collected as many Sake bottle around the field.

"Hey, Lee! Want some more?" Naruto throw a bottle of Sake to Lee.

"SAKE! HIC!" the Konoha Azure Beast jr. grabbed the bottle mid-air, open it, and drink it in an instant. "Hic! Good sake… hic!"

"Here! Another!" Neji throw two more bottles. Lee caught them, broke the bottle's neck and drank all the content. "Hic… good…"

"And another! And another! And another!" Lee was dancing as he kept catching all the sake. Break, drink, break, drink…and so on and so on.

After a good 5 minutes, Lee couldn't even able to walk straight anymore. "Hic! Hic! Mo…..moreeeee! Hic!"

"(Pant) (pant) now what?"

"I don't know… we're running out of 'ammo'…" Neji was also panting. Suddenly, Hirigi was already right in front of Lee. Neji looked in horror. "Hirigi-sama! Be care…"

Hirigi pushed Lee's forehead gently, and the next second, the drunken fighter fell flat on the ground.

"…ful." The three awake spectators' sweatdropped.

0000000000000

"…you got a hair cut?"

"Men! You smell like shit! Literally…"

The other Hyuuga elders were trying their best not to laugh like mad. Hitoshi, the powerful elder of the Hyuuga have a big round chunk of his hair removed, with what's left of the exploded bucket hanging in his head making his head looked like a Kappa. His face is somewhat ash black, his clothes were torn here and there, and his smell… well… it has been mentioned above.

"Uh hum." Hitoshi cleared his throat in order to gain some order. Sadly, he failed miserably. One of the elder looked at his head and sniggered. Everyone can't stand it and broke out into full force laughter. The laugh echoed throughout the halls.

Hitoshi was red in fury. He cleared his throat again. "Uh-hum! Elders of the… the… th…"

"What is it…(chuckle)… Hitoshi?"

"Th… thaaaa…. Thaaaaaaaaaaa! AAAAAAHHH-CHOOOOOOOOO!" Hitoshi sneezed so hard, several Hyuuga winched. After his head were exploded royally, he was unconscious for several full minutes INSIDE the refrigerator until the chef and Haruma found him.

"Hitoshi! Control yourself and keep your influenza for yourself thank you very much!"

"Sright… (Snort)" Hitoshi sat down, but before the other member could sat down, they heard a LOUD fart coming from Hitoshi's seat. Everyone stopped dead in their tracks.

The other elders don't know whether they have to feel pity or disgusted. Hitoshi realized this and know that if he continued, there maybe some more unintentional accident. "…the reason why I gather you here… is because I think there's someone that has been trying to… to…"

"To what?"

"To… aaaaaahhhh-"

"Look out!" The other Hyuuga immediately back away.

"AAACHOOOOO!" Hitoshi sneeze again. He brushed his nose and finished his sentence. "-to disturb our peace."

"If there's anyone, I say it's you! Get a hold of yourself and your flu!"

"I'm sorry… that's what I'm trying to say… we'll do this meeting again… next time… I guess…"

"Done." Almost instantaneously, all the elders disappear from the meeting room. Only Hitoshi left.

"ACHOOOO!" 'DAMMIT! I really need to get a bath… they're right… I smell like shit… that Demon kid really did a number on me…' He walked slowly, ever so carefully in case if there's another trap. 'I have to be extra careful from here on out! Byakuugan!'

He scanned the entire area… nothing's weird… so far. That is, until he noticed something. 'What is a fishing hook doing here?' Hitoshi walked very slowly towards the hook. 'Hmmm… there's a good amount of chakra in it… no doubt, the fox-boy's doing… better take it out… it could pluck someone's eye out…' Hitoshi pull it down. But it just won't go. He pulled again. Still it remains. 'Hmmm… I'll use Jyuuken and cut it down. Yeah that's the best way.' And so he did… All the sudden, the wire bolt up, whilst the hook SANK deep to the ground with a smoke. 'W… what? Just how heavy this thing?' Meanwhile the other end of the wire was tied to a bag of flour. The moment the weight on the other end was released (the hook)… well, you guys guess what happen next.

The 50 pound flour bag fall down, crashing several ceilings straight to Hitoshi. Hitoshi, hearing the noise realized this in an instant, Using Byakuugan, he looked up. 'Honestly… did he really think he can get me this way? FULL POWER KAITEN!' A yellow dome appeared, protecting the Elder, crushing the floor in the process. 'W-WHAT? The Meeting room's floor shouldn't be this thin?' "AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" The elder fell down right into a trampoline. The trampoline surface broke up and the poor elder fell down right into… a pack of sticky fertilizer. The gluey object rendered the elder immobile. Meanwhile, the flour bag was left untouched as it continued its fall right unto Hitoshi's horrorstruck face. The last thing he saw before the flour-bag knock him unconscious (and fell flat, face first, on the fertilizers) was a writing written on the falling flour bag: "Have a nice day"

0000000000000

10 minutes later…

"Alright, judge Hirigi, we present you the culprit." Naruto dragged the squirming Kiba.

"Hey! I'm innocent!"

"Mr. Inuzuka, are you well aware that Lee is 'allergic' to alcohol?"

"I didn't know!"

"Mr. Inuzuka as your attorney in this matter, I advise you to tell us the truth." Chouji smirked. "After all, Shikamaru had told you about it, didn't he?"

"Wait the minute, wait the minute, Chouji I thought you're supposed to be my attorney?"

"The truth is, I'm also a victim. And I've given my testimony to the law-enforcer and the prosecutor Uzumaki Naruto."

"WHAT?" Kiba was squirming again, but Naruto's Genei'ga foxes gripped him tighter.

"Nara Shikamaru, have you or have you not, told Inuzuka Kiba about Lee's condition?"

"Yes." Shikamaru muttered lazily.

"Uh-hum. In that case, I wish to ask the jury for their decision." Naruto cleared his throat.

"Guilty." Temari spoke up.

"Same." Shikamaru muttered lazily.

"For my crushed chip bags! GUILTY!" Chouji yelled.

"HEY! This is unfair! My attorney against me! I wanna an appeal!"

"Guilty." Neji muttered incoherently.

"G-guilty…" Hinata peeped.

"Guilty." Tenten rub her chin.

"Aup-aup!" Akamaru barked. Nobody understands him… nor that it matter though…

"Right. Decision had been made. Hirigi-sama? Would you kindly pass down the sentence?"

"Well…" Hirigi smiled. "…I sentence Inuzuka Kiba to threat us all a lunch. Is that okay?"

"Hear, hear!" Naruto and Chouji yelled.

0000000000000

"You want to know what I don't get? Why did he do all this?"

"Because he's a demon! He wants us to suffer, that's what!"

"I don't know… Even if he did all this… how? And when? There just no-way he had time to do all this so soon!"

"Why not? He could do it last night!"

"How? So far as I concern, he was locked in the warehouse last night. How did he get out of there?"

"Who knows? Besides, he got that weird demon jutsu with him!"

"…"

The group had been silent for the greater part of an hour. There's no sign of another prank to occur.

"Have you figured out what are those holes you found earlier for?"

"No. All we found out was that there are many of them… the roof filled with it… And it's perfectly concealed… only those who know where to look will find it."

"I have a bad feeling about those holes…"

"I know. Me too. But we can't risk it. Who knows what he's up to?"

Silence once more. After a few more minutes, one of the girls stood up. "I'm going down to the kitchen. I wanna get something to drink."

"With that kind of look?"

"You wanna thirst yourself to death? I'm thirsty, and I want to get something to drink. Help anyone? Might as well bring more for all of us…"

"…okay. Just bring some coke will ya?"

"Yeah! Me too!"

"Okay, I'm going with you."

5 girls walked towards the stairs. They began to walk down. Funny thing is, after a good 5 minutes; they still haven't reached the floor.

"Was it just my feeling… or the stairs just moved on the opposite direction of our footsteps?"

"Don't be silly… this isn't those moving stairs at the malls you know?"

"But it doesn't feel right. We've walked for more than 5 minutes, and we still haven't reached the floor yet."

"Hmm… you're right. Come on, we better get back up."

The girls tried to get back up, but alas, now, every time they tried to walk up or down, the staircases will move at the opposite direction. Thus, they keep walking on the same spot for the next 10 minutes.

"Haa-haa-haa… I can't believe it! Why can't we get back up?"

"Girls… there are chakra in this stairs too!"

"Ya gotta be kidding me…"

"Is this whole house filled with that brat's chakra?"

"How the hell he could have that much chakra?"

"No idea…"

"What should we do?"

"Shred the chakra in these stairs… I guess…"

"Remember… this could be a multilayered trap jutsu. Like he did to us today."

"I know… but do we have any other choice?"

"Wait. How bout this. We gather our chakra altogether, then using our combined chakra; we'll wipe all the chakra from these stairs instantly! We haven't tried that one… have we?"

"Hmm… yeah… maybe that's worth the shot… let's do it… but slowly!"

"Okay."

Thus, the 5 girls gather all their chakra and meld it into one. "Here goes nothing." They touch the staircase VERY slowly. The moment the Jyuuken made contact with the staircase, all their Byakuugan widened in panic. The chakra inside the stairs seep right through their legs.

"Oh no… now what?"

"Wait the chakra kept flowing within me!"

"Use Jyuuken!" Everyone tap their legs. Much to their horror, the chakra seeped through their hands as well. The foreign chakra kept flowing and spreading throughout their body.

The next second, the poor girls no longer had any control on their bodies.

Back on the ceiling, the Hyuuga crowd had gone curious when they heard the noise. "What took those girls so long?"

Then, the 5 girls returned to the room… dancing.

ALL Hyuuga jaw dropped. "WHAT the Hell are you girls doing?"

"HELP! FOREIGN CHAKRA! CONTROLLING OUR BODY."

"…there's no sign of chakra abnormality whatsoever…"

"JUST HELP US!"

"What should we do?"

"Maybe we can use some chakra? Jyuuken, maybe?"

"Careful. Come on guys."

They tried, firstly, to restrain the dancing girls. But the hair and the fact they were moving make things a lot more complicated. After awhile, 3 of them managed to grab one of the girls as one prepared to use Jyuuken on her.

"Okay, calm down. Just relax, I'll check it out."

"Wait, before you do, there's something about this, regarding to Jyuuken that you need to know…"

"What?" The boy touched the girl's neck with his glowing hand once. The next second, the weird chakra infused into his hand too and spreading in an instant to his entire body. And so does the captivators. The next moment, the 4 boys were also dancing.

"Did I tell you that… apparently, Jyuuken made the foreign chakra contagious?"

"Why DON'T YOU TELL ME SOONER?"

A few moments later, EVERY Hyuuga teenagers in the ceiling (AN: that is about… 60 to 70 or so? I haven't mentioned the numbers haven't I?) were dancing. Waltz, Tango, Cha-cha, street dancing… etc. What's worse, apparently, the victims were also infected by the jutsu that affects the infector. The fact that heir hair gone longer and completely awry with various and the fact that the tempo goes even faster only make things 100 times worse. Up until to this point they were no longer care what they're hitting. When the dancing party seemingly reached the climax, everyone went on to tap-dancing, stomping the ceiling floor real hard.

Below, meeting room…

"…now how the hell we suppose to get you out of there?"

"Get a ladder and a help, and I'll get out. I'm stuck here, and we. Need. To. Talk."

"I don't know… maybe the kids could… what the hell?" Just then, the ceilings were trembling as dust fell. The sound of woods cracking could also be heard. "What the hell those kids were doing on the ceiling?" Haruma heard screams.

Back to the ceiling…

"Haa-haa… I CAN'T STOP MYSELF! HELP!"

"SOMEBODY ANYBODY HELP!"

"THE FLOOR'S BREAKING!"

As if on cue, their bodies gone even more dancing crazy, jumping here and there, and creating more damage on the ceiling's floor. Just then, one of the Hyuuga jumped up right into the concealed holes on the roof. Others soon followed suit. Moments later, all Hyuuga teenagers were on the rooftop, and still continuing their dancing party. The branch family and all passerby who seen it could only sweat dropped.

"At least now we know what these holes for… right?" One of the dancing Hyuuga popped out.

Everyone glared at the speaker.

0000000000000

Somewhere on the roofs on Konoha…

"**Kira-sama… (ha ha) I'm sorry (Bwahaha!) to disturb you but… (AHAHAHA!)" **Junki was trying her best to contain her laughter. The female Oni took another look at the direction of the Hyuuga compound as she was holding her mouth but failed miserably.** "I really can't… MWAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" **

"Junki calm down… you can't tell me what's going on if you're laughing like crazy like this." Kira was amused.

"**I'm sorry… (teehee!) It's just… (HAha!) The Hyuuga compound… the Hyuugas… AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"**

"?" Kira looked at the Hyuuga compound and sweatdropped. He slapped his head. 'SO THAT'S WHAT NARUTO'S UP TO!'

0000000000000

The band finally went down to the downtown. Despite some places are still in shambles, tents, functioning as temporary shelters, had been made. Some tents, however, function as shop, inn, etc. Everyone went to a canteen tent. In the place, there's an open kitchen. After Kiba, under the watchful eyes of Naruto, Chouji and Neji, placed their orders (Naruto, asked for ramen, but there isn't any, much to his dismay) everyone immediately tried to find a place to sit down. The place was rather crowded. Among the crowd, the Hyuuga noticed Hanabi sitting, alone, in a table, gulping down her meal.

"Hanabi-sama?"

Hanabi turned to the voice and frowned. There, Hirigi, Neji and Hinata, along with several others that she didn't really know, but amongst them… the blond-jerk is there! She silently scoffed.

"Come, Hanabi. Sit with us!" Hirigi smiled.

Hanabi silently obliged. She sat next to Hirigi, trying to stay away from Naruto as far as she could. Naruto smirked.

"So! Daddy's little girl just finished crying or what?" Naruto teased.

"Humph!" Hanabi kept quiet after that. She looked at Hirigi. "…Jii-san. Can I have a spare with you sometimes?"

Hirigi smiled. "Well… I'm not really cut for more physical activity… you can ask for your sister or your cousin."

"Hmmm…" Hanabi pouted a bit.

"Hmmm… tell you what. Spar with your father, sister, or cousin, and I'll watch. I can give you some advice during the spar. How's that?"

"Okay." Hanabi nodded happily. "I need to train harder."

"Why?" Tenten tried to drop in.

Hanabi looked at the weapon mistress. She frown a bit, trying to come up with a good answer before replied: "…because there ain't gonna be any shortcuts if I wish to be a Hyuuga head!"

"Huh?" Tenten looked confused. Hirigi however, rolled his eyes to Naruto, who already wolfing up his meal, pretending that he didn't hear the statement. Inwardly, the two (Naruto and Hirigi) smiled.

After a good long meal (poor Kiba's wallet) the group walked to their separate ways. Soon, the only one left is Naruto and the Hyuuga family. They continue their trip back to the Hyuuga-compound. Hirigi, much to Naruto's dismay, explained to Hanabi the true intention of the entire occurrence that had happened to her that day. Although she took it quite well, she's still mad at Naruto nonetheless.

"Where's the fun if I just I simply tell her?" Naruto smirked. Neji laughed. While Hinata only let out a weak giggle.

When they've reached the compound they saw an enormous cheering crowd. Everyone was pointing up to the rooftops while laughing. The groups were confused and looked up. Everyone could felt their jaw on the ground.

There, up on the roof, Hyuuga girls and boys were having a dancing competition. Some were tap dancing; several pairs were having a waltz; a good part of them were having a cha-cha, others were street dancing in all various kinds of pose.

The girls: all with extremely weird hairstyle and weird hair colors, with their faces and skin donned with various colors, and some of them got their body mummified.

The boys: bodies were green head to toe, with various kinds of colors decorating their also mummified body, and weird bald marks that resemble palms on their hair.

Other's that weren't too noticeable, looked like a giant chicken with genuine chicken feathers sticking from their body, while others… barely recognizable due to the fact that some of grow hair all over their body.

Naruto jaw dropped as well… but the next second, he REALLY needs to laugh his ass off. "BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAa!"

Neji too can't help it but burst on laughing. "GWAYAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA! AHAHAHAHAAHAHA!"

The crowd too, can't help but to laugh like maniacs.

Nightfall, after the wild party on the roof stop…

Neji's room…

"I don't know. Swear to god." Naruto pretended his innocence.

Neji, suppressing his smile decided to question Naruto. "Come on Naruto… be honest with me. Tomorrow the elders were going to have a session… YOU might get yourself in trouble this time."

"I have eye-witnesses… Besides, what's the proof?"

"Well… they'll find something."

"I doubt it." Naruto smirked.

"…so you confess you did all this?"

"Only to a select few. The 'trip to the forest for training' was also part of the plan so that you guys won't get hurt. The Anbu dance of chaos too."

"That's crazy prank for sure."

"Are you going to report me?"

Neji smiled as he shook his head. "I just hope you know how defend yourself tomorrow. You are unable lie to a Hyuuga remember?"

"Were. I'd like to see they try to find a proof to get me on this one. Kyuusei's prank trap jutsu is foul-proof and completely undetectable to those who don't know how to look."

"Kyuubi's prank-trap jutsu?"

"Yep. Most of the traps consist of his traps."

"(sigh) Alright… you know what? I'm tired. Restraining Lee really took a lot out of it."

"Yeah. Me too. Let's just sleep okay."

"God be with you on tomorrow's trial."

"I don't know about god's mercy… but I do know I have a devil within."

Neji snorted as he turned the lights off.

Naruto's mind…

"Well… I guess I could say that Uzumaki Catastrophe was a success?" Kyuusei smirked behind his cage.

"I don't know… I keep having these feelings that I've forgotten something." Naruto scratch his head trying to remember. "It was as if… there's something left undone."

"True. There's one more trap that haven't been activated yet… it's in the living room. I haven't checked that one out." Kyuusei showed the Hyuuga household map to the blond shinobi. "Remember now? We put that one as the grand-finale."

"Oh… yeah."

0000000000000

Living room…

"Now you guys, just stay here, and stay put. Watch TV calmly… OKAY?" Haruma added the last part with a deadly dangerous tone.

"We're telling you it's the demon boy!"

"Well sort that out tomorrow. Now you guys just stay put, before you came up with something that will embarrass our clan even more. You guys will be sleeping here on the living room in these sleeping-bags. Am I understood?"

"Guh… yes sir."

Haruma left.

After the incident, they kept on dancing for 2 hours straight. After that, they could barely able to lift a finger, and fainted on the rooftops. Unable to support the weight the rooftop crumbled crashing the already crumbling ceiling floors, destroying a good part of the upper section of the compound afterwards. And now, here they were, bandaged, wounded, broken, and grounded, lying on the cold floor of the living room.

"Anyone who can move a finger, please turn on the TV please?"

"How come you're in the mood for watching TV now?"

"I need something to get my mind off that ACCURSED BLOND DEMON BRAT!"

"Okay… Oh look… it's a discovery channel."

"Great."

_TV speaking:_

"_Our subject today is foxes. These are mammals, and still one family with dogs and wolves. Noting their…similarities with those faunas. Foxes however are generally intelligent. Much more intelligent than a dog, but not intelligent enough to socialize or creating a herd of units like wolves."_

"Why are we listening to this?"

"I don't know. It's already like this the moment it was turned on…"

"_You may have heard about the legend of the great fox demon king Kyuubi… a legend of great demon overlord… if not god… that ruled the Ma Kai, the world of demons. However, there are some beliefs that foxes were actually creatures. However, it is often depicted, that they love to mischief. Being of such, sometimes they were considered nothing but trouble. Another believed that foxes only prank those that deserved it. In a way, they believed that foxes are spirit guardians of peace and balance."_

"Whoever had that opinion, I'd say let's have him hanged."

"Hear, hear."

"_Anyway, let's move to a much more interesting animal. Let's move to reptiles shall we? Now here we have a crocodile. A cold blooded, literally, lizards, that normally lives in swamps or ponds. Their size varies depending on their species. The longest and the largest we could found, was about 23 feet length. You see the open jaw here…"_

The TV showed an open mouth of the crocodile.

"Hey… was it just my feeling… or crocodile looked so real?"

"…hey you're right… it looks so real…"

As if answering their question, the crocodile head suddenly popped out of the TV.

"AAAAAAAAHHH!"

Followed by its tail, legs, and everything.

The crocs fell down with a loud thud. The Hyuugas could only whimper in fear.

"Oh god… oh god…"

"GET THAT THING AWAY FROM ME! HELP!"

Meanwhile the TV's go on.

"_Now from crocodile, let's move to another interesting creature, such as these vampire bats here. Now, bats are interesting that they mammals with wings…"_

The next second, the horde of vampire bats burst out of the TV and swarmed them all.

"SWITCH THE TV OFF! SWITCH THE GODDAMN TV OFF!"

"OKAY! OKAY!" Just when the Hyuuga was about to switch the TV off, a Monkey grabbed the remote.

"Oh shit!"

The TV goes on: _"Monkeys sometimes known for their nature of stealing things. But don't worry, if you have something he likes more that the items it stole, you could trade it with it. Now let's move on to the next session, the scariest, and the most dangerous creature alive."_

"Oh crap!"

Just then, the TV switched to another channel. The animals on the room vanished. Everyone sigh a relief. The channel, however, was action film. At that time, there's a gunfight scene on a car racing. The bullets landed dangerously close to the audiences.

"HOLY CRAP! SWITCH IT! SWITCH THE TV OFF!"

"IT'S OUT OF RANGE!"

"WAIT-WAIT! I CAN GET IT!"

"HURRY UP!"

The car racing reached its climax. All the sudden, one of the cars exploded and thrown to the screen.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGGHHHH!" The car popped out of the screen and crashed itself on the wall, when the Hyuuga managed to get the controller. The resulting shake though, caused the Hyuuga to press something else instead of the off button. It changed the channel of the TV again. This time, in front of them, there's a gigantic tidal wave.

"Carp-crap-crap! Switch the TV off!"

Too late. A massive amount of water burst out of the TV flooding the room knocked the remote off the Hyuuga boy's hand.

"HE-GLUB!"

And so goes the night…

0000000000000

0000000000000

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I'm not good with pranks… that's what. Kindly tell me if there's a story with a good idea when Naruto done a massive prank that affected everyone?

Anyway, sorry for the long update… this just aren't my thing… Gomen if you found some of them are unfunny…

This the 2nd longest chapter after that chapter 9… But it's a hell lot of pages… 38 pages

Teaser:

Kira's training. EQUALS to Hell?

It has begun.

NEXT: Let the Hell begins!

Anyway… Read, review, critics, whatsoever… the usual stuff.

Ja ne.


	14. Who let the Dogs out?

Okay. Filler's over. It's get a bit serious up this point. And a change of plan… training won't start this chapter, probably next.

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": in Naruto's case, him in berserker mode. However, I will use this format for other purpose when it's necessary.**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA: Demon speech**

Disclaimer: I'm bored of repeating the same thing again and again so… Read the first 5 chapters

Chapter 14:

Who Let the Dogs Out

"Are you nervous?"

"No."

"You know, I hate to say this… but you brought this onto yourself."

"I know. Either way… it's bound to happen."

"Yeah… Godspeed."

Wearing a white hakama, Naruto walked towards the meeting room. There, the elders were already gathered. Everyone showed a face devoid of any emotion… well… not everyone… Hirigi showed a calm face, Hiashi was somewhat… worried… and Hitoshi… complete resentment.

"…" Naruto took a deep breath and let go. 'Okay. Let's go.' Naruto entered the room. "Okay. Here I am. Let's get this done with."

The blond boy stood in the middle of the room, active as ever. The two guards immediately closed the door before Neji could say anything.

Hitoshi smirked. "Right. As you said, let's be done with it." He snapped his fingers and all the sudden, 4 guards appeared right behind Naruto and grabbed him forcibly.

"OI! What the Hell?"

"First, before we begin the trial, allow me to teach you some respect."

"Hitoshi, this is not what we've agreed!" Hiashi shot a deathglare at the man.

"I only did what I think is necessary. That child needs a harsh lesson in manners. You don't want to do it because you've become infatuated with him. I'll do it myself then."

Meanwhile, in front of the door, a familiar figure appeared right next to Neji.

"Neji-san, step aside."

"Huh? You!"

The figure in front of the door touched the floor 'Ryuusuiton, Shin'en Kangoku (Dragon Water Element: Prison of Abyss)'

Inside…

"YOU…!" Before Hiashi could make move, the 4 guards that entangled Naruto were suddenly entrapped in 4 swirling water spheres. The next second, the water sphere shrank into the size of a marble.

"Hey what the…"

"Huh…?"

A murmured voice flowed from the closed door. Everyone looked at the door, and not a moment too soon, a jolt of lightning blasted the door to tiny bits, revealing none other than Kira.

"Who are you? How dare you defile this holy place?" Hitoshi was red in fury.

"You know…normally I would prefer to knock gently… but apparently… some things aren't really going well in this place… So, I decided to be a little extreme. Rest assured I'll fix it somehow…" Kira flicker his forefinger, where electric jolts just flashed over menacingly.

'Kira-sama! Thank goodness.' Hiashi was relieved. The other elders, who were a bit shocked by the sudden entrance, looked confused at Hiashi's expression.

"Then again… I'm sorry that I've made a hell of an entrance… but I wish to take part in this trial session."

"Nonsense! This is a Hyuuga matter!" Hitoshi retorted back.

"As far as I concern, it is my future disciple's case. As his future master, it is my duty to hear out his case. Besides, I might be able to help you."

"How?"

"I have an ability to read minds. This way, Naruto won't be able to lie, and we'll be able to get to the bottom of this." Kira smiled.

"Enough of this bullshit. Guards! Remove this madman from our sight!"

"No! Stop! Hitoshi, show some respect. This man is Yamato Kira, THE Konoha Azure Dragon! You dare to speak like that to him?"

Murmurs arise amongst the elders. Hitoshi smirked. "Hiashi? Give me a break. That's a bedtime story… you believe in that now?"

"I am now."

"Have you gone insane?"

"He is as sane as the rest of us." Kira cut the murmurs with an authoritative tone. His purple eyes glared menacingly, sending shiver to everyone in the room, rendering them quiet. "The reason why I am here is that I can give out a better solution for all of us. Also, I need to understand why Naruto was in this mess. Otherwise the truth will be buried, forever."

Everyone looked at Kira. Hirigi looked at Kira calmly, before asking: "You said you were able to read minds? Tell me then. When Shizuka was still a child, how did I use to call her? And what's the name of my wife? And how did she get her name?"

Kira smiled. "You used to call your daughter Zuzu-chan. Your wife's name was Hakane, her father's name was Hagane, and her mother's name was Haruka. Hence, the name Hakane was taken from the word Ha- and the last parts of her parent's name, -Ka- and –Ne. That's where we get Hakane."

The elders, Hiashi in particular gaped. Hirigi's eyes widened a bit. "…the only one who knows that… was me and Hiashi… unless of course, you really can read minds… very well then. You may join us."

Kira smiled. "Thank you."

Hiashi smiled. 'Good… maybe with Kira-sama around, Naruto might have a chance…' "Alright then… let's begin this meeting."

-----------------

Gaara's mind…

"Wow! You're amazing! You can understand many of my jutsu so quickly! I'm impressed!"

"Well… I guess I'm just getting used to it… still… if this is the real world… those jutsu you showed me would need a great deal of chakra…"

"Not to mention you need sand too to begin with…"

"I know…"

"Still… sleeping like this is bad for your health you know."

"What? Sleeping? Oh yeah… I was sleeping… hold on… I'M SLEEPING? Oh no. Than does that mean that your true power is on the loose now?"

Shukaku smiled. "Hee… don't worry, Aniki-san! I don't know how that big old bad guy works… but I promised you, my power will be kept in check. That's a promise!"

"Is that… so…" Gaara sighed in relief.

"Why don't you wake up now?"

"Should I?"

"What? You want to stay here? Well… fine by me… but I'm telling you, if you keep on sleeping like this, your muscles will go weak if you don't use them!"

"Oh yeah… you're right… I guess I'll wake up then. Will you be okay… alone?"

"Tee-hee. You're funny. You know that? Listen. Our minds are connected to each other. Whatever you're think, see, feel or touch, I'll experience the same. So don't worry. Besides…" Shukaku yawned. "I'm getting a bit sleepy. I want to take a nap."

"…okay." Gaara smiled a genuine smile, something he had learned after a while with such a childish demon. Just then, Genryuu Fuujin flies above them.

"You're going to awake, Gaara?"

"Hai." Gaara answered.

"Okay. I'll watch over Shukaku then."

"Okay… now… how do I wake up?"

Shukaku giggled. Then, all the sudden, a wave of Youki expelled Gaara back into his body. The next second, the red haired Suna nin jerked awake.

"WHOA!" Kankuro gasped.

"Gaara!" Temari exclaimed happily.

"Kankuro… Temari… you're still alive right?"

"Off course we are!" Temari smiled happily.

"Heh… I was kind of scared when that runt said you were sleeping… but it looks like we have nothing to worry about."

"Runt? Who was it?"

Temari nudged Kankurou. "He means Naruto-san. He said you were sleeping and we were… extremely worried about you!"

"I see… thank you."

"Thank you for what?"

"…for worrying me… but… well, I'm fine now." Gaara smiled.

Temari and Kankuro gasped. Gaara had never smiled like that. Even up to the point of smiling so widely.

"I want to get up."

"OH NO YOU WON'T!" All the sudden, Rin appeared out of nowhere, right next to Gaara.

Gaara looked at the girl.

"I'm telling you like I'm telling that blond-idiot. YOU. NEED. REST." Rin gave a stay-there-or-I'll-kill-you-glare

"I've rested enough."

"O no you haven't, not by my standards!"

"Who are you? Even our nannies in Suna weren't this noisy." Kankuro scratch his hair.

"I'm Rin. I'm your brother's nanny, doctor, warden or jailor if you would like to call it that way. But I will not let you out; not before I'm sure you're 100 percent!"

"I am 100 percent… even more." Gaara replied coolly.

"I'd like to see that!" Rin grabbed Gaara's shoulder and squish it gently. What happened next sent everyone's eyes popping out.

Gaara's shoulder melted into sand.

"Ga…. Ga… Gaara… your shoulder…" Kankuro was gaping whilst Temari was horrorstruck.

Gaara looked at his shoulder with face devoid of any fear whatsoever. '…Shukaku…this is your doing?'

**YAWN… WHAT? OH, THAT? NOT TOO WORRY. THAT'S JUST THE SIDE EFFECT TO DIRECT EXPOSURE TO MY YOUKI. SINCE YOU'RE NO LONGER PROTECTED BY ANY SEAL… BUT THE TRUTH IS… WHEN THAT OBESE IDIOT MONK STILL IMPRISONED ME, YOU HE DIDN'T PULL OUT THE TRUE EXTENT OF MY POTENTIAL.**

'Then what is your true potential?'

**ASIDE FROM CONTROLLING SAND? WELL, FOR ONE I DON'T NEED TO CARRY A HUGE GOURD ANYWHERE… GUESS WHY? BECAUSE I DON'T NEED IT. THE EXTENT OF MY ABILITY IS TO TRANSFORM ANYTHING INTO TINY PARTICLES THAT CAN BE USED FOR MY JUTSU. IN ONE WORD…I CAN TURN ANYTHING-EVEN MY OWN BODY-INTO SAND.**

'I see… so I don't have to carry my gourd with me anymore… because literally… I am the sand.'

**CORRECT. NOW I'M GOING BACK TO SLEEP.**

"Interesting… I see now why sometimes… Naruto seemed to enjoy having a demon in his belly… it's just very… fun."

"Huh?" Temari and Kankuro looked at their little brother, horrorstruck.

"Well, I'm off this bed, whether you like it or not, miss." Gaara smirked.

"I'd like to see you try that!" Rin looked menacingly at the red haired nin.

"Try and stop me."

The medic Nin lung forward only to catch a hurl of swirling sand. The sand continues to swirl out of the place, and the next instant, the sand user disappeared.

"Crap." Rin cursed under her breath.

-----------------

"Okay, let's begin." Kira sat next to Naruto.

"Right; Naruto, are you aware of what happened yesterday?" Haruma began.

Naruto shook his head. "No."

Haruma sighed. "Yesterday, it started when tens of Hyuuga teens were assaulted by an army of wooden demons, which stripped and hung them in the dojo. Followed soon was a series of unexplainable accidents, where one seemed to lead to another, and eventually resulted in massive damage being inflicted upon the mansion. And… last night, I left the injured Hyuuga teenagers inside the living room. This morning, I don't know what happened, but all of them were in state of shock and horrorstruck up to the point they were unable to move from the spot. They're in the infirmary now. Shizune-san had said they got a bit of brain-damage due to overstress. Some have even gone mentally ill, muttering they don't want to watch TV again for the next 100 years."

"Poor kids." Naruto tried his best to show sympathy. He almost failed.

"Don't lie to me boy. I know you're behind this." Hitoshi spat menacingly.

"I have no idea what're you talking about. I was outside the complex all day long yesterday. If you don't believe me, you can ask Neji, Kiba, Chouji, and many others. There are many eye-witnesses who have seen me all over the village. I've spent my whole day yesterday outside the compound."

"You could've used a Bunshin."

"Kage Bunshin? True. But, I was punched by Lee. Here's the mark." Naruto showed his bruised stomach. An imprint of Lee's fist was still there.

"You could've made it up!"

"No. He didn't." Hirigi spoke up.

"Sir?" Hitoshi gaped at the former Hyuuga head.

"I was there. I think you forgot one more eye-witnesses, Naruto-kun… Me. I was with Naruto-kun all day long, talking about stuff. And I was there when I saw Rock Lee-kun punch Naruto with his Suiken, right in his stomach."

Hitoshi was at lost of words. He looked at Naruto and then to Kira. "Did you mind-read him? Was this true?"

"You doubt your own master? Give me a break." Kira smiled. Although via mind-read he knew what exactly had happened, he really had to give Naruto some credit to be able to hold his own against a Hyuuga, and he was able to orchestrate his wound from Lee's attack to make a convincing excuse.

"…still… he could have put the traps up last night."

Naruto smirked. "I was locked inside the warehouse all night long. How was I supposed to do that?"

"…" Hitoshi was red in both fury and embarrassment.

Hiashi smiled. "Alright Hitoshi… was there… anything else you need to ask?"

Hitoshi was red. He spat once more. "Then how could you explain all those weird things happening yesterday?"

"How should I know? I told you. I was outside the compound all the time. So how am I supposed to know? Maybe some… prankster who has a grudge on you guys… I don't know… did you ever piss off another prankster besides me? If so, I really must see him. He's good."

The Hyuugas are experts in detecting lies. But, faced with such an alibi and the fact that Naruto's face really showed that he knew next to nothing of what had actually happened as a result of the pranks, they were lost.

Hitoshi was furious beyond belief. "YOU DID ALL THAT! I KNOW IT!" The other Hyuuga were quite shocked to see such an outburst.

"Calm down, Hitoshi. Naruto is right. Let's be reasonable. Unless you're saying that Naruto has a twin, or he could be in two places at once… well that's another story entirely."

"BUT! BUT…!" Hitoshi was lost at words. He had lost; that much he knew. He finally dropped his head in defeat.

"Well… if you're done with your demands, I'd say we have no right to hold Naruto any longer." Hiashi concluded.

"Agreed," Hirigi nodded.

Other Hyuugas too, agreed. Hitoshi reluctantly nodded.

"I guess that's your cue, you may leave." Kira smirked. _'He doesn't need my help after all, huh? Kyuusei, you did a really good job.'_

"Alright." Naruto stood up and slid the door open, only to be welcomed by Gaara, Junki and a black Oni. Further back, all his friends stood with worried expressions on their faces. "Hiya guys. I'm alright!"

Everyone cheered happily, whilst Gaara simply nodded.

"Gaara… you've awoken!"

"As you can see yourself. Did they do anything to you?"

"Nope, nothing at all… they just asked me some questions." Naruto smiled.

Kira immediately turned around and spoke to Naruto. "Gaara, Naruto, meet me later at the place we first met. I have something to discuss with you guys."

"When is… later?" Naruto asked.

"Well… about 1 hour from now. I have to talk about something with the Hyuugas."

"Okay." The two left with the rest of the group, except the two Oni. Junki and Zaiki immediately closed the door and took their post right behind Kira, standing side by side like a pair of bodyguards. The Hyuuga elders were awed by the sight.

"What do you wish to talk to us about?" Hirigi spoke nonchalantly.

"I told you. I'm here to make sure the truth won't be buried forever. I've scanned Naruto's mind. And as I thought… he did perform all those pranks."

"AHA! Let's call our guards and have that demon boy arrested!" Hitoshi immediately shot up.

"Hold up. Lis…" Kira was about to say something but Hitoshi cut him off as he started walking outside.

"What? There's nothing left to say. We'll arrest that demon boy and punish him severely for this! I'm gonna…"

Before the elder could say anything, a streak of lightning fell dangerously close to his face. Hitoshi was frozen in fear. The other council members were terrified.

"You're not going to do anything else before I'm finished with what I'm going to say. Normally in a meeting like this, I hate resolving to violence to controlling other people's actions but if you dare to ignore me again and take actions just because of your personal feelings and cause more people to suffer because of it, I'll make sure the next bolt of lightning won't miss." Kira was quite vexed. He had seen Naruto's memory and like the blonde, he took quite a dislike to the elder.

"Y… you wouldn't do that… you're supposed to be our protector!" Hitoshi was trembling in fear.

"Konoha's protector, to be exact. One of my disciples once massacred his own clan, and being his teacher I see no reason why I can't do the same with the Hyuugas."

Everyone was terrified now. Except Hirigi, who knew that Kira doesn't mean what he says. Thus, the elder bowed down. "We're sorry for our arrogance, my lord. Please, enlighten us with what you've learned of the boy?"

Kira calmed down almost instantly. "…sorry about the outburst, Hitoshi-san, but you should know that punishing the boy would do nothing to him but fueling his hatred and sorrow. He has had enough of that… he doesn't need any more."

Hiashi and Hirigi nodded in agreement. Then Hiashi spoke up, "So he did set up those pranks last night after all?"

"Correct. A well orchestrated ingenious prank completely set up specifically for Hyuugas. The Anbu dance event was one of his plans to derive all of us from sleeping. So that it will increase our unawareness of the traps he had set. Then, the picnic was also his setup, just so that the people he didn't wish to hurt were safe and that they will become eye-witnesses of his innocence. And yes, he too orchestrated the punch Lee gave him."

"I thought that was because Kiba-kun gave Lee-kun sake… could he had think that far?"

"Not exactly… the first plan was actually using Neji's punch in the supposedly sparring to prove it… However, there are several elements that went beyond his control; such as the adding number of his friends…and your appearance, Hirigi-san… Thus he had to improvise. Who brought the sake to the picnic? Him. Who impersonated Kiba to give the sake to Lee? Him. Who made Kiba the scapegoat? Him. Who tied Lee to the tree with an easily released knot? Him. Your appearance had also given Naruto the edge he required to make his alibi more believable. I doubt any of you would believe Naruto even if his friends spoke for him… but if it is an elder like Hirigi-san who speaks… well… that's another story isn't it? I would say he is a genius… when it comes to pranks and luck."

Hiashi was speechless by the complicity of Naruto's plan, while Hirigi chuckled as he nodded in understanding. "You know what, Kira-san? I followed Naruto because he was using his own style to knock some senses to Hanabi. Thus, I became interested in him… and I followed him… coincidence?"

Kira laughed. "Maybe so… maybe not…"

"…but he had caused a great disturbance to the Hyuuga! He cannot go unpunished!" Hitoshi was fuming in rage.

"Yes he can."

"WHY?"

"…rather than punishing him for what he has done… did it ever occur to you to ask… WHY he has done all of this?"

"W… what?"

"I have seen his memory. And I have seen what you've done to him. And I must say… if you ask me whether he had the right to do all that… Then I'd say he has every right to."

"Just what have you done to him Hitoshi?" Hiashi glared at the elder.

"I was just… it was just a cup of rice!" Hitoshi was pale albeit his face is still red in anger.

"For you… it's just a cup of spoiled rice. For him, it's a trigger to the pending frustration he had mounted up for thirteen years. Thirteen years of being hated and resented. As I've said, most of the village has been against him since the day he was born. Adding to his anger and frustration is something only idiots would do. You Hyuugas simply provided the 'drop' that made the bucket overflow." Kira calmly stated.

All elders looked at Hitoshi, whose face paled greatly. He retaliated with, "B-but he had hurt the younglings too!"

"Don't use youngsters as your shield now! This whole ordeal would never have happened if you didn't let your personal feelings cloud your judgment. You're the one who dragged them along."

Hitoshi bent his head down in utter defeat.

Kira sighed. "Nevertheless… Naruto's actions were not entirely justifiable. I'll see to it myself that he'll fix all the damage he had done. Not to worry, I'll watch over him. But I must stress on one point before I do so. Haruma-san, you might want to listen about this."

"What is it?"

"I'm well aware that there will be many Hyuuga teenagers who bear grudges against him. But I'd like you as their superior to point out to them and to everyone else for that matter, not to make use of Naruto's situation when he's performing his punishment. And if they do despite your warning… they're messing with me. Am I understood?" Kira added the latter part of the sentence with a warning tone.

"Yes." Haruma nodded.

"Okay, aside from that I have no more… serious things to discuss. You may proceed with anything else you have in mind," He finished, giving Hiashi a quick glance.

The Hyuuga head caught up with the true wording of the sentence, meaning the Shintenou wishes to speak with him and Hirigi in private. "Yes, I believe we have nothing else to discuss. I hereby conclude this meeting." Glaring at Hitoshi he added, "We need to talk… later."

"H… hai."

Soon, all the Hyuuga elders left the room.

"So… what do you ask of us? Kira-sama?"

"No need for the -sama part… Anyway, I wish to ask your permission to take Hyuuga Neji as one of my disciples."

Hiashi was speechless. "W… I… I'm very honored, my lord!"

Kira chuckled. "Don't thank me yet. The reason why I ask your permission first is because he's still your family. The training method I will perform on him will be… severely extreme. There's a great possibility he might lose his life in the process. That's why I decided to talk to you first."

Hiashi looked at Kira. "…if one of us were taken into your tutelage, it would be a great honor for the Hyuuga. That is what I would probably say as a Hyuuga head. As his family, I'm unable to say much for that part. Neji… If you ask my permission, then I believe you must redirect that question to Neji. He's an adult. He can decide for himself. I have no right to decide his future… what he wishes to become, than it's his rights. Not mine."

"I see… so you take it that if Neji agrees… then so do you?"

"So long that was his decision." Hiashi was deadly serious about that part.

"Don't worry. I never play around with people when a human life is at stake."

-----------------

"Hinata was worried sick." Tenten giggled as Hinata's face sported a bright red colour.

"Really? Thank you, Hinata-chan!"

"H-Hai…" Hinata replied slyly.

"So… Naruto, what did the council wish to talk to you about?"

"The usual useless stuff… By the why, Gaara, what happened to you? You freaked everyone out."

"Shukaku's ability. He can turn everything into sand."

"Everything? Wowowow! Wait the minute. Does that mean you can turn all of us into sand too?"

"Apparently so… but I won't do it."

"That's comforting…"

"Hey Naruto!" Kiba started. "I've taken the scapegoat's role during this whole ordeal! Now I want my payment!"

"Payment?" Neji looked at Naruto.

"Uuuhhh… Lee's incident? That was no accident. It was me who gave him the sake, impersonating Kiba. I've told Kiba about it… I owe him one now." Naruto smiled nervously.

"…" Neji sent a furious death glare at the demon vessel.

"Okay, Naruto! Give me back my money! I've lost it all thanks to you!" Kiba looked menacingly at Naruto.

"Errh… well…"

"There you are guys." Kira suddenly appeared right behind Naruto and Gaara.

"Kira-san? Oh yeah! We're supposed to meet you by this time. Sorry, we got lost in time."

"No need for sorry. I came to see you guys earlier than I've thought anyway. Did I interrupt anything?"

"No definitely not! In fact you came just in time!" Naruto laughed.

"Hey what about my…"

"Sorry Kiba, I got something important to discuss, see you later. Come on Gaara!" Naruto was about to leave when Kira held him.

"Wait Naruto. Neji, you should come with us too."

"Uh, me?"

"Yep. Come along."

"Okay." Thus, the 4 people disappeared with a puff.

"Damn, He escaped!" Kiba pouted.

-----------------

"So, what do you want to talk about?" Naruto was standing on top of the fish statue's head. Next to him, respectively were Gaara and Neji.

"As you already know, I'm going to train you… starting today, in fact."

"You're kidding me? So soon?"

"I thought you were anxious to start."

"Never thought will be this soon." Naruto smiled.

"You're going to train me too?" Gaara asked. Kira smiled as he shook his head.

"Yes and no. I'm just going to teach some 'basic' physical training. But extensive training… you won't accept it from me. Not to worry; I got someone arranged for you. But in the mean time, I suggest you start to get used to that body of yours."

"You knew huh?" Gaara showed his finger. It turned into a swirl of sand.

"The number of times I saw Shukaku do that… Anyway, how do you like him so far?"

"He's very… calm… peaceful… childish too."

"See? I told you, didn't I?" Kira smirked. Then the Shitennou turned to Naruto. "Naruto, I'm well aware that your senses have greatly advanced right now. But I doubt that you have used them to their maximum capacity."

"What? I haven't?"

"Obviously Kyuubi holds it back a bit, waiting for a chance to explain it to you, bit by bit. If he did release everything in a flash, you'll be blind and deaf before you know it."

"Was it really that sensitive?" Naruto looked at his hands.

**IT'S TRUE. YOUR SENSES WERE DULLED BY MY YOUKI AT PRESENT. IF I RELEASE THE YOUKI, LIKE KIRA HAD SAID, YOU'LL BE BLIND AND DEAF BEFORE YOU KNOW IT. IT WAS AS FRAGILE AS IT WAS SENSITIVE.**

"Then what must be done?"

"You have to get used to it. This will be the first program of the training for you. We're going to close all your senses but one. You have to familiarise yourself with it, and try to live your life with only that sense alone. After you've get used to it, we'll move to the other senses. How does that sound?"

"Sounds almost impossible."

"Impossible? Maybe. But it must be done. Told you, it isn't going to be easy."

"What about me?" Gaara followed suit.

"I'm going to put weight on you. You have to build up your stamina. We're going to do this for four months."

"Four months?" Naruto gasped.

"That is correct."

"Oh man…" Naruto slumped down.

"Ano… what about me? Why was I called here?" Neji spoke up.

"Ah yes. About you. I've just asked your uncle if I could make you my student."

Neji's eyes reached the size of a teacup.

"He said it's your choice… do you want to?"

"O… Of course!" Neji yelped.

Kira smirked. "Before you're agreeing, I must warn you though. My training will be quite extreme. There's a good possibility that you may lose your life. I'm not kidding. Those who already died during the process of the training were incalculable, and I have no intention on beefing up that number. Before you go on and yapping around on agreeing, I want you to think it over with a clear mind. I'll give you three days. Think it through carefully. Your life will change forever, if you don't lose it."

Neji frowned at the last part.

The Dragon Shitennou disappeared soon after. His voice echoed in the air. "Naruto, you too. Both of you have a choice. I want you guys to think it over carefully. I'm not forcing any of you. I'll await your answer in three days. Same place."

Neji was speechless. Naruto looked up to the blue sky. Gaara was… being Gaara.

The three looked blankly to at the clear sky when various thoughts suddenly flushed into their minds…

-----------------

Nightfall…

Day 1

With Neji…

'Possible death… what kind of training will he be giving me?'

The Hyuuga prodigy rolled in his bed. Kira's word mulling over in his head.

"_Those who already died during the process of the training were incalculable, and I have no intention on beefing up that number."_

'…if I agree… there's a possibility that I might die… if I didn't die…'

"_Your life will change forever, if you don't lose it."_

'…this is my biggest chance… to grow stronger… but… if what he said was true… will my life change? Will I no longer be me? Or will I revert back to my terrible old self? Or worse… will I become even worse kind of person? So confusing…'

With Naruto…

'Kyuusei."

**DON'T ASK ME. IT'S YOUR CHOICE. EVEN IF YOU DECLINE, HE'LL STILL WATCH OVER YOU. IT'S HIS JOB. ABOUT TRAINING YOU… THAT WAS OPTIONAL.**

'Possible deaths… Have you ever seen his training method?'

**DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE WHEN HEAVEN AND HELL WERE REVERSED?**

'Eeerh… no? But I bet it'll be a complete chaos.'

**THAT'S A DEFINITION OF HOW CRAZY HIS TRAINING IS.**

'What?'

**HE'S NOT JOKING AROUND ABOUT VICTIMS. IT'S THE TRUTH. THAT'S WHY HE GAVE YOU THREE DAYS. THREE PRECIOUS DAYS TO THINK IT OVER. IF YOU PASS THIS UP, YOU CAN STILL TRAIN WITH ME, AND HE'LL STILL HAS THE VACANCY OPEN ALL THE TIME… BUT AGREEING… IT'LL BE OF LIFETIME CONSEQUENCES.**

'…he said I will change… in what way?'

**I DON'T KNOW. BUT IT'S ALSO TRUE. YOU WILL CHANGE, I KNEW THAT MUCH. HOW FAR YOU WILL CHANGE… THAT I DON'T KNOW. IT'LL DEPEND ON YOUR OWN FEELINGS. I HAVE NO LIBERTY TO DECIDE FOR YOU. THINK BY YOURSELF.**

With Gaara…

"…"

-----------------

Day 2

Neji…

The Hyuuga prodigy was in a small restaurant, along with Tenten and Lee. He ordered a plate of food, but didn't touch it. His mind was too preoccupied.

'Of lifetime consequences… what kind of life will get to me when I agree? Will it be better… or worse? No the most important of all… if his training was as dangerous as he said… will I survive his training?'

"Neji?"

'What about Konoha? If he said this training will be extreme, it is only natural that we would eventually left Konoha… will I'll be seeing Konoha again once I left?'

"NEJI!"

"What! What?" Neji gasped.

"Neji, you haven't touch your food for 20 minutes… you looked very preoccupied… was something nagging you?" Tenten looked concerned.

"…nothing."

"NEJI! YOU NEED TO EAT IF YOU EVER HOPE TO WIN AGAINTS THE KONOHA MIGHTY…"

Neji didn't hear the last remaining sentence as his mind wandered again. 'If I did left Konoha… forever… will I… ever see them again? Lee… Gai-sensei… Tenten… I… I really can't imagine a life without them… what should I do? Why is it so complicated just to decide to agree or NOT? Damn it!'

Naruto…

'If the training is extreme, we're going to leave Konoha that much for sure… but for how long? Kira did say that only for 2 years… but… accidents could happen… what if… I can't return ever again? How am I supposed to achieve my goal if that happen? Even if I did return… he said my life is going to change… how much I would change by then? Will the people recognize me? Will I still the same as I was? Will I still remember my vow to protect everyone? Will I gain enough power to save Sasuke by then? Will I be able to beat Akatsuki? What about… my friends… I've made so many friends… if I change… will they still be my friends? If I eventually left Konoha for good… will I ever see them again? There will be no turning back if I agree… what am I supposed to do?'

Gaara…

"…"

-----------------

Day 3…

Neji…

The Hyuuga bunke was trying his best to meditate. Alas, his mind can't seem to be able to calm. He frowned as so many images of possible future, in which none look good as it became more terrible then the previous, flashed in his mind.

"Neji?"

"!" The said Hyuuga turned around to see the last person he would expect, Maito Gai.

"Gai-sensei."

"Are you okay?"

"…I'm fine."

"No, you're not. I've seen it. Your face is filled with confusion, and you're getting frustrated by it… weren't you?"

Silence for a few moment. Neji was taken by surprise. It's not everyday he saw his hyperactive teacher spoke so normally… and so seriously.

"Yes… I'm very confused right now…"

Gai smiled calmly. "Care to tell your sensei the tale?"

"Sure."

10 minutes later…

"I see. That's wonderful news Neji."

Neji was dumbstruck. He thought his sensei will go on yelling about his Youth-fire rambling and alike. But such a calm reply was definitely out of the picture. He silently checked with his Byakuugan (Genjutsu camouflaged) to see if it was some kind of a Henge. It wasn't.

Gai chuckled. "Trying to make sure I'm really me, right?"

Neji gaped as he was caught wet handed. "I'm sorry I-"

"-never thought that I could be like this huh? I won't lie that I would prefer to yell and lecture at you about the power of youth fire as I usually did. But I do know when is the time I have to do that… and when I have to talk calmly. I don't want to add more headaches on your already aching head."

"Thank you."

"…normally people would agree straight on when being asked to become a disciple of a being such as Kira. But I see he has given you time to think about it… But even a genius like you can't make up his mind. When is the due date?"

"Tomorrow. And I still can't make up a good decision."

"Why?"

"…I'm afraid, Gai-sensei. I'm afraid I will change… I like myself the way I am now… but… if I have to change; I fear what kind of change will occur…"

"Then don't let it change. You are you. Don't let fear grasp your heart, Neji. When it does, it clouds your judgment making you forget all the things you sought to believe so dearly."

"…"

"…I understand you're different with Lee. He's genius in hard-work. You're a genius in brain and natural ability… But perhaps it's because you're a genius in brain… you think too much. Look Neji. I will not try to affect you on agreeing Kira's request. But I do know this much. Either way you will change. And if so happens that, hopefully not, we don't like your change… you can be sure that Lee, Tenten and I will be there to knock some sense back into you."

"Gai… sensei…"

"No matter what you choose… believe in yourself… and don't worry. We'll back you up. No matter where you are. I promise!" Gai gave his nice guy pose.

Neji broke to tears. He closed his face with his hand. "Arigatou… domo-arigatou… sensei…"

Gai smiled as he placed his hand on top of Neji's. "…consider it my apology. I won't lie by saying that I've been focusing too much on Lee, ignoring you and Tenten at the same time. Now let's just say I have my chance. Just make your decision Neji; we're with you till the end."

Meanwhile, behind one of the trees in the training field was Tenten, who overheard everything.

'Neji…'

Naruto…

"…"

**STILL THINKING ABOUT IT?**

The blond boy nod silently.

**WELL… I HAVE NO INTENTION ON DISTURBING YOU… JUST… SOMEONE IS COMING.**

"I know. Oi… Kakashi-sensei. No need to sneak upon me like that."

"Hmm… you caught me huh?" The one eyed Jounin appeared below Naruto. He got one of his hand bandaged, while he other were holding his Icha-Icha book. "You seem pretty lost."

"I don't know… he offered me the chance… I just… don't know whether I should take it or not."

"You know… I never knew you could think about something so deeply. Normally, you would just jump into the decision and go on yapping about it. It's not everyday you give an offer so much thought."

"Because it just isn't just _some_ offer. Kyuusei says it's very serious, because it will change my life forever! I want to be stronger, but I don't want to change into something I'm not!"

"You're inferring?"

"…I'm afraid, Kakashi sensei. I am afraid of what I will become! I am afraid that… if I did change… I will lose my friends as well." Naruto chuckled. "Funny. You are right. Back there, if he asked me, I would just simply agree. But now… it is as though I'm starting to change already. Was this what people said when you're maturing?"

The Jounin's eye gazed to the sky. "Maturity is a weird thing Naruto. We ninjas are practically forced to mature way ahead of time. Take me for example; I started reading Icha-Icha Paradise when I was twelve."

"I bet your parents would be screaming bloody murder if they had found out back then." Naruto smirked.

"My mother died when giving birth to me. My father committed suicide when I was ten."

"Sorry… I didn't know…"

"Nah. I never told you guys to begin with."

"Why did he… no forget it."

"He was on a mission."

"Huh?"

"At that time, the ninja world war was still going on. There was this mission, an S-class mission. I was too young to understand but I was told he was supposed to play an important part in it."

"And then?"

"I don't know what happened. But it is said that, at some point during the mission, my father was forced to make a choice. The success of the mission, or the lives of his comrades. He chose the latter. But in doing so, he failed the mission. Causing Konoha a great loss… what loss this is I didn't really understand at the time, but he was blamed and disgraced by the entire village, even by the comrades whose lives he saved. Thus, he committed seppuku. Right in front of my eyes."

"…" Naruto was utterly speechless.

"Ever since that, I deemed that obeying the rule is the most important thing in a shinobi life. I followed every rule down to the letter."

"Did the rule include never arriving late to meetings?"

Kakashi's visible eye curved. "You got me, yes. About that part… Naruto have I told you how I got this Sharingan?"

"No."

"I had a friend. His name was Uchiha Obito. He was… pretty much like you. Spiky hair, wearing goggles, somewhat idiotic… and he always came late to every meeting. I used to scold him for being such an irresponsible slowpoke. He used to give out stupid reasons like… 'I got lost on the road of life' or 'I had to help an old lady in the street' and such alike."

Naruto blinked.

Kakashi opened his hitai-ate, showing his Sharingan eye.

"Is that?"

"Obito's eye. During my first mission as a Jounin, I messed up, losing an eye, and he ended sacrificing his life to safe me from an enemy ambush. He was dying at the time, and requested to give out his remaining Sharingan eye to me. Rin performed the surgery."

"Rin… the medic nin from the hospital?"

"The very one." Kakashi concealed his single Sharingan once more. "She secretly loved Obito. Even through the very end. After that mission, she decided to quit being a Shinobi and left Konoha. I didn't know where she was ever since… and I thought she died… until she came back recently."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Naruto did you ever asked why I chose to train Sasuke over you? It's because I felt a responsibility to Obito. Despite the fact that Sasuke was nowhere like Obito, I felt that I had an obligation to guide him. I just want you to understand."

"…" Naruto nodded in acceptance.

"Look, about Kira's offer. It's up to you. Even if you eventually decided to decline, I promise I'll train you. And you still got Jiraiya and Kyuubi too. So you see you can still grow stronger."

Naruto smiled as he nodded.

"Just… one thing."

"What?"

"Stay the way you are. That's the most important thing, although I guess staying the way you are isn't too much to ask for, knowing you."

Naruto looked at his sensei.

"I know you can do it Naruto, I believe in you."

The Jounin disappeared in a puff soon after.

Gaara…

"…"

Baki looked at the former Kazekage's son. He shook his head in desperation and sighed before left.

----------------

Neji walked seemingly aimless through the streets; thoughts still flowing through his head. He eventually reached the place they would meet. He looked at the rooftop and found that Naruto was still in the same spot he sat three days ago.

"Naruto?"

"Neji?"

"You've been here… all night?"

"I haven't moved from this spot ever since he gave us that offer."

"You're serious?"

"Have you decided yet?"

"No."

"You haven't? Then why are you here?"

"I don't know. I just… walk where these feet take me."

"I see."

"Have you decided on your part?"

"Well… that one is a 'no' too for me."

"I guess we're all confused huh?"

"Hmm… hey, who's that?" Naruto scanned the surroundings.

"What?" Neji looked around.

"Roughly 10 meters from here, foot steps. Two pairs of them, one girl, one boy. Both still a kid."

"How do you know?"

"The sound of their footsteps is light. Also, the frequency of the sound is faster as they stomp the ground more often, indicating their legs aren't long enough to take big steps. Finally, I caught their voice. One girl, one boy."

"Let me see, Byakugan." Neji scanned the surroundings and gasped. "Oh dear."

"What? What?"

----------------

10 meters from Naruto and Neji's spot…

"I said I'm sorry okay!"

"6 hours. 6 God damn hours, I was trapped in that same stupid pose until one Hyuuga passerby tapped me out. And I missed my dinner thanks to you."

"What, you expect me to buy you a lunch or something?"

"You owe me that." Konohamaru scoffed. He was not in the best mood in the last 3 days. Trapped for 6 hours in the exact same pose, he became a laughing stock of his team. For three days he tried to find the girl that had brought him into the whole ordeal. Finally, on this very day, he managed to catch her alone, training near the ruins. Eventually, they ended up arguing for a good part of 30 minutes, walking aimlessly in the area.

-----------------

Not so far from them, Neji and Naruto were watching closely at the two. Neji in particular, was downright worried.

"Neji, calm down."

"Calm down? How the hell do you think I should calm down when one of the daughters of the Hyuuga head wandering ALONE this far from the village?"

"No need to be so hysterical about it…"

"Hinata-sama was almost kidnapped when she was still a child. Ever since, no Hyuuga aged below 10 is allowed to leave without supervision!"

"I see… well, I suggest we wait here and look at the situation."

"What?"

"Something tells me that right now, we should lay low and listen. Don't worry, if anything funny happens… we'll drop in."

"…fine."

-----------------

"You said it'll wear off after 1 or 2 hours!"

"I guess I've tapped the wrong Tenketsu…" Hanabi spoke calmly.

"How can you say: 'I guess I've tapped the wrong Tenketsu' so easily? What if it's vital?"

"Well… nobody's perfect."

"I could've been killed-OUCH!" The Sandaime grandson bumped into someone.

"Ouch! I'm sorry, are you okay?"

----------------

Naruto rolled his eyes when he saw the person, horrorstruck. 'It's HER!'

Neji looked confused at Naruto.

----------------

"Watch where you going you-!" Konohamaru barked but cut short by Hanabi, who nudged him right in his crotch.

"Sorry. He had a bad mouth."

Yukiku sweat dropped while laughing nervously. "Tee-hee… it's alright. It's my fault. I should've watched where I'm going."

"Hanabi! You!" Konohamaru gasped.

"What? You should watch what you're saying when you're talking to a girl you know!"

"Do you have to nudge me right in my groin?"

"That's the most effective way to shut you up… I think."

"YOU…!"

Yukiku giggled. "Are you two on a date?"

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" The two burst in unison.

-----------------

Neji gaped.

-----------------

The couple looked at each other, blushed, and humph-ed each other as they turned their backs.

-----------------

"You know, for a second there… they do look like a married couple." Naruto smirked.

"Agreed." Neji rub his head. 'Wonder what Hiashi-sama gonna say about this?'

-----------------

Yukiku giggled at the blushing duo.

Konohamaru was the first to brush it off. "Anyway… sorry I bumped on you."

"No it's my fault. My mind was wandering of everywhere that I don't look where I'm going."

"Where were you going, anyway?" Hanabi brush her blush off.

"I'm going to the woods. I want to find some wild fruits in there."

"But the woods are dangerous. There are many wild animals in there. You shouldn't go alone!"

"It's alright… It's better this way. I don't want anybody get hurt because of me." The Haku twin said the last sentence in whisper. Only Naruto's keen ears caught every word. The fox host frowned. 'What does she mean by that?'

"Nah, don't worry. Tell you what, I'll go with you and make sure those animals don't get you. How's that sound?" Konohamaru thump his chest.

"I suggest don't. You'll become her burden instead."

"Hey!"

Yukiku laughed. "Aha ha ha ha! Hey, hey. What are your names guys?"

"I'm Sarutobi Konohamaru. You can call me Konohamaru."

"I'm Hyuuga Hanabi. You can call me Hanabi. What's your name?"

"My name is Yukiku. Look Konohamaru, don't worry about me. I can take care of myself. Besides, I've done this often."

The Sandaime's grandson looked at her, completely disagreeing. "A girl shouldn't walk in a forest alone. Accidents could happen anytime. Nii-san taught me that."

----------------

"I didn't know Sandaime-sama had 2 grandsons." Neji looked at Konohamaru in confusion.

"He means me." Naruto chuckled.

-----------------

"Really? Well, your brother must be a nice guy. Unlike some others I won't name…"

-----------------

"Achooo!-?" Naruto sneezed.

"Bless you."

-----------------

"He is. He's the strongest Nin in Konoha."

"Really now? Well, I'll be going now. It's been fun talking with you."

"Wait. You still wanna go alone?"

"What?"

"I'm going with you! I told you forest could be very dangerous!"

"Really, it isn't…"

"It's alright. We won't be any trouble." Hanabi spoke up.

"We? What do you mean 'we'?" Konohamaru glared at the Hyuuga.

"'We' means I'm coming. I need to make sure you won't try to do anything funny."

"What do you mean?"

Yukiku laughed at the bickering two. "Come now you two. Calm down. Fine you two can come."

Eventually, the two children followed the girl to the forest, bickering endlessly in the process.

-----------------

"Great. Now they're going to the forest."

"That's our cue to follow them."

"If they do being disturbed by wild animals, we really have to drop in."

"Which I doubt will be necessary."

"Huh?"

"Remember our furry friend?" Naruto pointed his stomach.

"Ah." Neji smiled.

-----------------

Shortly after, the three reached the forest.

"Ne, ne, nee-chan. What kind of fruit are you looking for?"

"Wild berries and alike."

"What do you need them for?"

"To make this." Yukiku showed them some fruitcake. "I'm still working on them though."

"It looks delicious."

"Really? Want some?"

"Sure."

The two grabbed a bite. A few seconds later, both faces frowned.

"Well? What do you think?"

"Honestly?" Konohamaru tried his best to swallow it.

"You really need a lot of hard work." Hanabi commented.

The Haku twin slumped down. 'Guess mom was right…'

------------------

Meanwhile Naruto and Neji sweatdropped at the scene.

'That awful huh?'

------------------

"So you need these berries to make more fruit cake? What for?"

"The idea was to sell them… but after you two tried it… I guess I'll just drop that…"

"What do you think of your own fruitcake anyway?"

"I haven't tried it… really. To be honest? You two are the first ones who tasted it."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I was afraid of what might people would think… so I tried on you two first. Kids are usually honest."

"Not as honest as him." Hanabi pointed at Konohamaru.

"Hey!"

"Still… now that you've said that it's awful… I guess I'll drop the idea… I think I still need to improve."

"You got that one right!" Konohamaru smirked.

"Okay. Let's split up. That way, we'll find the berries a lot faster, no?" Hanabi suggested.

"Fine with me." Konohamaru followed.

"W… well…" Yukiku got up. "Fine… but don't get too long okay? I don't need that many anyway…"

"Deal."

Thus, the three split up.

-----------------

"Okay… now they're split up, as I suspected. What now?"

Naruto created a Bunshin of himself. "I'll follow Konohamaru and Yukiku, you go and follow Hanabi."

"Yukiku? You know her?"

"Don't ask how."

-----------------

Konohamaru was walking rather fast, unaware of a single Naruto clone following him.

Hanabi was looking around with her Byakuugan, but unable to notice Neji, whose Byakuugan had outranged hers, enabling the Hyuuga prodigy to watch Hanabi from distance.

Yukiku was unaware that Naruto was watching her as she picked some wild red berries from the bushes. Naruto looked at Yukiku closely.

**SHE'LL MAKE A LOVELY BRIDE.**

Naruto snapped. 'WHAT?'

**JUST KIDDING. STILL, AT LEAST SHE'S BETTER THAN THAT GARGANTUAN SIZED FOREHEAD GIRL.**

'Excuse me; Sakura's forehead is not gargantuan, but healthily big! That's why she's so brainy!'

**BY YOUR STANDARDS. NOT MINE.**

'Aw come on, spare her! Besides, there are several things on her that deserve praise! Say… her pink hair?'

Kyuusei laughed. **ASK KIRA. HE KNOWS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PINK HAIRED GIRL ON EARTH. **

'Really? That beautiful?'

**YEP. ANYWAY, IT'S GOOD TO KNOW THAT YOU NO LONGER PRAISE THAT SAKURA GIRL LIKE SHE'S SOME SHORT OF A GODDESS. AT LEAST YOU TOOK OUT THE SUFFIX -CHAN OFF HER NOW. THAT'S A PROGRESS.**

'Whatever…'

**STILL… WHAT I'M INFERRING IS: AMONGST ALL THREE, YOU CHOSE TO FOLLOW HER PERSONALLY. ANY HIDDEN MEANING IN THIS** **ACTION?**

'No. I just thought that's the right thing to do.'

**YOU'RE NOT BEING HONEST. I'LL TELL YOU WHAT THE 'RIGHT THING TO DO' IS. THE RIGHT THING IS TO GET THE CLONE FOLLOW THIS ONE, WHILST THE REAL YOU FOLLOW THE HELPLESS KIT. YET, YOU DO IT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. SHEER SPONTANEOUS DECISION OR…**

'Shut up.'

**HA HA HA. JUST BE CAREFUL. SHE HATES YOU. I REMEMBER. HER BREAST SIZE WAS… WHAT? C-CUP? THAT'S PRETTY BIG FOR SOMEONE OF HER AGE.**

'SHUT UP!'

**GWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**

'…I followed her… because hopefully, I might have a chance to sort the misunderstanding between us.'

**IS THAT SO?**

'What?'

**HEH HEH. NOTHING.**

All of a sudden, red aura rose at an alarming rate. 'Kyuusei? What do you think you're…?'

**THIS RESONANCE REACTION! BUT THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE… THIS CLOSE? KIT, SCAN THE SURROUNDING NOW!**

'Kyuusei?'

**JUST DO IT! THERE ARE MASSIVE YOUKI SIGNATURES IN THIS AREA! A STRONG ONES TOO. YOU HAVE TO FIND IT!**

'Weren't it Gaara?'

**I HOPE IT'S ONLY HIM. SCAN THE SURROUNDING, THOROUGHLY… OH YEAH. AND USE A CLONE TO KEEP WATCH ON THE CHICK TOO.**

'Kay.' Naruto created a Bunshin, which keep a close watch on Yukiku while his real self dashed from tree to tree, scanning the area.

With Konohamaru…

Through mental link, the clone assigned to follow Konohamaru had been alerted to the sudden occasion, increasing its alertness.

Meanwhile, with Hanabi…

"Hanabi-sama! Why were you here all alone?"

"I'm not exactly alone Neji! There are other people with me!"

"Yes I can see that… Hiashi-sama is not going to be pleased about this."

"Aw come on. Dad won't be angry."

"Let's hope so. Are you done yet?"

"Just a little bit more."

"Okay, just hurry up. Somehow I've got a feeling something is wrong."

Back to Yukiku…

'Was it just my feeling or not… I haven't seen a single animal ever since I got here?'

Back to Naruto…

"Haa… haa… what is this thing?"

Naruto had zoomed through virtually the whole forest until suddenly a sting on his nose caught his attention. He ran to the source of that stingingly foul smell per Kyuusei's instruction, dropping his jaw once he reached the site. There, a corpse of a hound whose back had been ripped apart, inside out. A giant dog… or was it?

**GOOD LORD… HOW CAN THIS BE?**

"What is this thing, a dog?" Naruto observed the massive corpse before him. It had the size of about 1.5 times that of a horse. Although the corps' shape did look like a brashly mutated hound, its skin was composed of thick scales. Eying the sight in front of him in more detail, he noticed something else, its tail… tails to be exact; three long serpentine tails. "Kyuusei, this thing… Don't tell me this is…"

**KIT. I'M GONNA SAY THIS ONCE AND ONLY ONCE. GET EVERYBODY OUT OF THIS WRETCHED FOREST, AND CALL KIRA! THIS IS AN EMERGENCY.**

"What is this thing?"

**I'LL TELL YOU ON THE WAY! HURRY! AND BEFORE YOU DO, BURN IT DOWN!**

"Burn it down?"

**DON'T LEAVE ANYTHING. HURRY!**

Naruto did as he was told and was gone soon after.

Yukiku was humming a song while she picked another berry. But inside, she felt a twitch in her stomach. 'Why do I felt like I'm being watched?'

"Yukiku-chan!"

"YOU!" The Haku twin glared menacingly at Naruto who suddenly dropped right in front of her. She immediately took 10 steps away from the blond. "Don't go near me. All you did was stripping me of my clothes and dignity as a woman."

"I have no intention of stripping you; I'm trying to help you. There's big bad mutant demon hound on the loose. I need you to get out of here, along with the other two kids. NOW."

Yukiku stared at the blond for one full second. "What kind of joke is that?"

"I'm serious. The creature's length is about… 3 meters, has razor sharp teeth, three tails, scale hide, 3 eyes."

The girl scoffed. "Such detail. Did they teach that in the academy?"

"No. I know because it's standing right BEHIND YOU!" Naruto immediately jumped and push Yukiku away just as a large jaw clasped right where her waist had been. Then, before them, the ugliest, and perhaps the biggest dog ever walk the earth appeared. Its three tails swishing wildly behind as it growled menacingly. Its skins were covered in bony scales. At its back, some bone spikes protruding from its thick hide.

"The Hell is that thing?"

"I told you… we got a big mutant doggie on the loose. Grab Konohamaru and Hanabi out of here. NOW!"

"I… I…"

The hound demon roared and charged forward meeting Naruto head on. The blond managed to grab hold the hound's head using a bit of Kyuusei's Youki.

"SCRAM!"

Yukiku was terribly horrified, she immediately ran.

"Okay, mister. Now it's just you and me!" Naruto punched the demon's side several times before grabbing both of its upper and lower jaw, and tore them apart. The hound demon roared in pain and rolled back. Naruto smirked. "Looks like now you're going to have some trouble eating."

Much to his surprise, the hound swished its head and the next second, the limping jaw returned to its original position. No sign that the jaws were dislocated 2 seconds ago.

"What the…" Before Naruto could brush off his surprise, the hound charged at him again. This time, it slashes all three of its tail towards the blond. Naruto immediately jumped out of the way. The slash however, sent three wind projectile that instantly take out at least a dozen and a half trees, per blade, in vicinity.

'Holy shit!'

**THAT'S SANBI (THREE TAILS) NO GAROU FOR YOU. A SLASH OF ITS THREE STRONG TAILS COULD CREATE A STORM OF WIND BLADES THAT COULD DECIMATE AN ARMY IN AN INSTANT.**

'Cripes. Okay, let's play hard!' A few hand seals later, "JIGOKU KATON, KITSUNE ENDAN!"

With Neji…

"Neji-nii-san!" Hanabi was staring in horror as Neji was warding off a three-tailed hound to no avail.

'What is this creature? It's like a hound but… the inner coil system is constantly changing! I can't use Jyuuken on something like this!' So far, the Hyuuga prodigy managed to deflect the Sanbi's projectiles using his Kaiten. But constant use of it had eventually taken up its toll on the Hyuuga. "Hanabi-sama! RUN! HURRY! FIND NARUTO AND GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!"

"B… But!" Hanabi's leg slumped.

"NOW! UGH!" Neji got swatted to a tree by one of the hound's paws. The Three tails looked at Hanabi and seemingly grinned. The hound growled as it started walking towards the trembling Hanabi. Neji yelled in horror. "HANABI-SAMA! RUN!" All the sudden, a burning fox-head impaled the hound's shoulder. The demonic creature howled in pain.

Following soon after, was Naruto's clone and Konohamaru. Konohamaru immediately grabbed Hanabi, whilst Naruto stood face to face with the demon. "Neji, find Yukiku and get these two out of here. Find Kira, hurry!"

"O-Okay." Neji, panting, stood up and grabbed Konohamaru and Hanabi. "What the Hell is that?"

"One of the Youma'ou bijyu… the three tails."

"Bijyu? That thing?"

"GO!"

Garou growled more loudly. The hole in its shoulder soon regenerated. Naruto growled as red Youki enclosed his body, forming a one tailed demon fox. The Demon and the half demon dashed to each other.

The other three immediately ran from the scene.

"But, but! Naruto-nii-san?"

"Don't worry, that's a clone."

"Yukiku-nee-san! WE HAVE TO FIND HER!" Hanabi activated her Byakuugan. Neji did the same.

"Found her. She's running towards us. Apparently she was under attack."

Soon after, the group met up with the girl. She was extremely terrified.

"Are you alright?"

"Demon… it's a demon… it's a… it's a…"

"YUKIKU-SAN! Are YOU ALRIGHT?"

Yukiku snapped out of her fright. She nodded. "The pervert boy… the pervert boy! What's his name…? Naruto! You got to help him!"

"Where is he?"

"He was fending off a large mutant dog when I left him."

"What? I could've sworn there's a demon hound back there too! Wait…" Neji maxed out his Byakuugan's range capacity and gasped. One Naruto was dealing with the Demon hound just now, another was shooting a barrage of fireballs towards the jumping and twisting three tailed demon… and one more Demon was heading towards them. High speed. "Oh my God. Run. RUN!"

The group immediately ran for their dear lives. The Garou, growling and yipping, was chasing them, broking tree trunks and alike along the process.

With the real Naruto.

"Get back here teme!" Naruto was shooting a fireball after another. The three-tailed demon was jumping from tree to tree, dodging the attacks one after another. Finally, completely pissed off, Naruto stopped firing. "Okay. Eat this. GENEI'GA!" Naruto's hand shoot out a horde of hollow growling fox heads. The fox spirits went through the trees and head straight at the demon. Sensing the danger, the Garou jumped to a tree trunk. The fox spirits followed up, went through the tree before sank its teeth to the beast. The Demon howled and tried to shake the foxes off to no avail. Naruto smirked. "Come HERE!" He pulled the foxes back to him, purposely slamming the captured creature to several trees, breaking some of its bones. Eventually, Garou was slammed to a tree near where Naruto's standing, and sank there. Smirking evilly, the now Youki enclosed blond pulled the creature out and slammed it to another tree. A sickening bone cracks could be heard as Naruto practically crushed the demon's bone.

"URAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Naruto pulled the Garou out and slammed it forcibly to the ground, where it sank deep. The creature's bones were completely crushed as many of its limbs were curved in weird manner. Not satisfied, Naruto looked around and found a fallen tree. Using his demonic infused strength, he grabbed the large tree like a giant baseball bat before hammering the demon hound's body several times until the tree broke. The blond smirked even more sadistically. "That's it for you, chunk face. Kurae! (Eat this)"

Naruto impaled the tree right on the creature's head, crushing it down for good.

"Heh… heh. There. He's down. It's over."

**NO IT'S NOT. BURN IT DOWN! DON'T LEAVE ANY REMAINS!**

"Easy now. It's taken care off. He's fairly weak for a Youma'ou. Don't you think?" Naruto smiled as he turned his back from the carcass.

**APPARENTLY YOU'RE NOT LISTENING TO ME WHEN I'M MENTIONING THESE CREATURES' ALIASES. GAROU THE THREE TAILS, THE CREEPERS OF SHADOW, THE SEEDBRINGERS OF UNHOLY _RESURRECTION_…**

Naruto stopped right that instant. He turned his head toward the remains of the creature. It's gone.

"See? I don't like that." Naruto groaned.

Naruto-clone…

"URRAAAA!" The clone was having a wrestling match with the Garou. Naruto punched, kicked, clawed and even bit the obviously larger creature. The clone immediately grabbed hold of the beast's head, raising it up before slamming it back down to earth.

In retaliation, the Hellhound sprang up and sank its tooth on the clone. The clone gasped when he felt his shoulder melting. "AAAAAAAAAAAAH!" The clone's scream was cut short as it popped out of existence. But even so, that short scream was heard throughout the forest.

Neji, Yukiku, Konohamaru and Hanabi…

"That scream! Naruto nii-san!"

Neji searched for Naruto with his Byakuugan. The Hyuuga sighed in relief when he saw Naruto, still alive, was running towards them, and he was about 50 meters away. 'That must be his clone.' Then, Neji's eyes widened in horror. "Guys… we have to run faster."

"What? Shouldn't we wait for Naruto-nii-san?" Konohamaru protested.

"Naruto will be fine. We have to run! HURRY!"

"I thought we shook off the hound?"

"Hounds. Not one. We got more chasing us."

"What?" The group began to move again with increased pace. "I thought you said there's only one chasing us!" Yukiku looked disbelievingly at Neji.

"That was what I saw. Then just out of the shadow, three more of those creatures are chasing us now!"

"SO THERE ARE FOUR OF THEM?" Konohamaru yelled as he ran for his dear life.

Truth to be told, about thirty meters from the group, four Hellhounds were tearing through the woods, running ever faster towards their preys.

Naruto…

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME? THAT MONSTER COULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT?"

**I NEVER KID AROUND IN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS!**

"Cripes. Neji and the others are definitely in big trouble."

Back to Neji and the gang…

"THEY'RE ALMOST HERE!" Hanabi screamed.

"If you got power to scream, better save it for running!" Konohamaru winched since Hanabi had yelled quite close to his ears.

"We'll never make it!" Yukiku looked at Neji.

"We have to try. Once we get out of this forest, that's when we might be able to get help!" That was only an encouragement statement. Neji knew that. The chance for all of them to get out of there alive was near to zero. The beasts were simply faster, and not to mention, stronger. But if he could stall them for a while, the other three may be able to make it out alive. He know he may not be able to fight for long, but perhaps he may slow them down when they start eating him… a horrible plan. But right now, it's the only thing he could think of.

Konohamaru finally fell down. "Haa… haa…"

"Konohamaru-kun!" Yukiku turned back.

Neji gasped. He immediately went to Konohamaru. By the time he got there, four large black figures jumped out of the shadows, straight at them. Everything happened in slow motion as Neji prepared his Jyuuken for one final struggle…

…until suddenly, a barrage of long spikes made of sand impaled the monsters, nailing them in place. The Garous were stuck midair and growling and twisting their bloodied bodies.

"Sand… Sabaku no Gaara!" Neji was relieved beyond believe.

"Hyuuga Neji, back!" The sand nin appeared from a swirl of sand, adopting his usual pose.

Neji immediately obliged as he grabbed the other three and backed away behind Gaara.

Wasting no time, Gaara immediately ordered another jutsu: 'Ryusa Bakuryu! (Desert Avalanche)' A giant sand tidal wave covered the grounds, swallowing the creatures in a storm of sand.

Neji stared wide eyed at the sand wave. That part of the forest was turned into a small desert. "Well… you got them."

"Not quite." 'Sabaku Taisou! (Desert Requiem)' the desert squeezed together, crushing the monsters inside.

The Hyuuga prodigy gulped.

Naruto…

"Haa… haa… sand? Gaara!"

The fox host increased his pace, and a few moments later, he finally reached the group. "Everyone!"

"Naruto-nii-san!" Konohamaru yipped happily.

Naruto was panting heavily. "Are you guys… are you okay, are you hurt?"

"We're fine." Yukiku answered.

"Gaara… did you… did you just do that? The sand wave… Was this YOUR doing?"

Gaara nodded.

"Hasn't Shukaku told you?" Naruto was horrorstruck.

"Shukaku's asleep." Gaara looked confused, until suddenly, the ground began to tremble.

"What the…?" Neji looked at the ground. "Impossible, that thing's still alive? Gaara killed it!"

"THAT'S the POINT! Garou was MEANT to be killed!"

"What?" Gaara looked at Naruto incredulously.

"Naruto what do you mean, meant to be killed?"

"This is the power of Garou, the three-tailed Hellhound."

"Hellhound? Three tails… Youma'ou?" Gaara gasped.

"Yes. Amongst all 9, Garou was the weakest. But it was meant that way. So that they will be easily killed."

"Why would Hellhounds want themselves to be killed?" the ground shook even harder.

"Because that's his power. The power of the seed-bringers of unholy resurrections."

"Unholy… WHAT?" Gaara was wide-eyed. The tremor apparently reached its peak.

Naruto continued. "Every-time you kill one, the remains will multiply into three new Hellhounds! That's why they're so easy to kill! Because they will be reborn, again and again, and their number will increase!"

"Impossible! No creature could possess such power!" Neji was, for the first time in his life, scared to the point where he wanted to wet his pants.

"That's Youma'ou for you. They are beings with unimaginable powers. This just another one. The weakest at that." Suddenly, a paw burst out of the sand, followed by another, and another, and another. Some of the Garous' heads also burst out of the sand.

"Dear god…" Yukiku was scared out of her wits.

The beasts growled even louder as more and more of their bodies resurfaced.

"Neji, take the three out of here, and get Kira. Hurry."

"What about you?"

"These creatures can be killed by completely destroying them till there's nothing left. Gaara, you got any jutsu capable of doing that?"

Gaara thought for a moment, before shaking his head.

"Fine. You can still help by nailing these bastards. I'll finish them off."

"Naruto I don't like this!" Neji yelled.

"We have no choice. HURRY!" Naruto flared up his red Youki. Burst of Hellfire arise from his body. Gaara prepared a set of sand lances.

One Garou finally broke through the sand and charge forward. Naruto was ready as he shot a barrage of "Jigoku Katon, Kitsune Endan!" 5 burning fox-head hit the beast dead centre. A large explosion shook the ground as the Hellfire burned the beast out of its frame, leaving no trace of its existence.

More and more of the demons began to surface.

'This is bad… how come they multiply so quickly? I thought you said they will multiply only three per death?' Naruto frowned.

**SOME OF THEM MUST'VE DIED OF SUFFOCATION WHEN THEY TRIED TO GET OUT OF THE SAND REQUIEM. **Kyuusei replied.

"Crap."

4 Garou burst out of the sand and charge towards the two.

"HAAAAAAAAA!" the Jinchuriki rushed forward. Naruto blast a fireball on a Garou, up close, blowing up half its body. The moment the remains touched the ground, it began to multiply. Before the creatures could do so, Naruto fired another salvo of Kitsune Endan, blasting it to nothingness. Suddenly a Garou burst out from the sand and tried to bite Naruto's leg. The fox host jumped and immediately shoot: "Jigoku Katon: Makai no Hikari!" right between the creature's eyes.

Gaara finally had a chance to test out his new jutsu. "Let's see how good you are when I suck you dry. Sabaku Ankyo! (Desert Drain)!" A Garou were enclosed by a coffin of sand. The next second, the Garou is only skin over bone.

Naruto looked confused.

"Sabaku Ankyo. The true version of Sabaku Kyuu. I don't need Sabaku Sousou to end it up. It'll enclose an enemy in extremely dry sand. The next second, the target will suffer an acute dehydration. Suffice to say, it'll suck the victim dry… literally. It'll still be alive though… but not for long. Finish it off Naruto!"

"Looks like you and I have something more in common now. Eat shit: Koku Doton: Naiteki Tsuchi Funka! (Black Earth Element: Inner Earth Burn)" Naruto tapped the ground as soon as he finished his hand seals, the remains of the dried Garou was enclosed in black ground spikes. The next moment, magma veins flowed through the black-rocks, before the rocky prison burst out a pillar of lava, liquefying the captive within.

Naruto smirked. "Did you know that earth's mantle is composed of lava with a temperature of over 3000 degrees?"

Gaara nodded in understanding. Meanwhile, four more Garou surfaced. All of them charge at the duo. The two immediately jumped as the creature stroke its paw towards them. Both landed on a tree. Before they could catch their breath, one of the demons jumped at them. They jumped away once again. The Garou sank its claws at the tree and growled at the two.

"My biology is a little hazy, Naruto… but I thought dogs were unable to climb trees?" Gaara used his sand as one Garou jumped from a tree and rammed itself at the Nin.

"Clearly, the scientists never saw a three-tailed demon dog." Naruto jumped to another tree as two Garou swung their tails, creating a horde of wind projectiles that minced the trees to pieces. The blond immediately prepared a set of seals:

"Jigoku Katon: Kyuukagan! (Sudden Flame Eyes!)" Naruto summoned a dozen of eye-sized Hellfire-balls. "Gaara close your eyes!"

The Suna-nin did as he was told.

Naruto made a single hand seal: "Kai!"

The fireballs turned into Demonic eyes. The Garous' who looked at the eyes were suddenly enclosed in a circular fire barrier. Naruto smirked: "SHUN'EN! (Surprise Fire)" The fire barrier pulsated for a second before exploding at full force with unbelievable heat intensity, burning the demons to nothingness. Meanwhile, all Garou had eventually resurfaced. Now there are twelve of them on the scene. The monsters roared and barked at them. One charged towards a tree where Naruto was standing, ramming it apart. Naruto immediately jumped and landed on the ground, where half a dozen Garous welcomed him from all sides. Naruto roared: "JIGFOKU KATON! TAIYUU MAKAI NO HIKARI!"

Gaara was having quite a hard time. For one, unlike Naruto, most of his newfound jutsu were unable to destroy the creatures to nothingness. All he could do was stall them. He tried not to kill them since it'll do nothing but beefing up their number. Thus, he kept on dodging one attack after another while occasionally guarding the attack. The creature seemingly endless, as another pack of Garous resurfaced from the sand.

"Wow… more eh?" Naruto had just blast the last bit of a Garou with a burst of Hellfire.

"If we can destroy their bodies before they resurrect themselves, we can beat them."

"Easier said than done. These creatures can resurrect themselves faster than we kill them."

"We have to nail them all at once. Naruto, I may be able to stop their movement for a while. You got any move that can blast them all?"

"I got one. Kyuusei just taught me. Pretty risky though." Naruto prepare a set of hand seals immediately. The Garous charged forward.

"Hurry up. Sabaku Senkou Daichi! (Desert Piercing Ground)" Gaara punched the ground and long jagged sand spikes burst out from the ground. The Garous were nailed off the ground. The sand nin smirked. "And a little modification of my own: Sabaku Shi ShiSototsu! (Desert Death Web Stab)" The jag on the spikes suddenly burst more sand lances, crisscrossing each other, impaling the demons again and again in the process.

"Here I go: Kuuton: Jigoku Shinsei! (Space element: Hell Nova)" It start out as a simple ball of light between Naruto's palms (About the size of a normal Rasengan) before he throw the small ball right into the middle of the sand web.

"Gaara! Run!"

The sand user immediately ran off from the sand web as Naruto ducked down.

The next second, the small ball shot out a single black line. Followed with another, and another, and another. The ball continuously shot out more and more laser lines until eventually, it formed a giant ball of black light, about fifty times bigger than its previous state, destroying everything in its wake. The black ball had already engulfed the demon hounds, disintegrating them to emptiness.

Back to Neji…

Neji was running, with Konohamaru on his back and Yukiku was running as fast as she could, with Hanabi on hers.

The Hyuuga prodigy's Byakugan was active all the time, in case there were any more demonic pursuers. He had witnessed the battle between the two Jinchuriki and the horde of demonic monsters. He was utterly shocked as he saw the whole battle. 'What the Hell is that jutsu? That's Kyuubi's Oni jutsu? That jutsu is too powerful for words!' Nevertheless, despite his awe, he was greatly relieved. 'Maybe they can hold them down until I find Kira…'

Yukiku noticed the sudden relief. "What happened?"

Neji smiled. "Nothing to worry about. Naruto and Gaara were able to hold their own ground."

"I don't know about the Gaara-guy, but it's hard to believe that shameless pervert is so powerful."

"Shameless pervert?" Neji looked confused at Haku's twin.

"Don't ask." Yukiku twitched dangerously. Neji sweatdropped.

"Ha! That's my Nii-san for you!"

"That's your Nii-san?" Yukiku stared at Konohamaru in disbelief. Konohamaru nodded happily. Yukiku shook her head. "Give me a break…"

"Look. Miss… errh…"

"Yukiku."

"Right. Yukiku-san. I don't know how you and Naruto met. But if I was you, I wouldn't be so hard on him now since he is all that stands between us and a horde of demons."

"I know Mr.…" Yukiku sighed.

"Neji. Hyuuga Neji."

Neji checked once again with his Byakugan and gasped. Twenty meters from Naruto and Gaara's position, eight new Garou burst out from the ground behind them. Then, the next scene unnerved him. The beasts killed each other. A few moments later, a massive number of the Hellhounds came into sight. About two dozen beasts went in their pursuit. The rest rushed towards the two Jinchuriki, attempting to flank them.

Neji immediately check up to the front. They're not too far away from the forest's exit. "HURRY! THE EXIT IS NOT SO FAR ANYMORE!"

But before they could move any farther, they were blocked by a single Garou.

"Oh shit." Neji cursed.

"This is the one that attacked us before!" Konohamaru exclaimed in full horror.

Yukiku tensed up. '…there's only one way out…' "Neji-san." Yukiku handed Hanabi to Neji.

"Yukiku-san?"

"If I can stop them for a while… can you escape and find this… Kira?"

"What are you going to do?"

Yukiku smiled sadly. She gripped her hand. "I'll stall them."

"How?"

Yukiku removed one of her mittens. "Neji-san. Hit me." The Hellhound began to growl.

"What?"

"HIT ME!" the girl ordered.

Neji gulped. He balled his fist and punched the girl right on her cheek. The next second, he suddenly felt the temperature drop drastically. Neji's breaths soon become moisture in the air. "W… What?"

The Hellhound rushed forward towards Yukiku. The Haku twin looked at the charging large dog. Chilling winds swirled surrounding her body. The Garou began to slow down as it began to freeze.

By the time it almost reached the girl, half of its body was already in an ice-block.

Yukiku touched the growling monster, and the next second, the creature was inside an iceberg.

Neji gaped.

"Neji-san. If you value your life and the lives of these children… you should be running now." Yukiku closed her eyes. More and more freezing wind swiveled around her. "I can still hold back my powers for now, but the next wave will know neither friend nor foe. Hurry!"

Neji reluctantly nodded. He immediately grabbed Hanabi and ran out of the forest.

"Yukiku-nee-san! Be careful!" Hanabi yelled.

"Don't let those monsters get you!" Konohamaru yelled.

Yukiku smiled. She opened the other glove. Now, everything in a radius of 5 metres around her was enclosed in ice. It broke before disappearing.

The Hellhounds were rushing towards her.

Yukiku concentrated hard. She gathered all her ice cold chakra into a single ball right in front of her chest.

The horde was just about 10 feet from her…

"Hyoton Hijutsu: Hyokai Setsuei (Ice element Secret Art: Ice world Construction!)" The small ice ball trembled before eventually it exploded, sending an INSANE amount of horrendously large ice shards to every direction, followed with a pack of blizzards.

The Garou were all frozen in place. Yukiku frowned as she tried her best to get her power under control. 'Okay… I can do this… keep concentrating!'

For a moment, the blizzard blitzkrieg continued to revolve in a small part of the forest section. However, as time went by Yukiku began to lose control over the storm. Until finally…

One of the formed icebergs suddenly burst out, sending more razor sharp ice to every direction. More and more icebergs burst out from the ground. The blizzard grew dangerously big. Soon, the freezing began to spread at an alarming rate. The Haku twin was worried. "Oh no… oh no! Not again! STOP! THAT'S ENOUGH! STOOOOOP!" Alas, the blizzard grew fiercer.

"My mother's mitten! Where is it?" She looked around frantically looking for her glove. One of them was lying near a frozen tree. Yukiku immediately made a run for it. But before she could grab it, the ice ground cracked, and a set of frozen long spikes burst out, tearing the glove to pieces. "NO!" She looked at the massive blizzards. In the rage of the frozen maelstrom she screamed. "STOP! ENOUGH PLEASE I BEG YOU STOOOP!"

Meanwhile Neji and the two children looked at the massive blizzard maelstrom as they run. Konohamaru looked in awe. "Wow! Yukiku-nee-san is amazing! She could call upon blizzard!"

"To me. It's more like an uncontrolled rampaging blizzard. It would appear there is more of this girl than meets the eye."

"What do we do now?"

"Naruto and Gaara can take care of themselves. But against something of this scale, I'd say only Konoha azure Dragon can do."

"Oh crap." Konohamaru cursed under his breath.

"What?"

"That blizzard. I don't think it'll go down any minute. PLUS a massive ice wave is chasing us."

"Ice wave?" The two Hyuuga activated their Byakugan and Neji immediately increased their pace, while still carrying Konohamaru and Hanabi. Behind them, massive waves of extremely cold wind blew forward, coupled with a blazing ice storm, freezing everything in its path.

Naruto and Gaara…

"Naruto! This ice storm!"

"I know! It gave us a chance! BLAST THEM ALL! TAIYUU MAKAI NO HIKARI!" Naruto, with the aid of Kyuusei's chakra, shot out a massive barrage of laser blast that vaporised everything in its path. 'This no natural blizzard… who? Could it be… her?' Naruto frowned. "GAARA! We have to break through the encirclement!"

Back to Yukiku…

The ice user was screaming again and again. "STOP! STOP! PLEASE! STOP IT!" She kept running aimlessly. She looked around the forest. Many of the forest creatures were frozen. The girl was crying sadly. 'I'm sorry…' "STOP! STOOOOOPP!"

She suddenly caught sight of Neji, Konohamaru, and Hanabi. They were running. Yukiku tried to scream. "NEJI-san!" Alas, her sound was swallowed by the sound of the storm blitzkrieg. She looked palely as the three ran for their lives. Suddenly, image flashed in her mind.

"_RUN! SHE'S THE EVIL ICE QUEEN!" A band of kids were running away from her._

"_NO WAIT!"_

"_I want you to stay away from my son. You're endangering him by just being here you know!" An ugly looking lady scolded her without looking at her eyes._

"…"

"_Oh my god! No… NOT again! RUN KIDS! RUN!"_

"_Why nee-chan? It's a cool looking thing you got there in your palm. Can I touch it?" A young kid innocently touched the icy blue chakra she's emanating._

"_NO! NOOOO!"_

"_They're not breathing!"_

"_Acute Hypothermia. There's nothing we can do."_

"_YOU MURDERER!"_

"No… NO… NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Yukiku grasp her hair as she yelled in anguish. Just then freezing wind charge in from every direction before hitting the girl full force…

Neji…

The Hyuuga prodigy kept on running. The exit is just before his eyes now. However, he could feel the cold wind running through his spine. Even if they could get out of here, the ice would surely still follow. 'Just a little bit more… just a little bit more!'

Alas, running all day long had made his hand sweaty. Suddenly Hanabi fell down from Neji's grasp. Konohamaru screamed. "HANABI!" He immediately slithered out from Neji's grasp and ran towards the fallen Hyuuga. Neji turned right that instant and stared in horror as, right behind Konohamaru and Hanabi, a massive cold wave rushed towards them. Konohamaru stared at the gargantuan blizzard before immediately grabbing hold of Hanabi, attempting to shield the younger girl from harm.

Neji screamed. Everything was like a slow motion… until a yellow blur appeared right in front of the two, followed with a flash of fire.

Konohamaru closed his eyes for one second, two seconds… He dared himself to open his eyes and looked behind, he saw Naruto, creating a huge dome of red fire, stopping the ice wave. "NEJI what are you waiting for! GRAB'EM!"

Neji blinked and immediately took hold of the two children and resumed his run for the exit. Waiting at the exit was Gaara. "Hurry. Find Kira. I'll take care of them." Gaara spoke as he grabbed both Hanabi and Konohamaru. Neji nodded before he ran to the village. 'The whole village should have noticed this by now…'

------------------

Hokage Office…

"Ano… Tsunade-sama?" Shizune opened the door and looked at her shishou, whose body still slumped helplessly on a wheelchair.

"Zzz… Hm? Wha? What? What happened?"

"Konoha's southern forest is on… ice."

It took Tsunade ten full seconds before the sentence finally clicked in. "You mean on fire?"

"No Tsunade-sama, it's on ice. A good part of the forest is frozen."

Another ten seconds later. "I know about forest fires. But forest freezing?"

"Well… maybe you'll find out quicker if you look through the window."

Tsunade immediately moved her wheelchair to the window. She opened the curtain, and her jaw was on the ground soon after. The forest was frozen. And it kept on spreading like a wildfire… wild-ice in this case. "…call ALL Anbu and Jounin in this village who can do fire jutsu. And do call Kira."

"Yes."

------------------

Moments later, the whole village, as Neji had predicted, gathered at the edge of the continuously growing ice. Anbus and Jounins used every fire jutsu they know to stop the freezing process. Alas, nothing worked. Temari and Kankuro stared unbelievably at the impossible phenomenon displayed in front of them.

"What the hell…"

"The freezing continues! At this rate, it might freeze the village as well!"

"Temari, Kankuro."

"Gaara!" The two sand siblings looked at their younger brother. He was carrying two unconscious children.

"Where have you been?"

"Long story. Kindly take these two? They're in need of some medical attention."

"On the double." The two sand siblings took the two children. Then, Gaara left. "Where are you going brother?"

"Naruto's still inside. I think he's trying to help a girl in there…"

Neji…

The Hyuuga prodigy searched frantically for the coated man. He's Byakuugan had scanned every corner of the village, but the Demigod was nowhere to be seen. 'He must be here somewhere… The skies? The roof tops? WHERE IS HE?"

He looked up, using every ounce of his chakra on his eyes to make the Byakugan tap to the maximum potential. Finally he found him. But by that time his stamina ran out and he fainted.

Naruto…

"YUKIKU-SAAN! WHERE ARE YOU?" Naruto blasted another incoming ice shard with his hellfire. "Damn it… we have to stop this snowstorm somehow…"

Naruto continued to walk. Avoiding ice bursts one after another. After a while the boy began to notice… there's a painful howling in the wind. "What, someone's howling?" After a while he recognized the voice as Yukiku's voice. "She must be somewhere near here…"

**DON'T LISTEN TO THE SOUND.**

'What?'

**IT'S NOT HER SOUND. THOSE HOWLINGS… THEY ARE HER MEMORIES.**

'Memories?'

**APPARENTLY, IT TOOK MORE THAN HER CHAKRA TO MAINTAIN A BLIZZARD THIS BIG… IT SEEMS THAT, ALONG WITH HER CHAKRA SO GOES, BIT BY BIT, HER MEMORIES.**

'These sounds… her memory?'

**CLEARLY THIS IS NOT A NORMAL BLIZZARD. FIND THE PLACE WHERE THERE'S THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF CHAKRA. THAT'S WHERE WE'LL FIND HER.**

'…okay.' Naruto tried to concentrate. Slowly he felt a strong chakra signature. It was coming from his left. He turned to that direction and start walking. All the while, he continues to listen to the howling voice.

…_I'm not a murderer…_

…_Look at me! I'm not a monster…_

…_I don't want to hurt anyone…_

…_Why? Why won't you girls play with me?_

…_I didn't do it! I'm not lying!_

…_mommy where are you?_

…_stop! It hurts! Don't throw stones at me!_

…_.oh no… no… NO! Not again! Somebody help me! SOMEBODY HELP ME!_

…_I didn't want to hurt you…_

…_stupid power! GONE! GONE AWAY! I DON'T NEED YOU!_

Naruto walked even more slowly, in silence. He finally realized. Yukiku was like Gaara… like him. Her out-of-control power had apparently made the citizens turn her into a scapegoat as well. His eyes covered in the shadow of his blond hair. The voice kept howling. They were all painful… very painful… He continued to walk thoughtlessly until finally, he arrived at his destination. His eyes widen for a moment.

There stood, a woman, or so he thought, that was composed of ice. Her hair was very long, colored in crystalline blue. Her skin was pale blue. Her eyes were navy, and she wore a modified blue Japanese queen Kimono clothes that were also composed of ice. The ribbons on her back were icicle sharp. Her face, however, was, without a doubt, Yukiku. She was expressionless. If the situation weren't so bad, Naruto would be praising how beautiful she is.

Naruto took a breather before spoke. "Oi. Yukiku-chan. Stop this mad storm. You're going to hurt everyone."

"**No use. I can't control it. My mitten was destroyed… I can't control it anymore. Are you here to kill me?" **Yukiku's painful and sad voice howled from the queen's face, whose lips didn't even move an inch.

"What?"

"**I'm glad if you are. Please. Come and kill me and end my misery."**

"…"

"**I don't want people get hurt because of me again. Please. Just kill me."**

"No."

"**What?"**

"I said no. Now cut this crap. I'm getting you out of here."

"**NO! Look, you don't understand!"**

"I understand a lot more then you think. I'm getting you out of here. One way or another, whether you like it or not."

"**I'M THE ONE WHO CAUSED ALL THIS! ONLY BY KILLING ME, CAN YOU STOP THIS CARNAGE!"**

"Just Shut up."

"**I INSIST YOU TO KILL ME! I DON'T WANT TO BE SAFED!"**

Naruto yelled. "LISTEN YOU WITCH! DON'T GO AROUND YELLING AT ME ON WHAT I CAN AND CANNOT DO! NOW SHUT UP!" Naruto flared up his Youki.

**KIT. AT THIS RATE, YOUR BODY WILL START CORRODING IN LESS THEN 5 MINUTES! **Kyuusei warned Naruto.

'In less then 5 minutes I'll tear this whole god-damn thing down!' Naruto growled before he rushed towards the Ice Queen. By the time he reached within ten feet from the queen, blizzard storm swirled towards him before eventually crash at him full.

"**NARUTO!" **Yukiku screamed in horror.Suddenly, the blizzard was shredded, replaced by a roaring Naruto. The Youki covered his body, forming **TWO **tailed Demon fox. All that, and it was coupled with massive, swirling Hellfire surrounding him like a cloak of fire. The combination of the two warded off all blizzards in the nearby area.

Berserk Naruto began to move slowly towards the Ice Queen, who looked at the boy with her mouth hung open in aghast. The Hellfire melts the entire ice shard that rush towards him. Yukiku screamed. **"WHY… WHY! WHY DO YOU WANT TO SAFE ME? YOU COULD'VE JUST KILLED FROM AFAR, WHY… Or is it because you want to kill me with bare hands?"**

"**I told you witch. Stop talking as if I'm going to kill you or something. I'm going to safe you and that's final!"**

"**BUT…! BUT!"**

"**Being hated just because you're too special… being alone because you're not like others… living in a world where your existence is unwanted… your brother knew what it felt like… I TOO know what it feels like."**

"**NO YOU DON'T! I KILLED! I… I…"**

"**Well this is a Shinobi village. Everybody has killed. Some, as far as I concern, could even kill a baby with cold blood."**

"**But!"**

"**No buts! I'm getting you out!" **Naruto flared more Youki. His skin began to corrode.

Yukiku secretly winched at that. 'This is…' **"Why… for me… a monster like me… you endanger yourself like this?"**

Naruto grimaced. **"Thirteen years ago, a demon fox with nine tails called the Kyuubi, had gone rampage and nearly destroyed the village. In the end, the Yondaime Hokage sealed the monster inside a newborn baby."**

The face remained expressionless, but at the back of her mind, Yukiku was confused.

"**I was born thirteen years ago, at the exact same day. Caught the picture?"**

The girl inwardly gasped. 'He couldn't mean…!'

"**So you see… like you, I'm also a bakemono. An abomination of nature, some say. This Youki of mine? The hellfire, the jutsu? It was all Kyuubi, in here." **Naruto showed the shocked girl his belly. **"Now shut up and don't talk as if you're the only monster here, okay?"**

Yukiku looked like she wished to cry, but she couldn't. **"Still… you can keep it under control… I can't! I… BEHIND YOU!"**

"**What-" **A sudden sensation of pain occurred at his thigh. He looked at his leg and saw the Garou. Apparently, this one broke free when he melted some of the ice in the area using his hellfire. Its claws sank deep to his thigh. Naruto gritted his teeth, created a large fireball, and shoot a Kitsune Endan at the creature, destroying him to nothingness. The radiating heat melted some of the ice, releasing some Garou in the process as well. Naruto growled. There are 3 Garous.

Naruto roared like a wild beast as the chakra formed a razor sharp claws and more flames covered his body. The Garous rushed towards the fox-host. Naruto minced the first Garou head to pieces, and finished it with a massive laser beam from his palm, that suddenly formed a fox head. The other Garou growled even angrier and tried to plant their jaws on Naruto's shoulder. They succeeded, only to find they were biting a hunk of ice.

"**URRAAAAAAAAAA!"** Naruto shoot 5 Kitsune Endan all at once, burning the second Garou's body to oblivion. The head blasted out to the air, only to be captured by Naruto and shredded to oblivion by a Youkai Rasengan. The remaining Garou stubbornly attacked Naruto. Naruto was about to dodge the brutish attack before he winced in pain. The corrosion was becoming more severe. Thus, the beast managed to bit Naruto shoulder. The blond boy screamed. **"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"**

The scream was heard outside the forest.

"That's Naruto's scream…" Gaara was greatly alarmed.

Jiraiya, who's also on the scene, was also worried. 'Don't go dying on me now kiddo!'

Back to Naruto…

"**YOU DAMN MONSTER!" **Naruto shot a barrage of laser at the monster up-close before ending it up with a Rasengan. The Rasengan managed to push the creature back. Naruto groaned in pain. The blood flowed like river from his shoulder. Weirdly enough, the regeneration process was slow. **'Why?'**

**GAROU'S FANGS CONTAIN A HIGHLY STRONG ACID. IT'S EATING YOUR SKIN.**

"**Son of a…" **Naruto prepared the biggest Kitsune Endan he could get, before throwing the large burning fox towards the beast, destroying the creature entirely.

The fox host heaved up and down.

'**Oh no, he's losing a lot of blood!' "Naruto you better get that looked at! Just leave me and go!"**

"**I told you before; don't go around deciding what I should do!"**

Naruto managed to get to the ice queen figure. Then he finally saw it. Inside the Ice queen body, Yukiku was there, seemingly unconscious. The expressionless figure of the 'Ice Queen' was like a thick skin on top of the real body.

"**I'm getting you out of here. Just hold on okay?" **Naruto punched the ice-queen face once. An ugly crack sounded from Naruto's fist. He gathered his strength and punched it again. This time, his fist began to bleed due to the corrosion and the hard impact.

'**Why?' "Stop… please…"**

Naruto punched again, more blood splattered on Yukiku's ice queen face.

'**Who am I to him?' "No… please… I'm not worth it!"**

The boy punched again. Yukiku could see Naruto's skin lingering on his bleeding arm.

'**For me, just for me he…' "STOP! PLEASE!"**

"**SHUT UUUUUUUUUUP!"** Naruto gathered all his chakra on a single fist, before shoving the said bleeding fist to the ice queen face.

CRACK.

The cracks escalate as the blizzard began to calm down. The cracks continued to escalate before eventually broke apart, releasing the half naked Yukiku from within. Naruto caught her before she touched the ground.

"Why… you…" The girls lose unconscious soon after.

"…**because there's always another way for us monsters… aside from death." **Naruto looked at Haku's twin face. Suddenly, he felt a warm drop on his head. **"Rain?"**

Indeed it was raining. The water was weirdly warm, and it started thawing the frozen forest. Naruto looked up to the sky and smiled. High above the air was none other than Kira. The black clouds around poured out a heavy and steady rain. Slowly but sure, the forest rejuvenated.

Suddenly Naruto realized something. "**KIRA! THERE ARE THREE-TAILS IN HERE!"**

As if answering his call, a rain of massive lightning beam pillars fell on earth, blasting, with exact accuracy, every frozen and half frozen three tailed Hellhounds in the forest to nothingness.

Naruto laughed. **"Great."** Naruto began to walk out of the thawing forest. Then he found a glove, a single blue glove. 'It's hers…' He took it, and put it on Yukiku's unconscious hand.

After a few moments, Naruto eventually reached the forest exit. By that time, most of the ice had disappeared as it was thawed down.

When the people saw them, the first that arose were murmurs and whispers. Jiraiya and Gaara stood in front of Naruto.

"Gaki… you're okay?"

"Absolutely… peachy. But if anybody here even thinks of offering me a cold drink now, I'm gonna shove a Rasengan in his throat." Naruto was panting, but he managed a smile.

"Is she alright?"

"Chakra exhaustion and mental shock. Nothing serious."

"Fine body she has…" Jiraiya commented, looking at Yukiku's barely covered breast.

Naruto twitched before kicking the Sannin right in his crotch. "Give me your vest."

"Is this your way of asking things?" Jiraiya gasped.

"Give it, or I'll put a Rasengan on it this time!"

"Guh…" Jiraiya released his red vest and hand it over to Naruto, who used the vest to cover Yukiku's body.

"I'm taking her to the hospital." Naruto began his walk. But after ten steps, his body could no longer follow his wishes. Following his slumping leg, Naruto's consciousness wavered as he fell into darkness.

----------------

"You really are something you know, blasting through someone's mind right in the middle of the night like this."

"Sorry, it's kind of urgent anyway."

"I bet it is." Kyuusei smirked. Naruto's in the infirmary right now. Still unconscious after the operation. Kyuusei was sitting calmly in the soaked ground, slowly sending a bit of his chakra to fasten the regeneration. Suddenly, an unexpected (Or perhaps expected on Kyuusei's side) person appeared inside Naruto's blacked-out mind. It was Kira. And now, two of the most powerful beings in existence stared each other down, face to face.

"So I am to understand that, the Garous had cross over into the Human world?"

"Yes. Without a single clue on whether or not there were more of them."

Kira thought out for a moment. "Amongst the Youma'ou, due to their constant soul dividing for centuries, Garou have a mind of that of a mindless barbaric beast. Yet they can still attack in an organized pattern like a pack of wolves. But nevertheless, there just no way they could come up with an ability to cross over into the Human world on their own."

"Precisely. There are only two ways beasts like that could cross to Ningenkai. Either some human summoned them or there is another more powerful Youma'ou that brought them in."

"I'd hate to think that humans summoned them considering how dangerous they are… the latter theory is more plausible… but how could it avoid ShuShin's detection? In order to summon the creature without detection, it must be done from the human world. How could a high-level Youma'ou get here without warning us of their presence? More importantly, why are the Garou here?"

"I guess I can answer the last question. When I left Ma Kai 30 years ago to look for Shukaku, I left 'her' in charge… I think she's worried sick… and somehow sent them in. How's that theory?"

Kira nodded in understanding. "Well that's another good theory… but the weird thing is, they attacked Naruto regardless of the fact that he bears your scent. Which means they're looking for something else."

"And what's that, we don't have any idea do we?" Kyuusei sighed.

"The only Youma'ou capable of crossing over to human world without outside help are… the four-tail and above…" Kira also sighed before he sat down on the watery floor. "…I guess this matter demands a more in-depth investigation. I'll deal with it later, but soon."

"Okay."

"How's Naruto?"

"He'll live." Kyuusei grinned.

"Good." Silence reigned for a few moments. "How's your life here?"

"Wet, hungry, angry." Kyuusei answered short.

"Is it always watery here? What's this? Your saliva?"

"One tenth of it? Yes. The rest…"

"Your sweat?" Kira joked.

"No, the kit's tears."

Kira's smile vanished. "I guess that's the most possible explanation eh?"

"Living a hated life for more than thirteen freaking years. It's a surprise he doesn't break."

"Guess so…" Kira nodded sadly. A few seconds later he decided to get up. "Well. I guess it's time for me to go."

"You sure you're going to do it?"

"Well we've talked about everything that needs to be talked about."

"No. I mean about you training the kit."

"You don't like it?"

"Who am I? I'm just a furry fur-ball at the back of his mind. Who am I to decide? But do you know what you're going to do?"

"I was hoping I knew too. Oh well. Bye."

Kira vanished. Kyuusei smiled. "Bye."

-----------------

-----------------

-----------------

Done. I've said this is going to be long… and I was right. The reason for this chapter to be updated unceremoniously fast is because I've got the story written in my head already. Hope you guys like the appearance of the three-tail.

And before some of you pointed it out: YES. Garou _was_ inspired by Hellboy's Samael. I'll try to be more original on my creature's power next time.

Thanks to Kwisatz Haderach for beta Reading this. I owe you a million.

By the way, I've been having this plan when this chapter was beta-readed. If you guys go to my profile, you'll see that I once made a Gundam SEED fic, named Samurai SEED. Right now, it's still discontinued. But after some consideration, I've decided that I will rewrite it, and made it a Prequel to the Of Demons and Gods series. The story will revolve around Kira and other future Shitennou gonnabe. So I will be doing these 2 fics at the same time. So MAYBE, the update will be a bit slower, depending on my mood, my study, my sanity, and my head.

Okay, The usual stuff. Read & review.

Till the next update.

Ja Ne.


	15. Decision, Favor, and Training Begin

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": in Naruto's case, him in berserker mode. However, I will use this format for other purpose when it's necessary.**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA: Demon speech **

Disclaimer: I'm bored of repeating the same thing again and again so… Read the first 5 chapters

Chapter 15:

Decision, Favor, and Training begin

"6 days out of the hospital and you're back already. If there's a charge for going in and out of the hospital, I bet you'll be Konoha's cash crop." Rin pouted.

"I'm back here huh?" Naruto groaned.

Naruto woke up a day after the forest accident to find his body was tied to the bed, and his arm was being placed in tight bandage. His shoulder, where one of the Hellhounds bit him, hurt every now and then.

"But isn't tying me to the bed a bit too much?"

"Kira-sama's order." Rin huffed happily.

"Well I guess it's the other way around now." Kakashi's visible eye curved as he stood up in front of his student.

"This thing won't hold me for long. That much for sure." Naruto grumbled.

Kakashi evilly smirked. This is a good time to make fun of his student. "Oh yes, but until you do, you're gonna stuck in here without any ramen to eat or any prank you can do, or, or-"

"Or, he could listen to what I'm going to say." Kira suddenly appeared right behind Kakashi. The Jounin were taken quite a bit of surprise. Behind Kira were Tsunade, Shizune, and Jiraiya.

"Kira-sama, Hokage-sama, Jiraiya-sama." Kakashi bowed down.

"No need for formalities." Kira sat next to Naruto. "Kakashi, you sit too. I think you also need to know."

Kakashi do as he was told. Kira began with: "Naruto how's your feeling?"

"Absolutely peachy. I'll be even better if you un-strap me."

The next second, the straps were no more. Naruto grinned. "Thanks."

"Your welcome. I presume your shoulder okay?"

"Shoulder? Oh you mean the one that stupid dog bit me? Yeah. I'm fine."

"How long… did that thing bit you?" Tsunade asked.

"About 5 seconds or so… why?" Naruto looked confused.

"You were unconscious when we operate you so I guess you don't know." Shizune sighed.

"Operate me? But it's just a flesh wound!"

"Kira-sama's instruction."

"?" Naruto looked at Kira, who grabbed a small transparent tube and showed the content to Naruto. Inside, there are 3 slimy, disgustingly black colored, semi transparent balls. "What's this? Rotten meatballs?"

"Bit you 5 seconds, lay 3 eggs."

Naruto jaw dropped. "EXCUSE ME? EGGS? My biology may be a nightmare, but since when a dog lay eggs?"

"A mutant demon dog. We're not talking about a normal dog here to begin with." Kira put the flask next to a table. "That was Garou. The three tails. One of the Bijyu. And yes, before you ask, they are a part of the Youma'ou."

"I thought…"

"That Youma'ou consisted of one-of-a-kind-creatures? Yes, true. But Garou was an exception."

**GAROU WAS BY FAR THE MOST UNINTELLIGENT AND PERHAPS THE WEAKEST, IN TERMS OF STRENGTH, CREATURE AMONGST THE YOUMA'OU. HOWEVER, THEIR RESSURECTION POWERS COULD GIVE EVEN A HIGH LEVEL DEMON A RUN FOR THEIR MONEY, AS YOU'VE WITNESSED YOURSELF. THAT'S WHY YOU COULD SAY THEIR ROLE IS LIKE INFANTRY UNITS AND OFTENLY USED AS SLAVES TO OTHER YOUMA'OU. **Kyuusei's word boomed allover Naruto's head.

Naruto frowned. "But how could it lay eggs?"

Inside Naruto, Kyuusei slap his head. 'I guess he hadn't caught the point yet.'

Kira sighed. "Garou was somewhat a hybrid between reptiles and mammals. They were born pregnant and they carry their eggs on their throat. When it bit you, the acid on its fang will cut through your flesh, while its tongue, that is its stinger, will inject the eggs through the open wounds very fast."

"So… those eggs will become one of those creatures? And it'll blow me apart the moment it hatches?"

"After castrating you internally, removing your capability to gave birth forever? Yes. They will." Kira smiled, ignoring everyone's horrified looks. Jiraiya covered his crotch.

Naruto looked at the eggs for a minute. "Kyuusei said these creatures are like slaves right? To do other Youma'ou's biddings. Does this mean there is some other Youma'ou ordering them around?"

"That's the strongest possibility. Shitennou weren't the only ones that were disturbed by the fact that four of the Youma'ou ranks had been taken on by Human."

Naruto blinked. "Excuse me, you mean two. Kyuusei and Shukaku, no?"

Kira sighed sadly. "Four. That's right. You heard me. Four which consist of … well two… It's you and Gaara. The other two was with Akatsuki."

"Aka…tsuki." Naruto gritted his teeth.

"Some time ago, we checked on several known Jinchuriki. But by the time we've realized it, it's too late. The two had been taken by the Akatsuki, and the Jinchuriki died." The Shitennou's face gloomed.

"What tails had been taken?"

Kira frowned as if trying to remember. "Two-tails and Eight-Tails." Kira thought up for a moment. "But then again, that statement is still a subject of debate."

Naruto could felt Kyuusei was rolling his eyes. Jiraiya frowned. "Why?" He asked.

"Because…" Kira made a face. "Because the eight-tail was supposed to be in prison, even before Akatsuki begin to exist."

"In prison? What did he/she do? Breaking through without permission?" Naruto looked at Kira, seeing his weird face.

"Somewhere (Cough) along the (Cough) line. But THAT'S (Cough) off importance. But we do know THERE is other Youma'ou in our world. Either it's via Jinchuriki like you, OR the demon is here in person."

Naruto looked skeptically at Kira. He seemed was hiding something.

**LET'S JUST SAY THAT KIRA AND THE EIGHT-TAIL OROCHI HAD A LITTLE…VERY PERSONAL VENDETTA.** Kyuusei muttered lazily in Naruto's mind.

'Very personal vendetta?'

**IF I WERE YOU I WON'T BRING THAT UP NOW.**

'Gotcha.' "So what should we do?"

Kira laughed. "Correction, what should I do. This is my responsibility not yours."

"But I-"

"You got yourself a demon to worry about. Overseeing the connection between the Human world and the demon world is my job. YOUR job, which is as important, is to grow stronger and to make sure Akatsuki won't get their hands on Kyuubi. So you just concentrate on your part, and I'll concentrate on mine."

Naruto groaned. Kira grabbed the flask and the next second, the flask was reduced to nothingness with a flash of lightning. Shizune gasped. "No use in keeping the eggs intact. It'll bring nothing but trouble. I'll pay for the vaporized tube off course." Kira added the last part with a nervous laugh. 'There goes my savings for this month. Hoo-boy.'

The tension decreased significantly. Kira sighed. "So, Naruto have you decided on my offer?"

Naruto smiled nervously. "Err… well… I… err…"

"You haven't had you? Don't worry. I'll be surprised if you have in such a short time. Anyway, take it easy. Like I said, I'm not forcing you to. Meet me if you're interested okay?" Kira stood up.

"Where are you going?"

"Some business to take care off… Tsunade, Jiraiya, I need your help."

"Okay." Jiraiya pushed Tsunade's wheelchair out of the room, followed by the others. Naruto's alone now… no not so alone since Rin was in the room. Naruto looked at her.

Rin put both of her hands up. "I was going to ask you to stay for 2 more days, but I guess it's useless."

"Good decision." Naruto got up. He moved to the door but before he does, he heard voices. He looked to his left. It's a wall, but the sound coming from that direction. He slowly walked to the wall, and the sound become clearer. 'That sound… Konohamaru? Oh yeah, my ears are enhanced now, I can hear him even if he's ten blocks away…'

Naruto pressed his ears on the wall. Rin stared confusedly at Naruto.

-----------------

5 rooms from Naruto's room, on the hallway, 5 minutes ago…

Konohamaru was walking to Naruto's room when he noticed that Yukiku was behind the wall looking from her shoulder, as if making sure that nobody's around. She was utterly shocked when Konohamaru patted her back. "Oi nee-chan! What're you doing?"

Yukiku stared at Konohamaru horrorstruck. After a moment that looked like a mental battle, she immediately turned around and was about to run when Konohamaru stopped her.

"Oi, Matte-yo! Nee-chan! Wait the minute!"

Yukiku abruptly bunged.

"Anoo… Domo-Arigatou for saving me back there."

Yukiku looked at Konohamaru. "…I didn't save you… your nii-san did. All I did was endangering you."

"Nah, but you did save me. Thank you."

Yukiku glared at Konohamaru. The boy in question just keeps on barking.

"Anoo… me and my gang are you going to lunch after this. And… I think I want to invite you along? Just to show my thanks for saving my life-"

"NO I DIDN'T!" Yukiku burst. She had enough. "ALL I DID WAS ENDANGERING YOU! Listen, if you value your life, you'll never see me again! Pretend you didn't know me. Only then can you be safe! Understood?" Yukiku spat. "I'M A MONSTER! AND I'M ONLY GOOD IN ENDANGERING PEOPLE THAT I DON'T WANT TO HURT!" Yukiku showed his hand, where a swirl of cold wind enclosed her bare hand. "LOOK AT THIS! THIS POWER OF MINE! NOTHING GOOD EVER COME OUT OF IT! EVER! SO YOU DO WELL, AND STAY AWAY FROM ME! FOR YOUR OWN GOOD!" Yukiku heaved up and down. She just let out. What surprised her most was Konohamaru's reaction.

The sandaime grandson glared at Yukiku. "Why should I listen to you? You're not my mother, you can't order me around telling me who should I befriend with! Tell me one good reason why should I hate you just because you saved me!"

"BECAUSE I DIDN'T! WHAT I DID WAS THAT I NEARLY KILLED YOU!"

"I recalled you're the one that froze that monster when it tried to tear me apart!"

"But the NEXT Moment I subconsciously tried to kill you! Do you still call that saving your life?"

"…"

"I guess you don't. Sayonara Konohamaru-kun." Yukiku started to walk away when Konohamaru spoke again.

"Is this how you had lived your life? Running away all the time?"

Yukiku stopped for a moment.

Konohamaru sighed. "You definitely not like my brother."

Yukiku turned around. "Oh yeah? What about your brother, that shameless pervert?"

"I'll say this for you. People saw every last molecule of him as a monster like you. The whole village hated him, from his very first breath! But I knew he won't disappoint me. He never runs away. Not like you. He maybe a pervert but he's not a coward like you and he'll never be! That much I knew!"

----------------

Naruto, in his room, blinked.

'Never runs away…'

----------------

Back to Konohamaru…

"So fine, if you want to run, then run! RUN for the rest of your miserable life! But eventually you'll be nothing! Because you don't want to try ANYTHING! Not even making friends!" Konohamaru ran off angrily to Naruto's room, leaving Yukiku alone with her thoughts.

Konohamaru ignored everyone's looks at him. He ran past Hanabi and the Hyuuga family (That is Hiashi, Hirigi, and a worried sick Hinata) who looked at him. Before anyone could ask him anything he opened the door to Naruto's room without knocking, only to bump with the person in question's leg.

"E…Ehe he.. Naruto-nii-san!"

Naruto was glaring menacingly at him. The younger boy gulped nervously. The Hyuuga family looked at Naruto. Hinata inwardly cheered when she saw her crush was alive and well.

"Konohamaru. Don't you know that yelling to a girl is impolite? Plus, you're too harsh! AND…!"

Konohamaru winched, waiting for the sentence, only to feel a pat on his head. He opened his eyes to saw his nii-san smiling warmly at him.

"I owe you one." Naruto chuckled.

Konohamaru looked in awe at his senior. Before laughing nervously.

"You did well with her. Now, I have to finish what you've started." Naruto start walking. Everyone looked at the blond as he left.

Hirigi chuckled. "You're right Hiashi. He's a self styled problem solver."

Hiashi gave a small laugh. Hinata sighed in relief. 'At least Naruto-kun's okay.'

Hanabi looked at Konohamaru, who still chuckled idiotically. She glared at the boy. "Your nii-san's right you know!"

"Yeah well… maybe I'm not as gentle as my bro."

"Or you could've learned that from him in the first place."

"Hmm." Konohamaru still smiling.

Hanabi sighed. "Still…" She took a step towards the boy, who still haven't notice their… proximity. "I owe you one too." With that, Hanabi kissed him. The time seemingly stops for everyone. Hiashi and Hirigi's mouth were opened wide aghast. Hinata closed her mouth with a small "Eep!" Konohamaru's eyes reached the size of a teacup. After one second (that felt like an hour) their lips parted and Hanabi immediately ran out of sight before everyone recovered.

Konohamaru stood there, thunderstruck, before fainted while still standing. The Hyuugas were so shocked that they still remain in their spot even after Shizune appeared from Neji's room, saying they can come in now. The Hokage's apprentice looked at the stunned group. After moving her hand several times in front of Konohamaru, she shook her head and sighed.

Abruptly Tenten arrived on the spot. "Anoo… Shizune-san… is Neji…"

"Neji? He's fine… but… not mentally though."

"Huh?" Tenten's face tensed up. "What happened?"

"My guess is acute stress… but… well, if you want to, go ahead and check up on him. He's in a VERY bad mood."

"Okay." Tenten nodded.

-----------------

"So this is your decision?" Naruto stood a few meters away in front of the girl. His back was rested to one of the ruins.

"What do you want? I didn't hurt your 'little brother'." Yukiku growled. She just packed what's left of her belongings and prepared to leave the village.

"No you didn't. You saved his life. I want to thank-"

"Oh for goodness sake, not you too! LOOK! I didn't save him. I nearly killed him! Okay? Alright?"

"No it doesn't make it alright! Where are you going?"

Yukiku groaned. She picked her bag and start walking. "Anywhere, anyplace… doesn't concern you." She walked past Naruto.

"So that's how you want to live your life? To, like Konohamaru had said, run away forever?"

The girl growled before stopped. "The Hell you know with my life?" She spat.

"I know more than you think. The sounds in the snow were more then enough information for me to know how your life had been."

"You heard it too huh?" Yukiku muttered incoherently.

Naruto growled before turning around. "Is that it? It must be so much easier to just turn your backs and run away from your nightmares, isn't it? To pretend, that everything will be alright if you just disappear?"

"I'm RUNNING NOT BECAUSE I LIKE IT, YOU LIT'L BRAT!" Yukiku spat.

"OH NO! The fact is YOU LIKE IT! You like it when your power take in charge didn't you!"

"I'm NOT!"

"THEN STOP RUNNING AWAY FROM THE TRUTH!" Naruto yelled. Ignoring the fact that everyone was looking at them.

"What do you-?"

"SHOW YOUR 'POWER' WHO'S IN CHARGE! DON'T LET THAT 'THING' CONTROL YOUR LIFE!"

"Don't you think I haven't tried that before?"

"No. I think you've never tried that. Not in what I see right now."

Yukiku's temper flared up. "AND what do you think should I do!"

"You can start by stop running away from the truth… and start making friends." Naruto showed his hand. Yukiku looked at it for a moment. After a while, she almost thought of putting her hand on Naruto's, but shook it off in an instant.

"One thing I learned, I will endanger anything that I call friend, anything I hold dear for, so long as my power still here."

"Was it so hard to make friends? Was it that dangerous to you?"

"YOU HAVE SEEN WHAT I'VE DONE! My power, it freezes everything! Now I've lost one of my limiters, there's no guarantee that next time somebody will survive!"

"I have a Demon who can shake off mountains, call upon a massive tsunami, and he's extremely cannibalistic, and yet, looks at how many friends I have! If I can do it, so CAN YOU!"

"It's different! Your monster is under control. 'Mine' was completely unrestrained. The very thing that could stop it is now gone. How am I supposed to make friends like you do, if my power will do only freeze them to death?"

"So basically, you will make friends if you don't freeze anyone right?" Naruto looked at Yukiku. "Then freeze me."

"What?"

"FREEZE ME!"

"B-But!"

"Just do it!"

Yukiku looked at Naruto. She reluctantly touched Naruto's head with her bare hand. The next second the Blond was in ice block. The girl looked at the ice tomb. After a while, suddenly the ice tomb shook, and the next second, it melted down, revealing a perfectly Naruto, who's enclosed in a demonic fire. Yukiku stared in awe at the blazing figure.

"See? I'm okay. If you're ice, I'm Hellfire. No ice that I can't melt down. Look, don't worry about making friends. I know we have some trouble in our first meeting, but I want to help you. Why? Because I know how you felt. I've met people like you too often, and all are just like me if not worse. Your brother was one too… I've vowed that day that I don't want to miss a chance if I can do anything to help… those… who're just like me." The blond shove his hand to the girl.

Yukiku looked at Naruto. Then to his stretched palm.

"So go on and make friends… if you accidentally froze them, then I'll melt them down for you. I promise."

"…" Inwardly, the girl was gaping in awe. Thoughtlessly, she shook Naruto's hand. 'It's warm…'

"Just don't run away. Like Konohamaru said, if you run away, you'll never achieve anything, you'd be nothing. The power will always haunt you until you do something about it." Naruto smiled. The Haku-twin couldn't help but to smile too. "You're not an unwanted existence. It never was a sin for us half-monster just to exist. So cheer up okay? You're not alone."

'I'm… not… alone?' Yukiku finally broke out in tears. She cried her eyes out on Naruto's shoulder. The fox-host, whom never experienced something like that, was pretty much nervous. "There, there." He could only pat her hair.

"I've (sob) Always wanted (sob) for someone just (sob) to say that."

Naruto smiled. "It's alright. I'm gonna said it again and again if it needs to."

After a few moments, Yukiku finally stopped crying. She let go of Naruto, took a deep breath, and smiled lightly. "I feel much better now. Thanks."

"Glad I can help." Naruto smirked. "Look, about those accidents with your clothes…"

"You're not actually think, after all that speech, you want to use this chance to ask for my forgiveness on those accidents?"

"Actuallythethoughthadcrossedmymindbutnowthatyoumentioneditforgetit." Naruto flabbergasted.

"Good." Yukiku smirked. Suddenly her face faulted again. "But… how am I supposed to deal with my power? As you've said, we just can't let it go."

"I know someone who might be able to help."

"Who?"

"Follow me." Naruto smiled.

----------------

Shizune had said that Hyuuga Neji was in a bad mood. But that, for Tenten, was clearly an ultimate understatement. The said person was in the bed, but his face was dreadfully gloomy. Tenten gulped. All those years she's been with her crush, she had NEVER EVER saw Hyuuga Neji like this. Thus, she walked very slowly and muttered a silent: "Are you okay?"

"…"

"Neji?"

Silence.

"Neji? Are you okay?"

Still silence.

"NEJI!"

Neji snapped out. "W… What?"

"Are you okay?"

Neji growled. "Do I look okay?"

"Obviously not."

"Then why bother ask?"

Tenten twitched. "Hey I'm worried about you okay? Is it wrong for me to ask what's wrong with you?"

"Sorry. I have lots of things on my mind now."

"Want to share it?" Tenten asked carefully. When she only got a mute respond, she put both of her hands up and mouthed an "Okay." Silence reigned while Tenten still eying her teammate with concern.

"Nothing."

"What?" Tenten looked at Neji and gasped. The Hyuuga's hand shook in anger.

"I've done absolutely nothing."

"What do you mean-"

"My friends and my kin are in danger, and I've DONE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! Not even calling a help! Not a THING!"

Tenten gasped. She frowned a bit before replying. "Look, Neji. Those creatures. I've heard it's a demon. There's nothing you can do-"

"THAT'S IT! THAT'S the POINT! AND THE DEMON WAS HARDLY ANY STRONGER THAN A CHUUNIN! I COULD'VE DONE SOMETHING! ANYTHING TO HELP! IF ONLY I CAN! AND THE TRUTH? I ACTUALLY CAN! But I… I…" Neji was panting. Here he was: The genius. The prodigy of the Hyuuga; the most powerful clan in the Leaf! In the forest, amongst the 3 battle capable shinobi, he's the only one who can do nothing. Nothing but running away with his tail between his legs. When the Hyuuga genius learned that, he was deeply frustrated and angry at himself. "I'm… useless."

"No you're NOT! Who's the one who ran carrying Hanabi and Konohamaru all the way out? Who's the one that find Kira-ossan? You're not useless!"

"Am I? Kira had seen the forest freezing before I fainted. If Konohamaru and Hanabi weren't children do you think I could carry them half through the forest? All I can do was running away! Running away, when the very thing I should've done was stand and fight!"

"Neji…"

Neji looked at his hands. "I've always used my family's jutsu… I inwardly deemed it as the strongest… many times now; I've fought those who can beat the supposedly almighty Taijutsu arts. But the arrogance for my clan's strength had run deep in my veins too…"

The weapon mistress looked at her friend. She had to admit, as painful as it may be to Neji, he was, as powerful as he may seem, fragile. The Hyuugas were proud. They were so proud of themselves that apparently such arrogance has run deep in their veins. They were proud of their status as the most powerful ones in the Leaf… In the LEAF. Not in the world. Yet, apparently, their arrogance had closed their eyes of their own potential. Hence, they've limit themselves on the family's supposedly almighty Taijutsu. They know no normal ninjutsu or basic Taijutsu, or even the simplest Genjutsu for they have the all-seeing and possibly all-knowing power of the Byakuugan eyes. Perhaps one Hyuuga Neji had suffered the same fate as well… And now, one of the most gifted Hyuuga had paid the ultimate price of the clan's arrogance.

"I don't want to be like this again, Tenten. I don't want to be the one that ran away."

"Then what are you going to do?"

Neji frowned. Silently, he activated his Byakuugan. When he found the person, he immediately got up. Tenten helped him. The moment the Hyuuga was out of the room, he found the person he's looking for was talking with the Hokage and Jiraiya. His family had recovered from the shock and, Hiashi and Hirigi at the corner of their eyes, eyeing the still stunned Konohamaru.

"Kira-san."

"Neji? How's your feeling?"

"I'm fine. Look about that offer-"

"Kira-san!" Naruto suddenly appeared on the scene. Everyone looked at Naruto. Behind him, Yukiku was fidgeting nervously.

"Hiya there, Naruto. What is it?"

"Errh… I think I'll let Neji talk first."

"Neji?" Kira turned to Neji.

"Uh Ok. About that offer. I accept it. Could you make me your apprentice?"

Kira smiled lightly. "Remember. No turning back."

"No." Neji frowned. "I don't want to be so helpless especially when my friends in great need. I don't want to be the one that ran away."

Kira smirked. "Fine. How about you Naruto?"

"Actually, my answer would be yes for that too."

"So… you two wanna be my pupils?"

"Yeah. I never ran away from anything. Why should I run away from your training? Don't worry about that I might change thingy. Because I'll give you my word I won't change. I don't go back on my words, you know that. I like the way I am now, and I'm going to keep it that way! Besides, even if I did change, I have my friends that will knock my sense back to my real self! So go ahead and give me Hell if you can!"

Kira chuckled. "Fine, fine. That's a nice little speech. I guess that sum up what Neji-san wish to say too. I'm okay with that. But what about that girl?"

"Ah! Anoo-sa! Yukiku here got a little problem with her bloodline limit. I thought you could-"

"Help her, right? Yeah sure. Maybe I can. But I think it'll be a long process. Rather than a simple method, I'd say might as well train her."

Yukiku gaped. "You mean… you're going to train me too?"

'I was planning to get 3 students, max. Gaara will have 'him' and Shukaku as the teachers. With her, it'll actually make it up… still…' "Why not? But my training won't be easy. There'll be no turning back. What do you think?"

Yukiku looked at Naruto. Naruto spoke up. "Don't look at me. One of my friends said that his training is crazy. In fact, he said that you could lose your life! It's not me who decide. You make it up yourself!"

Kira nodded. "Exactly. And no turning back."

She frowned for a few moments before nodded.

"You're serious?"

She answered with a determined look. 'I don't want anyone to get hurt by my power again!'

Kira frowned for a while. "Frankly, this is kind of against my policy… but I guess…" 'Come to think of it, I think Naruto had blasted off her fear to begin with… heh. Like father like son.' "…Fine. You can come. But remember, I won't hold back." The Shitennou smiled.

Yukiku smiled brightly.

"Good! Let's begin!" Naruto yelled.

"Yes. I think it's best if we don't waste any more time." Neji tried to stand up by his own.

Kira chuckled. A flicker on his leg later and the two boys were suddenly on the ground, holding their kicked stomach. An imprint of Kira's boot was plastered on their belly, one for each.

"Wha…" Neji was holding his stomach.

"Gwahakh!" Naruto puked.

Jiraiya stared wide-eyed at the scene. 'Holy begeeses! He… kicked them?'

Kira smirked. He bent down at Naruto. "We'll start tomorrow morning. Right now, you guys obviously have a digestion problem. Shizune-san, Rin-san, kindly took them to their beds, and strapped them if you have to?"

The two medic Nins did as they were told. Yukiku stared horrified at Naruto. Then she asked, very, VERY nervously, to Kira. "Errh… do I… have to be kicked like that too before training?"

"Did you eat anything funny this morning?"

"Errh… No."

"Then have a nice day, get a good meal. At night; sleep well, have a nice dream, and see you tomorrow morning."

"O--kay." Yukiku nodded.

After the two Genin were taken to their respective room, Kira continued his discussion with the Sannins. Whilst the Hyuuga left, all except Hinata, who wished to see Naruto.

Hinata crept to Naruto's room and looked from behind the door. She looked at Naruto being strapped to the bed while squirming every now and then.

"If you wanna see him, then you better go inside."

Hinata jerked up and turned around to see Yukiku. She was smiling.

"A-anoo… erh… o-ohayo e-err…" Hinata was having trouble with her words.

"My name is Yukiku. Do you want to see Naruto? Err…"

"H-Hyuuga Hinata."

"Right. Hinata-chan, can I call you that? If you wanna come in, you could've just goes in."

"A-anoo… I-I'm just… v-very shy… I-I…"

'She obviously had a serious lack self confidence problem.' "If you're so shy, want me to accompany you?"

"T-thank you."

Hence the two girls walked in. Hinata however, upon two steps inside the room, suddenly lose all her courage and contemplated to leave. But Yukiku held her back. "What's wrong with you? Come on!"

"I-I… I… can't…"

"Come on! You wanna see Naruto then go ahead!"

"…" Hinata fiddled with her finger again. The older of the two sighed. She was about to push Hinata again before realizing that she almost pushed her with her unsealed hand. Yukiku immediately pull her hand back. Hinata looked at the girl. "Naze-ta?"

"Iye. Nothing it was just… err…" Yukiku grasped her other hand with another. 'Damn… almost turn her into an ice block.' "Fine. If you don't want to see him now… maybe we'll do it next time."

"O-Okay."

The two left the room. Outside, Konohamaru was still petrified in place. But the two girls apparently took no notice.

Just then, all the sudden, Yukiku's stomach growled. Hinata let out a weak giggle. The older girl blushed.

"Y-you haven't eaten anything, h-have you?"

"Well… yes." Yukiku giggled.

Hinata thought out for a moment. "H-Hanabi told me… you saved her, didn't you?"

"I…"

"A-anoo… H-how b-bout… I-If I treat you a lunch? T-to show you my thanks?"

"…" Yukiku was about to decline when Naruto's words flashed through his mind again.

"_You can start by making friends."_

She finally nodded. 'I shouldn't run away anymore…' "Sure… it would be nice."

Hinata smiled lightly. The two girls left the infirmary continuing their chat.

----------------

Hokage's office…

"So… you need to borrow a squad of Anbu?"

"Anything. As long as they're Jounin or Chuunin level and able to use high level fire jutsu. We need to comb the whole forest. The Raiton jutsu I've used back then might have destroyed a good part of them. But we can't take any risk. There's no telling how long this monsters had lived in the forest. I wouldn't be surprised if there's some possibility they've made a den full of eggs in there." Kira explained.

"Kira, when the eggs hatches, how long was it take for the babies to grow mature?"

"Seconds. Garou's cell was so basic, for a demon that is, it doesn't take a minute for the baby to metamorphose into a full grown Garou. Luckily, the eggs would need about a month until it ready to hatches. They need a place that is… dark and humid. The atmosphere needed by the eggs to live requires high moisture in the air. So rivers, lake, anything close to water are their favorite spot."

"They sure hit the jackpot. Konoha's forest was pretty much humid, given to the fact that we're in rainy season. Plus, there still going to be a good amount of moisture in the air due to the recent events." Jiraiya looked at the forest.

Kira sighed. "At any rate… Tsunade, if things didn't go well… I'm afraid we'll have to burn the whole forest."

"First Sound, and now this." The Godaime Hokage sighed.

"It ain't pretty. But believe me; I dislike that idea even more than you do."

"Okay. I'll assemble them immediately. Give me a few minutes."

"Make it a little bit quicker. We need to search the entire forest before nightfall."

"Eh? Nightfall?"

Kira nodded. "Garou had 1 more ability. During the night they have the ability called Shadow Creeper. They can disappear in the darkness, creeping from shadow to shadow, and attack undetected by naked human eye. It'll be senseless if we try to track them down by night. They could be everywhere."

"Good Kami… I'll get everyone then. From Anbu to Chuunin."

"Everyone? Wait the minute Tsunade ain't that a bit a lot?" Chiyo, who happen to be in the room, spoke up.

"Chiyo, this entire settlement is surrounded by forest whose size was almost 5000 square meters. Dozens of man can't search the whole place in less than a day!"

"Look, calm down. Before you go on making decision, this dog demon thingy. You said they lay eggs. How many?"

"Three."

"Only three?" Jiraiya rolled his eyes.

"I mean Three HUNDRED eggs. And that was only from a single birthing." Kira replied.

Everyone jaw dropped.

"300?"

"Per single birthing…?"

"Garous were born pregnant. Hence, each of these creatures will carry 300 eggs with them since birth. The only things on their mind from their very first breath are eat, kill, mate, multiply, and die."

"…Shizune!" Tsunade yelled. Her aide appeared soon.

"Hai, Tsunade sama?"

"Assemble every shinobi from Anbu to mature Genins immediately."

"Everyone?"

"Every last one of them. Hurry."

"Hai."

"Kira. I entrust these men to you."

"Thank you." Kira sighed. Then something caught his eye. "Tsunade, call me when the troops are read. I had some errand to do."

"Okay."

Kira puffed out of the room and reappeared on the roof, where Gaara was eying him.

"Well… you've overheard everything. So. How do you feel now?"

"Shukaku… what happened to him? I can't turn into sand anymore just then."

"Well, it's time out. I gave you a week. After that, the seal I have left into your body will shut Shukaku, completely. You can only talk to him. BUT you won't be able to use his ability anymore."

"…"

"I see you two had getting along rather nicely."

"Can't you…"

"Release him? I'm sorry I can't. You see, like I told you-"

"Yes, I know I've been dependant on him. But… he's just… a kid! Can't you…"

"It's because he's a kid and the weakest of the Youma'ou, that I gave him an extra protection as early as I could. You know Akatsuki was after him. They've captured two. I don't know how, but as far as I concern, clearly they possessed the ability to detect Youki. As his Jinchuriki, it falls to you to protect him. If you wish to do so, the best way is to stop using Shukaku's Youki to hide his Youki trail."

"…who is he? This Shukaku… he's very much like me… and Naruto too!"

"…a long… long millennia ago. There was this girl… she was in a confinement. One day, a man broke her out only to rape her. Eventually, the woman was dishonored as she gone pregnant. No matter how hard she tried to miscarriage her son, eventually she gave birth… to Shukaku."

"…! Shukaku was… a human?"

"The woman never gave the boy the love every mother would give. Instead, every day was a living hell for him. Can't stand it, he ran to the forest when he began to learn about this world. There, he befriended a family of a Tanuki. As time went by, he lived as a Tanuki instead of a man. When he reached 10 years old, he considered himself as a Tanuki. That's when a disaster struck. Hunters broke through the forest, killing all his Tanuki family. Enraged, he built an extraordinary hatred towards adults. Even we gods can do nothing about it. He gathered an army of Tanuki youma, and constantly marauding cities. He and his gang became a wanted criminal soon, after an incident where he killed a man."

'That's just… like me!'

"One time, the people had enough, and captured the boy. After everything Shukaku had done to them, they've decided with the cruelest punishment possible: exile to the desert. The boy was left in the middle of the desert to die. Little they know that the previous Ichibi was in the place at the time. The Ichibi, fortunately enough, took pity in the little boy, hence gave him the Youki, permanently turning the boy into an immortal, a Tanuki Demon."

"The first generation Ichibi… took Shukaku as a son or some short?"

"In a matter of speaking, yes. The Ichibi tried to teach the boy how to be human again. And then, taught him how to live as a demon. Believe me, that was no easy thing. He even had to ask Shushin's help!"

"Shushin? …what? Was he very naughty?"

"Yes. Hardly a day ever pass without the boy wreaks a chaos or two in the human world. But he's a clever student. In just a short time, he possessed all the power and the quality surpassed that of his 'old man'. And yes, a few months after, he replaced his predecessor as a Youma'ou."

"…the sand…?"

"After he got the position, he went to the desert where he almost died. There he remembered every passing moment when he was dying. Hence, he took respect in the power of a desert… the rest is history."

"What short of relationship Kyuusei had with Shukaku?"

"Let just say that Shukaku had always been on Kyuusei's side when he climbed the ranks of the Youma'ou. From bottom to top. So you can say that Shukaku was already like Kyuusei's little brother. That's the reason why he was so angry when Shukaku went missing. The look on his face when I told him that his little brother's Youki signature was gone…"

"I see… But… what about the sand priest? On Suna, we've never been given that version of story. All we know was that Shukaku was the soul of a priest who become a demon and then sealed in a kettle…"

"You mean Kunugi? He was a sand priest alright. But he was obsessed in demons and desired to become one; so much that he killed his own wife and children, summoned Shukaku and entrapped the boy using Kinjutsu in his own body; turning himself into what he thought to be a true demon king. But the truth is he never gets a full control over Shukaku. Hence, Kunugi tormented the poor boy with nightmares in order to weaken his spirits and make sure he's in charge. I presume he was doing the same to you and the other 2 previous Jinchuriki."

"Where is he now?"

"Probably squirming painfully somewhere in Hell."

Gaara grinned wickedly. Finally the real culprit behind all those years was brought to justice…

"Sorry we couldn't help you sooner."

"Better late then never. Don't worry, despite my past, I could start a new life from now."

Kira smiled. "That's a spirit."

"Speaking of which, I overheard the training thingy… we'll start tomorrow?"

"Gaara, listen. I will train you for a short while. But I will not give you any extensive training. No. That job will be given to a friend of mine. He's the same type as you."

"Same type?"

"Well… most of your jutsu, from what I've seen, consist of defensive jutsu and a one-hit-kill techniques. This friend of mine, he excels in high damaging jutsus, counter attack techniques, and the best of all, the master of absolute defense techniques."

"He's really is the same type with me then."

"But he's no pushover. A tough nut to crack and stick to the rule type of a person. Rather thick but… I think you'll like him."

"Okay then. What's YOUR training for now?"

"That will have to wait for tomorrow. Right now, I have some errands to do. PLUS, the appearance of the Garous changes everything."

"How come?"

"Let's just say the training will be a little bit harder."

"Hmm…"

"Kira-sama!" Shizune called from below.

"Hai?"

"The squad is assembled. We're ready when you are."

"Alright. I'll be there. Gaara, I have to go. See you." Kira disappeared with a puff.

-----------------

Downtown… in a restaurant…

Yukiku was having a hard time eating her food since she was using her left hand whilst she's hiding her unsealed right hand. Hinata let out a weak giggle when Yukiku dropped her chopstick for the umpteenth time. The other guest silently chuckled at the girl's demeanor.

Yukiku grunted as she knelt down and took the chopstick again. The waiters were eying her skeptically.

"A-anoo… You're not a lefty person are you?"

"Well… no."

"Then… why did you eat with your left hand?"

"Because my right hand was... handicapped."

"H-handicapped?"

"Well… it's a long story. Anyway, Hinata, are you always… stuttering like that?"

"Well… I've been trying to… decrease it a little bit… But I don't think I'm doing very well…"

"Come to think of it, throughout our lunch, you only stutter… 1 or 2 times. I'd say you're doing VERY well."

"But I always stutter when I'm near Naruto-kun…"

"…You like him didn't you?" Yukiku smiled when Hinata's face turned to that of a tomato.

Hinata couldn't say anything as she only nodded once.

"Ya'know… I doubt Naruto will ever notice you if you never told him about how you feel."

"B-but… I-I'm very… shy…"

"I assume as much… But if you don't tell him soon, someone might fall for him too. And you might have a contender!"

Hinata's blush faded a bit. "I don't know… I mean… he was hated. Hardly there's anyone in this village gave him some respect as a human…" Hinata realized what a horrible truth it was. Naruto was so hated by the village that he hardly could even think that someone will ever love him.

"He told me about it… something about the demon fox in his belly, isn't it?"

All the sudden, everyone in the place looked (read: Glared) at their table. Yukiku realized this and put her head down.

"Yukiku-san, don't say the word demon fox or Kyuubi or anything alike when there's lots of people. You see, Kyuubi had a very bad history with this village." Hinata whispered.

"I can see that… Hinata-chan, I'm sorry that our lunch had to end up like this, but I think we should leave this place immediately. The atmosphere had changed badly."

"I agree."

Hence the two left the restaurant. "What I don't get, is why people think that Naruto is the demon himself."

"If only the people in this village think the same way you do. Only a minority of us think Naruto more then just a demon carrying boy."

"Well what I mean is, judging by the things he have done… he's too idiot to be a demon."

Infirmary…

"A-CHOO! Wha… Again?" Naruto sneezed.

Back to Yukiku and Hinata…

"I admit, Naruto-kun can be foolish sometimes…"

"See? Even you admit it! There just no way he could become one. He's just too stupid!"

Hinata giggled. "But on the other hand, he is a kind person."

"Yeah… that he is…" Yukiku remembered the events on the forest. They barely know each other, but the blond had willing to risk his life for her. Why? Was it because of her memories? Or was it because he thinks it's his penance for 'killing' her brother? Just then, black blurs swiveling in the sky. Everyone looked up. It was the Anbus. But not only them; Jounins, Chuunins, Genins… hundreds of shinobi from various level were heading towards the forest. In the lead was none other then Kira.

The whole group landed right on the edge of the forest. After the accident, there were barely a single tree intact. Most of them had lost its green leafs, leaving only the broken tree trunk.

"What is it that we're looking for? And what kind of demonic creature are we talking here?"

"A runaway demon. A mutant three tailed dog demon. The shape was pretty much distinguishable. And they lay eggs. It's colored in black, about the size of a meatball. No joke intended. Their nest supposedly carry about 10-20,000 eggs. These creatures prefer wet, dark, and humid terrain. So search around river or ponds. If you found them; send a big burst of flame into the sky. If you see those Hellhounds with numbers more then 3, contact the others and send 2 burst of flames up to the sky to pinpoint your position. If after 30 seconds nobody came, run like hell, away from the forest and stay away from the shadows. Aside from that… any questions?"

Everyone shook their head.

"Then, Gentlemen… Be careful… and stay together… for now. Stealth isn't pretty much important this time around. And keep the com open." Kira pointed at his ear, showing his earphone

Hence the group began to spread out, but still keep a close distance with one another as they search every acre of the forest.

"Hey look carefully over there!"

"Nothing here." One of the Anbu contacted Kira.

"Keep on searching. The search must be finished before dusk." The Shitennou replied.

"Yes sir." The Anbu answered. "You there! Go to that area."

"Yes sir!" 5 Konoha Nins immediately hopped into a slope. All the sudden, a Garou burst out from the ground, nearly caught one of them. The beast was trying to get out of the obviously too small hole. So far, only its head and its massive claws managed to get out. "Whoa! Big Boss; Big Boss! We made contact! Some ugly oversized dog with three eyes and bad attitude!"

"How many are they?"

"One, so far." The Garou managed to let out of its three tails. It's already half out.

"Barbeque it."

"Yes sir. You heard the man! Katon, Karyuu Endan on three! Three!"

The 5 Nin burst out a dragon of flame in unison from their mouth. The beast was burned to crisps in an instant. Yet it still tried to march forward. All the while, Kira sent out some instruction via the com link.

"Don't get to close. Keep a safe distance and burn it down until it could no longer move!" Meanwhile, Kira was heading straight towards the commotion along with his group.

"Yes sir!" the group did as they were told. After a while, the Hellhound eventually stopped writhing. Everyone watched the entire spectacle breathlessly. When Kira had arrived, the Hellhound was charred ash black. The shinobi who just burned the monster saluted. "Sir!"

"You guys did this?"

"Yes."

"Good job. Now burn it remains. Don't leave anything behind."

"Sir." The nin did as he was told. Meanwhile Kira asked the other nin.

"Where was it come from?"

"From there. It burst out of the ground." The nin pointed towards a hole from which the Hellhound jumped out. Kira swayed towards the hole, looked at it for a second. He raised his fist before punching the ground with an earth shattering force. Shatter the ground did, revealing a much, much bigger hole, about 3 times bigger then the one that shown on the outside.

"What's that sir?"

"Underground Tunnel Network. It's just what I've feared. The creatures had colonized the place." Kira searched one of his pockets before pulling out a bundle of black papers with red blood kanji written in it. "Share this to everyone."

"What's this sir?"

"Observe." Kira plastered the tag to a bomb, setting the tag on fire, before throwing the bomb into the cavern. "RUN!"

"Whoaa!" Everybody immediately moved away from the said hole. A few seconds later, it was as if a massive volcano had just erupted right beneath them. The ground cracked as bursts of flames jutted upwards. A big pillar of fire burst out to the sky, sending burned pieces of the Garou raining towards the ground.

"What was that? Explosive tag?"

"No. It's an amplifier explosive tag. Any kind of explosive you put with it, that seal will amplify the effect of the explosion a 100 times over."

All Konoha nins gulped.

"Gather here. Listen. If you find a hole or a kind of this size, blow it down using the strongest explosive tag you have, paired with that amplifier, no matter what you think lay inside. Understood?"

"Yes sir." All shinobi began distributing the amplifier.

"Alright. 4 of you, with me. The rest, split up into team of 5 in balanced order, with at least 3 of you are able to perform a high level Katon jutsu. Find anything with tail more then 1, burn it down. Keep up the com link open ALL the time! If you see a lightning shot up, I want you to gather to that spot. Remember, we're looking for a nest of some demonic creatures. You can be sure there'll be plenty of corpses and carcasses around the nest, so it'll be pretty stinky."

The group did as they were told. Puffs of smoke filled the ground as the Konoha nins disappeared one by one. Soon, the only one left was Kira and the other 4 shinobi he had chosen. Unlike Kira though, the other four were nowhere as calm as Kira. "Let's go. Don't worry. I'll cover you guys."

"Hai!"

The 5 figures also disappeared in a puff.

All the while, the shinobis began searching the forest inside out. After a good 5 hours, and a lot of big explosions and earthquakes, paired with lots of loud growling, the smell of burning corpses, and flashes of fire, the beating sun had put everyone on the peak of their mental fatigue, including Kira.

The Shitennou looked up to the bright sky. They've managed to cover more then half of the forest and blow up lots of holes. Kira looked at the other nin. They were exhausted. 'It's afternoon. We only got less then 6 hours left before the search called off. They were terribly tense. In the last 5 hours we've taken out lots of them, blowing up countless holes… but we haven't found a single egg yet and the morale had gone dangerously low…' Kira chuckled silently. 'Athrun, if you're in my position, what would you do?'

Just then, 2 burst of flames on the air caught Kira's attention, followed with a distressed call. "WE GOT HEAVY ATTACK! HURRY COME HERE! AAAAAAAAAH!"

"MOVE!" Kira bellowed. In an instant, almost every shinobi in the forest headed straight towards the location, which was on the bank of the river. Several shinobi that had arrived firsthand were dealing with a group Garous that were protecting their so called nest.

'Raiton, Raijin Hono Ikazuchi! (Thunder Element, Thunder God lightning fire)' Kira summoned a rain of lightning that landed on the Garous, turning them to crisp. The other Shinobi began performing Katon Jutsus in unison. Hundreds more of the demon burst out from a single massive hole on the ground.

"Katon jutsu on three! THREE!" Kira and all shinobi performed various kinds of Katon jutsus in unison. The resulting inferno managed to burn some of the Hellhounds and forced the rest back to the ground. "You there, prepare all your strongest explosive tags, paired with the amplifier! Hurry! The rest of you, keep up the flames! We must keep them inside!"

"Yes sir!"

The flamethrower squad intensified their fire burst while occasionally switched with idle ones before recovering their stamina. The tunnel hole was in ablaze when one of the shinobi reported to Kira: "Sir, we're ready. But if this is their main hole, I don't think it'll reach all the tunnels."

"My sentiments exactly. Which is why I'll add this." Kira pulled out a red ball, setting it on fire it on fire. "Throw all explosives in there!"

"Hai!" Countless of explosive tags hurled into the hole.

"Fire in the hole!" All shinobi immediately ran away from the danger zone. The ground began to shook before pillars of flames jutting out in almost every section of the forest, with the largest burst out from the massive hole, scorching the sky above.

"What was that sir?"

"Compressed Napalm Bomb." Kira smirked. After the burst flames had ended, everyone slowly get up on their feet. Most of them were amazed by the destructive power of the amplified explosives. Several looked at the river and gasped. "Oh gods, Sir; look at this!"

"What you're having?" Kira walked to the river.

"Those monsters got enough eggs to cover the whole river… it's stretching for miles!" The river was jet black. Countless jet black eggs covered the river bed.

"Now what sir?"

Kira thought up for a moment before whistled. Pretty soon, next to him, Junki and Zaiki knelt down. Torii also landed on his shoulder. "Torii, find out how long this whole eggs stretches. Junki, Zaiki. You two go to left and right. Follow Torii's cue. Once you've found the edge, blockade the river flow on both sides. Once you've done that, tell me."

"**Hai!"** the two Oni nodded as Torii soared up to the sky.

A few moments later, Kira received a telepathic message from Junki. **'Kira-sama,** **I've found the edge of the nesting field. It's filled with eggs… but it' ended here. I've blockade the river as you've instructed.'**

'Is there any… settlement on your way?'

'**Thankfully… no.'**

'Good job. Now we just have to wait for Zai-'

'**Hey boss, I'm here.'**

'Any problem on the way?'

'**This place is quite far off from your spot… what's worse; Ain't found nuthin' for a grub.'**

Kira smiled. That mean that both sides were covered and no human will be endangered. 'Good.'

'**After this you better give me somethin' to eat.'**

'**Stop thinking about your stomach!'**

'**Shut up.'**

'Well done you two… By the way, did the river fork anywhere?'

'**Luckily… no.'**

'…**ain't found one too.'**

'Good.' Kira smiled as happy as he can be. "Stand back, everyone." The shinobi did as they were told. Kira shifted his cape a little, revealing his right hand, electricity jumping out, filling his palm. 'Seiryuu, I'm terribly sorry about this…' With that, the Shitennou shoved his hand into the water. The electricity coursed throughout the river, vaporizing everything within. The watercourse was shining brightly due to the intensity of the voltage.

Everyone was amazed. After a while, it ended. Everyone had to close their nose. The river smelled like corpse! And indeed corpses it was filled with. Burned fishes lying on top of the ash black burned eggs, stretching all the way along the river.

Kira looked around. Just then, Torii landed on his shoulder. It chirped a few times as Kira smiled. "Good boy Torii. Men. Go home. Mission's accomplished."

Everyone cheered. Just then, Junki and Zaiki reappeared next to their master. However, the shinobi simply saluted them before leaving the area. Eventually only the three of them remain.

"Zaiki."

The next second, the said Oni had transformed into the black demonic sword (Jigoku SeihaKen). Kira grabbed it. The next instance, a massive pair of black fiery wings appeared on Kira's back before enveloping the sword, generating a massive jet black sword. The Shitennou impaled the ground with the burning sword, and the next second, what was once a river of corpses had been turned to black ablaze.

"**Kira-sama…"** Junki looked at her master with concern.

Kira looked at the burning black flame. His expression was hard to interpret. Just then, Torii landed on his shoulder, had a few chirps, and Kira nodded. "Junki."

The female Oni nodded as a flare of blue chakra began to arise from Kira's body. Junki immediately transformed into the Ten Kaihouken. "…everyone's had left the forest. So what do you guys say if we end this?" Kira turned around; his armor appeared as he threw his cloak to the side. Just then, hundreds of Garous arise from the ground, growling and barking angrily for their eggs had been destroyed. With that, both side immediately charged forward.

-----------------

The next day…

Every Konoha Shinobi in the village had their eyes out of their socket when they saw the forest.

"What the hell…"

"Was there a hurricane last night?"

Nothing.

There's absolutely nothing left in the forest they've strolled yesterday aside from a charred ground. A good part of the entire forest that encircled the village was leveled to the ground.

Tsunade was also gawking from the Hokage tower. Just then Kira appeared on her back. "I told you. The worst that happened is I had to destroy the whole forest."

"Was it that bad?" Tsunade turned around to see Kira, whose face was indefinite.

"…we're too late. The Garous had made more then half of the entire forest their subterranean settlement. Many of the forest's population had fell victim to them. It won't be long before they began attacking the villagers once the game in the forest had been taken out. It must be done."

"…"

"And Tsunade… your men doesn't know anything about it."

"You did it yourself huh?"

"…the pain of having to scorch your own homeland… I alone should be enough to feel it."

"…" Tsunade looked at Kira's back, whom soon fade into darkness just as the door to her office banged open, revealing a worried sick Shizune. "T-Tsunade-sama! The forest is…"

"Yes… I know. Don't worry. He was doing us a favor."

"…eh?"

Hospital…

"Aaahh! FINALLY! FREE AS A BIRD!" Naruto flexed some of his fingers. His wounds disappeared as if nothing ever happened. "Nee, nee, Rin-san! Where's Neji?"

"Supposedly, he's in the room next to you. I still disagree about you getting out this fast… but I guess it can't be helped."

Naruto ignored the sulking nurse and went to the next room. There, Neji had also waked up and was putting his own clothes (Naruto was wearing hospital clothes just in case you asked.)

"Yo! Neji! Are you ready?"

"Hai. Let's go… err… where too?"

"Why, your dojo off course." Just then, Kira's face popped out of the window, grinning widely, scaring the daylights out of everyone.

"Whoa!"

'Kira-san! Do you have to scare us like that?"

"Atari Maeda! (Off course!) A shinobi must be at his toes all time!"

"Guh…"

"Now come on! We haven't got all day!"

The three walked to Hyuuga's crushed compound only to meet Yukiku on the way, chatting happily with Hinata. The latter blushed when she saw Naruto. Yukiku giggled, much to Naruto's satisfaction. Kira motioned her to come along. "Come on now. Training begins today."

"Hai!" She answered cheerfully.

"You look better." Naruto whispered silently.

Yukiku smiled lightly.

Kira turned towards the roof. "Gaara, you too." Abruptly the sand nin appeared on Kira's back. "Ikusee."

The group, followed by Hinata, went to the crushed Hyuuga compound.

"Alright! Get in line!" Kira instructed.

Everyone did as they were told. Kira searched his cloak for a few seconds before pulling out 4 of what looked to be black Jounin vest, but without any scroll holders, and 4 pairs of hand guards and leg guards. "Put these on."

Everyone did so, questioning what is it that the Shitennou was trying to do.

Once they've finished, Kira asked. "How do you feel?"

"Well… we're fine… I guess." Naruto answered nervously.

Kira smiled evilly. "Good." Slowly one by one, he tapped the vest… and one by one, everyone fell down to the ground by the sudden additional weight.

"What… the…" Naruto was gasping for air… it was downright HEAVY!

Neji, unaccustomed by this new weight system immediately fell on his back. The same went for the others.

"Well, now, the training is officially begun."

Just now, Kakashi and Gai popped in behind Kira.

"Glad you can join me."

"Uhmm. We want to know what kind of Hell you've prepared."

"Get up Neji! Don't give in to such a lousy weight! Let the FLAMES OF YOUTH BURN YOU AND FILL YOU WITH STRENGTH!"

"Easier said than done…" Neji grunted. Did Lee have to endure this too?

"What is it that they were wearing?" Kakashi asked.

"Just some weight. That outfit I've just gave you, it absorb your chakra a bit, turn it to weight after amplifying it… 10 times or so. The more chakra you have, the heavier it'll be."

"Wha… but if they grow stronger, their chakra capacity will increase! Then the weight will…"

"Yep. Actually this thing is the prototype of what I'm going to sell in here… had my workshop haven't been destroyed yet. Once I patent it, it'll be my new cash crop. But first I need to test it on some guinea pigs. You guys were hand chosen for the job. Congrats." Kira grinned.

"I hate you." Naruto growled. Being the one with the greatest amount of chakra, the weight was simply a pain.

"Get that a lot. Now for warm up, I want you to run across the Hyuuga compound 1000 times! Those who lagged behind are gonna get it tenfold! NOW MOVE IT!"

"Hai!" Everyone began running.

Kakashi sweatdropped. "You really are a devil's sergeant."

"Oh ho… I am barely begun…" Kira's smile turned devilish. He turned to Kakashi and Gai. He twitched when he saw Kakashi was reading that accursed porn book. "…you two! What are you looking at? Watch over them! Don't let anyone lagged behind! Move it! If you read that book instead of helping them, YOU'RE RUNNING WITH TEN TIMES THEIR LAPS! NOW MOVE IT! MOVE IT!" Kira zapped a lightning on their butt, making the two Jounins jumped out and began running with their tail between their legs. Kakashi still managed to took a glance at his book, which served as a trigger for the Shitennou to give a chase. "Kakashi! Pick this: I'll tell you the whole ending of every chapter of Come Come Paradise that will show up in the future, or you put that book down right this instant and do your job!"

"W… WHAT?" With that, the one eyed Jounin immediately ran for his dear life, closing his ears.

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TBC.

Done. Finally I was able to update something! Sorry if this chapter had less action then it's supposed to be. My muse left me for some time…

Not much to say anymore so… Read and Review as usual.


	16. When Things began to Move and Change

This the unedited version. The beta readed version will soon come as soon as Kwitsatz Haderach finished editing the chapters I've sent him.

Good old writers block… The pain.

Anyway, I've uploaded a new picture in DeviantArt. It's the picture of my version of Kyuubi's human Incarnation, Kyuusei. Enjoy! The link is in my profile!

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": special case**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA: Demon speech **

Disclaimer: I'm bored of repeating the same thing again and again so… Read the first 5 chapters

Chapter 16:

When Things Began to Move and Change

In the Hyuuga Dojo…

Neji was using a stick to parry an attack from one of the attacker. Once he deflected it he gave a sweep to the Hyuuga's leg, knocking him off the ground. Another rushed forward. Neji was a little late to react, but managed to avoid a blow. Yet it was awfully close. He counterattacked by thrusting his stick to the attacker's stomach, before raising him up and dropped him on another attacker. He turned his head several times to find his opponent vigilantly.

"Don't try to find your opponent!" Kira suddenly spoke up. The Shitennou was reading a book with his back facing the fighters.

Everyone went quiet. They looked at Kira's back.

"You're still looking for them. KNOW where they are."

"How am I supposed not to look for them now that you've sealed off my Byakuugan?" Neji's eyes were no longer white, but black normal eyes. After the warm up, the Shitennou put a special seal on his head. The seal prevented him from using his Byakuugan. Now, his vision was no longer 360 degrees, but linear like normal person. That was 3 weeks ago. The first week was an orientation period for the Hyuuga genius. But after some time, he began to get used to it. Alas, it all meant that he really had to start everything down from zero. For all his skills required Byakuugan to perform.

"That's your problem. Byakuugan is all seeing, but not all knowing. Even if you have Byakuugan, it's still the process of finding your opponent. You must know where they are. There are many things that can be used to determine one's position. Sight, Taste, Hearing, Feel, Smell. Eyes, Tongue, Ears, Skin, Nose. God granted us 5 senses. Make a full use of them."

Neji was trying to digest all the explanations.

"Take example of me. The only thing I see right now is a recipe on how to make a delicious pineapple cake. But I know more then any of you. Because I don't look. But I know. Continue!"

The Hyuuga continued the mock battle. Just then a scream of pain echoed throughout the dojo. Every Hyuuga teens tried their best not to laugh. It was Naruto.

Kira simply rolled his eyes. His Bunshin was watching over Naruto now.

On the roof…

Naruto was holding his bandaged hand. That was the umpteenth time he knocked his poor finger with the hammer. As the first program of his 'training' he was ordered to fix the damage he had caused on the Former Hokage House. He didn't mind since, as Kira had put it: he didn't fix the Hyuuga compound. But he must fix the house where generations of Hokage once lived. Although basically he was fixing the same building, he didn't mind much. He also didn't mind that he had to do it with the crazy weights embedded on his clothes. What he's fussing about, was the fact that he can only use one of his advanced senses one at the time for each day. In one day, he used his ears only; next he had to use his nose, another time he had to use his skin, and so on and so on. It's a cycle between 4 senses: Eyes, ears, nose, and skin. As for tongue, this the most painful part for Naruto.

Flashback, at the beginning of the training…

Naruto, Neji, Gaara and Yukiku were all lying on the floor, breathless. Sweat flooding like crazy. They've just finished their, in Kira's term, the appetizer of the breakfast portion of their full course training meal.

"Dear… god…" Naruto could barely lift a finger.

Gaara was heaving up and down. He had never been given training like this in Suna.

Kira was reading a newspaper. "Took you long enough." He stated calmly.

"These weights… it's all crazy!" Yukiku gasped.

"You better get used to it. Cause you're going to do this session every morning. And you're going to wear that weight 24/7." Kira put down his newspaper to reveal that he was wearing a pair of glasses.

Everyone blinked.

"…what?" Kira realized they were staring at him.

"You wear… glasses?" Neji looked at the Demigod.

"Is it weird?" Putting off his glasses Kira smirked.

"Well… not really. I just never thought that an avatar of God can still need glasses." Naruto groaned.

"Immortal I am… yet most of my body still human."

"But how did you shoot a kunai so accurately with that kind of eyes?"

"Well… chakra is a very convenient thing. You'll learn how utilize them in various parts of your body later on. By the way, speaking of eyes; Neji, could you come over here please?"

"?" Neji raised an eyebrow questioningly, but do as he was told.

"Kindly remove your Hitai-ate? Don't worry; I know what the Souke had done to you."

The genius frowned. He removed his hitai-ate to reveal the curse seal on his forehead. Yukiku gasped when she saw the mark.

"Okay…" Kira touched the seal once, and the next second, it glowed and veins appeared all over his forehead. It was as if the seal was activated. Neji looked in panic at his forehead. He closed his eyes waiting for the pain. Yet after several seconds, he felt no pain at all. However, when he opened his eyes he gasped. Everything seemed… linear. When you use Byakuugan, some parts of the image in your eyes looked curved out since its eyesight was 360 degrees. But now…

"What have you…?"

"Take look." Kira created an ice on his palm that reflected Neji's face.

The Hyuuga gasped. His eyes are no longer white. But black. Then he realized it. His Byakuugan was just like when he fought with Lee. It's linear. In another word, it was sealed off. "You sealed of my Byakuugan?"

"What? You want to depend on those eyes for the rest of your life? Get a grip. You have to get used to it. I will unseal it when I saw that you're ready."

Neji turned his head around few times. "Hmm… oh well… you're right. I guess I really have to get used to it."

"Good. Now, ready for the second course?"

"Can't we take a breather?" Naruto groaned.

"I've given you a 5 minute breather 6 minutes ago."

"Alright, alright. But can't we eat first? I want some ramen…"

"Ah! About ramen! Naruto! I almost forgot. You're going to learn about senses right? Your tongue will need different treatment. For now, I want you to switch use one of each 4 remaining senses. You're going to fix the former Hokage office you've destroyed with that massive prank of yours… That's the first part of your training remember?"

"Okay, I get it! But can I have ramen?"

"Well, actually, that's what I'm trying to say: your training includes a tight diet. Which in this case, it means: NO. RAMEN!"

"…WHAT?" An Alien would say yes if they were asked whether Naruto's scream can be heard outside Earth.

Flashback ends…

"Do you realized how much overdose calories, flours, and fat you put into you with every mouthful of ramen you swallow? I'm doing you a favor. So stop grumbling and concentrate." Another Kira was reading another book ("Architecture for Idiots, even Monkey can do it!") while sitting on the roof.

Naruto gave the Shitennou a lv. 99 deathglare. After that day, he hadn't eaten a single bowl of ramen. Not one! Kira did take him to other eating place. But the problem became clear: his tongue was so sensitive; he could taste the flavor of each individual spice from the mixture of it in the food. At such, the savor of the food became horrible. One time, he vomited the food out of his own will. The chef gone berserk and chased the poor blond throughout the village. And Kira… the bastard! He let Naruto being chased around for hours! And when it's all over he said: "I've never seen you running so fast with weight. Maybe we should do this often."

'Once you're not looking, I'll grab a ramen in secret.'

"You do that, and I'll add your running portion by 100 laps."

"What?" 'Shit! I forgot! He can read minds."

"Correct. Now back to work."

"But… what's with me must not have ramen for the whole training?"

"You need to eat something else Naruto. There are many delicious foods in this world aside from ramen! Besides, you've eat ramen for… how long? 13 years of your life! Given to your average ramen portion per meal session, that is 50 bowls per meal, and since you eat 3 times a day, that's about 711,750 bowls of ramen you've eaten in your life. I understand your eating for Kyuubi's portion too. But eventually he'll get bored as well."

**KIT, TELL KIRA HE'S LATE FOR 13 YEARS TO SAY THAT.**

'Urusei!' Naruto grumbled. He can't see where Kira was, for right now, he's only working with his ears. The rest of his senses were sealed off by countless bandages that covered his body. His weight vest was still there. Nevertheless, since as Kyuusei had said, he could even tell his surroundings just by using the available sound. So it didn't actually bother him much.

Kira gave a long sigh. "Look, pity me too. Like you, I like ramen too. It's my favorite food in the world, and for your sake, I've decided to share the pain with you and fasted my most wanted food. So please, take it easy. You're not the only one suffering here."

"Okay." Naruto growled. He grabbed a nail and start hammering it down. A few minutes later, another scream of pain erupted from the said blonde.

Kira could only shake his head.

Somewhere in the Forest of Death…

"Faster!" Another Kira was watching a stopwatch as Gaara was swimming like crazy in the coursing river. In the last 3 weeks, he had undergone many physical trainings with extreme conditions. Some that was nearly considered to be impossible. Yet somehow he managed.

Right now the Shukaku's host, wearing only his boxer and the weight attire, was having quite a difficult time. He was asked to swim from the edge of the river to another, without chakra! Kankurou and Temari looked worriedly at their little brother.

After several times, Gaara finally gave in and let the flow of the river took him away. But before it could took him long, a water dragon burst out and carried the exhausted Gaara to the river bank. The sand user was panting.

"Hmm… you only managed to swim 5 times back and forth before you ran out of stamina. You need to improve Gaara."

"Excuse me! He did it 5 times with those weights on his body! And the river was coursing very hard! Even for us it's nearly impossible to do it even once!" Kankurou protested.

"…amongst other weights, Gaara's weight were supposed to be the lightest, since his stamina amount was actually the lowest. But this is your problem Gaara. You've depending too much on the defense of sand. You rarely move, hence, you have a very slow mobility. When you're facing an enemy who can run fast and penetrate your defenses, you're toasted. You need to move every single muscle you've never even think to move before."

"But isn't this too much?" Temari was scared for his little brother.

"Temari… Kankurou…" Gaara tried to get up.

"Easy Gaara!"

"Don't worry… Kira, give me a 5 minute breather, and I'm ready to do it again."

"Be my guest." Kira smiled.

On the other part of the village, somewhere quite far away…

Yukiku was meditating under Kira's supervision.

"Calm yourself. Draw that power within you, little… by little." Kira slowly spoke.

Yukiku began to do as she was told. A small fraction of ice blue chakra began to seep out. She silently breathed in and out in a slow and steady rhythm. "Little by little." She muttered under her breath repeatedly. However, after some time she began to frown. Image of her mother suddenly flashed through her mind. The blue chakra she had accumulated became unstable.

"_Yukiku-chan!"_

"_Saa… Yukiku-chan! Be careful with the cake!"_

"_Kaa-san is so happy for you."_

'Mother… MOTHER!' Her concentration began to sway away. The chakra began to grow dangerously. All the sudden, she felt a hand grabbed hers.

She opened her eyes to see Kira. His hand grabbed hold of hers as blue ocean chakra seeped in, calming her chakra flow instantly.

"Calm your mind. You're not making much of a progress in your control in the last 3 weeks."

"I'm sorry… I keep…"

"Remembering your mother?" Kira sat next to her.

"…hai." Yukiku sighed in exasperation. At the beginning of the training, she had told Kira about her gloves and its functions. The Shitennou amazingly created a much, much more powerful seal, embedded on her weight attire. However, Kira often lifted the seal in order for her to train to use her unstable power like she did today.

Kira sighed. "I don't want to be rude. But if you're not concentrating, you're not progressing. At this rate, I doubt your mother will be happy."

"…" Yukiku dropped her head down. Then she looked at Kira. "Nee… Kira-sensei."

"Hm?"

"…Naruto said something about you being an avatar of god… does that make you… all-capable or something?"

Kira scratched his head. "Just… what are you asking?"

"…with the power of a god with you… did you ever… resurrect somebody?"

"…you mean… bringing someone back from the dead?"

"Well… no human can do that… I know… but can you…?"

"…"

A few moments later…

"WHUAAAA!" Naruto was tossed like a ragged doll to the side.

"WHOA!" Neji was thrown off into the air before colliding with Gaara, who just charged forward.

Yukiku was on the ground, panting. The four were bruised here and there.

"Get up!" Kira was standing still while reading a book ("Chicken soup for Shinobi's Soul") in his hands.

"Damn it… hey, what did you guys do to him?" Naruto struggled to get up.

"I didn't do anything…" Neji tried to get up as he was piled up with Gaara.

"Neither am I…" Gaara managed to stand up.

"I only asked him out of curiosity… did he ever bring somebody back from the dead… that's all!" Yukiku groaned. After she asked the question, all the sudden Kira asked everyone to gather and began a mock battle with him (whom they all rephrase it as 'Mock Butchery' in the process). And now, for 20 minutes straight, they were tossed around off the air like ragged dolls.

"What's all this had to do with that?" Naruto rushed forward.

Kira began to spoke as he caught Naruto's fist. "A shinobi fighting style does not entirely focus on raw brute strength. A shinobi must use their head instead of their heart." Kira pulled Naruto before throwing the fox host towards a wall. "The most important thing of a shinobi is basically mobility. Charging forward like a mad bull with force is not a very impressive way." Neji tried to give a roundhouse kick. The Shitennou caught the back of his leg before spinning him at top, tossing him towards a bush. "The key is to capture the flow. Whenever you're in a fight, there will always be a certain flow. You must be able to find that flow, use it to your benefit." Kira tossed the book to the sky as he welcomed Gaara's fist before slamming him to the ground, Judo style. "How do we do it? Do not defy the flow. Follow it and then when the times right, unleash it towards your favor. You'll be surprised on how much power a single move could pack." Yukiku dashed forward before zipping to Kira's back, attempting to kick him. Kira captured her leg before spinning, sending her crash-landed to the ground. "You don't have to entirely tag along the flow. But you mustn't try to bend it either. Seep your strength little by little to make the flow help you. Once you've found your chance, use it to the greatest advantage." Just then, the book landed perfectly on Kira's welcoming hand.

After several minutes of beating, Kira sounded another 5 minute rest. He began to tend them a little. "…flow isn't only lies in the art of fighting. Everything flows. Human, animals, air… the world itself is flowing. How did we put ourselves in the flow will determine what role we play in our lives." Kira cracked Yukiku's ankle. The girl winced. She looked at Kira. "…people dying… is also part of that great flow. Never try to defy that flow. Or it will destroy you." Kira concluded his explanation with: "Never think… of trying to bring back people from the dead. It will bring nothing but sorrow. I know it the most."

"…hai." Everyone nodded.

Kira sit on a rock, still reading the book.

Naruto heard the sound of footsteps closing in. "Someone's coming."

"I know. Chiyo-san. If you're going to protest about me treating the son of a Kazekage the way I did, I'm all ears."

"Well, if there's anyone who'll protest that will be his siblings." The Suna elder walked slowly to the scene. "It's just that… oh how I should say this…"

"Gaara is needed in Suna. And he had left his village for too long, that any longer and he'll be considered missing nin?"

"Those old men wouldn't dare. I'm their trump card after all." Gaara groaned. "Besides, I don't want to leave yet. I want to finish the training even if this is not the real one."

Kira smiled. "Gaara I've given you the schedule of training. You don't need me to supervise as long as you can do it on your own. After all, you have your siblings. They can watch over you."

"…"

"Remember what I told you… that you're a different type then mine? Stuck with me any further, and your style will be ruined. You have to go back. My friend, who will train personally, is waiting for you."

"…is he strong?"

"That he is." Kira smiled.

Gaara sighed. He seemed to be still reluctant to leave.

"Gaara…" Naruto looked at Gaara. Then suddenly he got the brightest idea. "Yosh! That's it! I declare today as the day for fun! We're going to have a parting party for Gaara, and he will leave this place as happy as he can be!"

"What? Wait the minute…" Gaara was about to protest but Naruto cut it.

"Oi, Kira-sensei! You've butchered us for 3 weeks straight and we've done it. Can you consider giving us a day off?"

Kira chuckled. "Guess a day off won't hurt after all."

"Yes! You're the best, sensei! Come on guys! Get up! We got a party to prepare!"

"Naruto…" Neji groaned with a smile.

Gaara was still confused as Naruto dragged him around.

The four immediately left. Kira watched their back shaking his head. "Trust Naruto to know how to have fun."

"Ho, ho, ho. I guess that's what kid's all about?" Chiyo laughed.

"That it is… this is what they should've done in their age. Playing together, not in a care of the world… yet here we are, training them to become the most dangerous killing machines as they can be."

"If this is not our errors, I don't know what it is."

"Hmm." Kira nodded as he rubbed his eyes. Chiyo looked at his eye.

"I've heard it in rumors."

"Hm? About what?"

"Your eyes. Your bloodline limit is also an 'eye bloodline' wasn't it?"

"Yes?"

"It is said to be the 'ultimate eye'. But I don't understand."

Kira chuckled. "What's with the sudden question?"

"Well… I'm an old lady. I haven't got much time left. Wouldn't you fulfill what probably an old lady's last request?"

"Aha, ha, ha, ha. Don't worry old lady." Kira laughed before revealing his Satori to Chiyo. "No offense, but I don't want to show my bloodline limit unless I have to."

"I see. I'm sorry."

"It's called Satori." Kira answered. "An ancient bloodline limit of the past ages. Now, it's my and my sister's ability alone."

"I see… Wait, just now you mentioned sister… so she's also a Shitennou like you?"

"…" Kira was silent.

Chiyo looked at Kira and bowed her head in apology. "I'm sorry. Perhaps I've touched a personal subject. Chalk it to my old age curiosity."

Kira smiled lightly. "We are old people after all. We can fake our appearances but our heart had endured so many things… even if I can see my past as many times as I want… I cannot go back. I've gone way too far to go back. It is in the innocent hearts of the new generation we should rest our hopes on. People can say their monsters, demons, whatever. When human kill human they've thrown their humanity and become a monster. We are shinobis. We ARE monsters. However, it is our job, the old generation, to preserve the remaining humanity left within the hearts of the new generation… until they are ready to pass the button to the next."

Chiyo nodded approvingly as she smiled. Then something snapped. "You said something about… ancient ages… How old are you? Really?"

"How old I am?" Kira blinked. "Okay… err, so… I was born… what year was that? Now it's already 1, 2, 3… Oops, I forgot."

Chiyo sweat dropped.

Downtown…

"Alrighty! We're going to have a PAAAHR-TAAY!" Naruto was having fun. They've been drilled like mad men in 3 weeks non stop. FINALLY they're getting a breather. FINALLY he will have a chance to officially smuggle a dozen bowls of ramen or two into his poor stomach.

"Naruto, are you sure this is a good idea?" Neji looked at Naruto's back.

"He enslaved us to do all his mad training, we barely had more then 5 minutes to feed our belly, this occasion is rare! It's our chance to get our stomach properly nourished!"

"So… this party is your chance to eat as much as you want?" Yukiku sweatdropped.

"Don't forget! It's also to make sure Gaara leave Konoha with happy mood!"

"It really weren't necessary Naruto."

"Don't give me that! We've become friends! This short of thing is natural! So don't worry!"

Gaara stopped dead. "…we are… friends?"

Naruto looked at Gaara. The Jinchuriki looked at him back. The blond smiled. "Atari Maeda!"

"…but… I'm from sand… and I…"

"So what? It doesn't matter what village you're on! We've helped each other, if we're not friends, I don't know what."

"…I just… never had any…"

Naruto grabbed Gaara's hand. "Then you can start making new ones!"

Gaara was taken by surprise. After all that life of solitude, the word friend seemed like something he had never heard or had. "Friend…"

"So where are you going to have this so called party? And who are you going to invite?"

"Ummm… let's see… the sand brothers, Kakashi sensei, Ero-Sannin, Tsunade-baa-san, the whole rookie group… mmmm…"

"Can we invite our teachers too?" Neji asked.

"Just… invite everyone you know. As for the place…" Naruto looked around. The whole place was still in shambles. "…Aha! I got an idea! Let's ask Tsunade-baa-san if she had-"

"-a place to enact a party? On what occasion?" Tsunade was rolling her eyes in her office. Naruto suddenly barged in to her place and asked her about the thing he had in mind.

"Anoo-sa! Gaara's going back to the sand, and I feel that I think we should give him a proper parting party. Since, well, he did help us on our war with the sound."

"Well, it's because he's our ally."

"Exactly! That's the point! He's our friend, so I feel, as a friend, it would be best if we hold out a party for him before he left! Who knows what might happen?"

"…I don't know Naruto. The village is still not in the best mood. A party might…"

"All the more reason! Come to think of it, we haven't celebrated our victory over Sound yet."

"…I don't know if this is really a happy victory, given to our casualties."

"Well… I was thinking that aside from parting with Gaara, maybe a party could lift everyone's mood up." Naruto toned down.

"Alright, alright. let me think it over."

"Okay." Naruto left the place immediately.

"…planning a party in times like this eh? Trust Naruto to know how to have some fun…"

"I do think it's a good idea." Jiraiya appeared on Tsunade's back. "The morale of the entire village is dangerously low. A party might be able to lift the mood."

Tsunade sighed with a smile. "Damn it… I'm getting soft these days."

"Hey, it has nothing to do with that. It's just… if Naruto asked, you just couldn't resist can you?"

"There's more to Naruto then just his resemblance with Nawaki, you know that."

"I know… that Naruto… he… how should I say this… had that… special ability…"

"Trust him with something, and you can believe that it'll be done right… that's Naruto for you."

Jiraiya smiled solemnly.

-----------------

Neji was walking calmly in the streets. Even after 3 weeks, the weight can still be a pain. Nevertheless, he began to get used to it. On the way, he met Lee and Tenten.

"Neji! How've you been my eternal rival?"

Neji chuckled. "As you can see… I'm all beaten up." the Hyuuga showed his weight attire.

"Whoo… it doesn't look that heavy…"

"Put it on and you'll understand." The weight was supposed to train his stamina. As far as he concerned, Lee had been using weights often. Hence, you can be sure his stamina will be massive, probably surpass his own and close to that of Naruto's. Given to that, and the Chakra Absorption and Amplification feature, it will sure weight Lee a Hell of a lot.

"Anyway, I've been hearing things… what is it that Naruto up to this time?" Tenten was curious.

"Gaara is going back to Sand so he figures to have a party. As for the place and all stuff… he said he was discussing with the Hokage. He asked me to invite everybody I know."

"A party huh… well, that's an interesting idea. Haven't had one for ages." Tenten thought it out a bit.

"Hmm… can we invite Gai-sensei too?"

"He said everybody. So I guess it is okay. After all, he did say that he's going to invite Hatake Kakashi too."

"Yosh! I'll go find Gai-sensei straight away!" Lee disappeared in a puff.

Tenten chuckled before looking at Neji. He looked, as he had put it, beaten up. The black vest he wore on top of his usual clothing was decorated with dirt. The same could be said for his other additional attire. "He trained you very hard didn't he?"

"Yes. Unlike anything I've ever experienced before. He has high standards, strict rule. When we met him, you could say he's quite talkative. But in training, he's a man of few words. Never said more then necessary. And you just can't complain with him. Not because he will punish you severely for it anything but his eyes…"

"What about his eyes?"

"They are the eyes of those who, with the lack of better term, had seen Hell. I'd say he's truly is a veteran warrior. Making you believe that what he said is what is happening in the real world. His training is hard… but I'm learning a lot of new things every day. So I enjoy it."

"…You enjoy it?"

"…a lot." Neji smiled.

Tenten looked at him. 'So… in a way… Neji must've grown stronger in the last 3 weeks. He's probably stronger then me now… is there any way I can keep up?'

"Tenten?"

"Hai?" Tenten snapped out of her daze.

"You're coming too right? To the party?"

"…Sure!" Tenten smiled.

"Oh… and since adult is going to come too, you can be sure the sake will be there, one way, or another. We have to keep an eye on Lee."

"Oh, yeah. Right."

----------------

Yukiku walked sulkily… 'Inviting everybody I know eh? But the only people I really knew is… my mother, Kira sensei, Naruto, and Neji… wait the minute… that's it! Hinata!'

The Haku twin walked slowly to the Hyuuga compound. As luck would have it, the girl in question came out just then. "H-HEY! Hinata-chan!"

"Huh?" Hinata looked Yukiku who was running towards her. "Ah, Yukiku-san!"

"Hinata are you off today?"

"Well… I've just finished my training for today… what is it?"

"Oh well, it's just that Naruto, I think he's planning to have a party."

"A-a party?"

"Yep! And he asked us to invite everybody we know. So I invite you!"

"I see… then maybe I'll invite Shino and Kiba too… and Kurenai-sensei as well. Come to think of it you've never known them too right? This will be a good chance for you to get to know them."

"And the party will be a good chance for you to stick with Naruto!" Yukiku laughed.

"I-I d-don't know w-what are you talking about." Hinata went fiddling with her fingers as her face colored in red. "A-anyway, come on! Let's go tell everyone! I'll introduce you with Shikamaru-kun's team too! That way, you'll get to know a lot more friends!"

"O-okay!" Yukiku was greatly excited. 'So many new friends by just knowing one? This is…'

----------------

"Yoo… Kira-san!" Kakashi landed next to Kira, who was reading "7 Ways to Permanently and Painfully Castrate a Pervert". The one eyed Jounin hurriedly hid his Hentai magazine.

"What is it?"

"Did you have it?"

"Have what?"

"The invitation off course."

"To Naruto's party? Well, he skipped today's training for that. Still he did invite me."

"And?"

"Well… I don't really like noisy places… especially if there will be sake in the party. Don't let any of the kids drink it! They're underage!"

"Yeah well whatever. Anyway, I want to ask you something about my bloodline."

"You and your father were the last."

"That's it?"

Kira sighed. "I know you'll ask this. Here." The Shitennou threw a katana to the Jounin.

"What's this?"

"Open it and you know."

Kakashi unsheathed the katana to look a bit of the blade. The blade was pure white. "Shiroi Chakra no Tachi…"

"I managed to forge it again. It's the only thing that can keep your Bloodline Limit under control when you removed that mask of yours. This one is stronger then your father's. But don't go reckless and break it again."

"Got it." The Jounin was about to left before he asked again. "…Kira-san… the thing that I wanted to ask was actually… since you were there at that time…"

"…your father sacrificed his life that day for the things he believed to be right. That should be enough reason for you to be proud of him."

Kakashi looked at Kira, who was smiling. His lips also curved. "I am. Anyway, if you change your mind, the party will be done in Hokage tower's hall. I doubt it will be very crowded though." The Jounin disappeared in a puff.

"Yarre, yarre… I haven't told him about the bills for making that thing yet."

-----------------

At night, in the Hokage tower's hall…

"Alright guys! Listen up! Tonight's party is for our friends from Suna, Gaara and his brothers, departure! So let's make tonight a night to remember! We'll eat, drink, and have fun until we burst! LET'S GET THE PARTY STARTED! SHIKAMARU! TURN MUSIC!"

"Mendokusee…" the shadow user turned on the music anyway. Loud rock music sounded throughout the room.

Naruto began eating like crazy. He was looking for ramen a little while ago when Genji and Ayame, who were the chefs for tonight, told him the most devastating news: "Kira-sama told me that you've developed a certain disease that react badly on ramen. So, he told us not to make any ramen tonight."

Naruto screamed in frustration: "I'M GONNA KILL THAT BASTARD!" However, hunger got the better of him, and eventually he just ate anything within reach. Heck, he virtually had just swallowed a salmon along with all its bones in one gulp and already took a big chunk of a giant grounded beef. Luckily, Kyuusei had his mercy tonight for he somehow managed to reduce the sensitivity of his tongue. Now he can eat calmly without worries of vomiting.

**JUST USE THIS CHANCE TO GET A PROPER GRUB. ASKING ANOTHER CHANCE LIKE THIS FROM KIRA WILL BE LIKE SQUEEZING BLOOD OUT OF A ROCK. **

Chouji was also eating at Naruto's pace. Currently the two seemingly had an eating race. With Chouji's father, Shikamaru, Kiba, and the others were rooting at the show.

Neji was also eating a lot, but at a slower rate. He could only sweat dropped at Naruto's eating behavior. Not only the rookies, the Jounins and the adults had also been invited. Naruto did say that he will invite everyone he knows. But everyone clearly told their relatives about it and apparently, everybody thought a party will be a good idea too. Consequently, the crowded night. The rookies were chattering happily while the adults were having their own. Subsequent laughter, chattering filled the Hall. Even Naruto was quite surprised for his idea of having party was eventually taken seriously… but hey, the more the merrier! As expected, where there were Adults, there were also Sakes around. Hence, Neji had to make sure that Lee didn't drink a sip of those or mistook water with sake like he did days back. He took a worried glance at Lee every now and then.

Gaara looked amused. He had never experienced something like this back in Suna. He looked at Naruto, who's still eating with crazed pace.

"We've never had anything like this in Suna… these Konoha sure know how to make a party." Kankurou grinned.

"Shikamaru! Get your whiny butt over here! I'm not done with you!" Temari was chasing the shadow user.

"Give it up sis! There's a lot man better then him in Suna!" Kankurou tried to stop the chase.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY? HUUUH?" Temari turned around and deathglare at the puppet master. That's when Kankurou realized the one terrible indisputable fact: Temari, his dear sister, the Suna nin, and the expert of long range attack is…

…totally…

…undeniably…

…101 percent…

…drunk.

"Ga… Gaara…" Kankurou turned around to find nothing. He looked frantically for Gaara only to saw that his brother had joined the spectators of the eating contest, watching Naruto in his food fight match! He looked in horror as an iron clad grip of death from a certain iron fan armed femme fatale grabbed his mercy-begging cold-sweating shoulder. "Gomen-ne…"

"Dai Kamai…"

Kankurou closed his eyes…

Meanwhile, Neji had just tackled Lee for the umpteenth time as he tried to get his hands on a cup of sake when a scream from a certain puppet master being thrown through the roof, literally, echoed throughout the hall. "Lee! Don't touch the SAKE! You'll kill us all!"

"Just a little bit PLEASE?"

"Need I remind of what would you do when you drunk?" Neji was at the edge of his patience. "Don't force me to use Jyuu… I mean strap you down to a chair with iron chain!"

"But… even Gai-sensei was drinking them! The girl from Suna was also drinking them! Why can't I?"

"Lee… you will obey or you will sorry."

Yukiku was having a time of her life. Thanks to Hinata, she was introduced to the rest of the gang. Quickly enough, she was accepted as a close friend, much to her happiness. She instantly got along with the rookie girls (Sakura, Ino, Tenten, and Hinata) often discussing girly stuff. Currently they made their own group and chattering with occasionally escaping some giggles.

"The first time Lee had Sake, he leveled a restaurant to the ground. The look on Gai sensei's face when he received the damage bill…"

"Does he ALWAYS wear that green spandex thingy?"

"Always. Luckily now he put the orange jacket. At least he had a little variation compared to his sensei." Ino sighed.

"T-Thanks to Naruto too." Hinata chuckled.

"What Naruto had to do with that?" Yukiku blinked.

"Well… it's a long story. You want the short or the long version?" Tenten asked as she plucked a Dango before took a bite.

"Any works for me."

Meanwhile, the adults…

Jiraiya was chuckling madly as he took a seep from his sake bottle for the nth time.

Hiashi however, was looking rather disapprovingly. "I'm alright with all of us gathering together like this… but we shouldn't drink in front of our children."

"Hick! Don't worry Hiashi! Hick! They're old enough to understand the word Sake! Hick!"

"I don't think so. They're still growing and what they need is a healthy portion of meal, which in this case will be the 4 basic food groups."

"4 basic food groups? hick! Hah! I'll tell you what 4 basic food group is: Sake, Dango, Grease, and girls! Hick!"

"And he was supposed to be a Sannin…" Hiashi rubbed his head.

"Stop playing tough and get drunk! Here!" Jiraiya suddenly put Hiashi in a headlock before shoving a gallon of Sake into Hyuuga head's mouth.

"Hey, what the… gulp, gulp, gulp, gulp, gulp….

Kakashi was drinking calmly next to Rin as he looked at the entire spectacle. "Uh-oh. I smell trouble."

Back to the rookies…

Naruto was glaring face to face with Chouji amidst the mountains of empty plates.

In the middle of the table, 5 plates of full portion of teriyaki was laying there, with contents ready to be eaten at the moment's notice.

"On 3… 2… 1! Go!"

The two immediately ate at lightning speed. Before long, both had finished one and a half portion of the teriyaki per person. Few seconds later, there's only 1 piece of meat left. Chouji and Naruto eyed the last piece. They looked to each other.

"Feelin' a lit'l full Naruto?"

"You wish."

The tension went high. Both shinobi raised their chopsticks and then went still. Both were observing their opponent, waiting for an opportunity when their enemy showed their weakness. Five minutes… the two still had their chopsticks at ready. Ten minutes… beads of sweat began to form. Fifteen minutes… veins popping out on their eyes. Twenty minutes… their hands still on the air until finally…

The spectators held their breath…

…

…

…

…

…as Akamaru, out of nowhere, appeared and took the last piece of meat off the roaster.

Naruto blinked.

Chouji jaw dropped.

…

…

'I wonder how dog meat taste like.' That single thought flashed through both of the contestants' mind. The two immediately stood up. Akamaru tensed up greatly as he sensed two massive killing intents rising into the atmosphere. The Ninken sweatdropped, turned around, looked at the bloodlust duo, before running for his dear misbegotten innocent life.

Kiba noticed his poor dog's survival was at stake, and immediately gave chase after the two. "Oi! Naruto-teme! Yamerou! Akamaru is not for eating! You too Fat-ass!"

Chouji stopped. "…what… did you just call me?"

Kiba stopped dead in his tracks. "Errh… nothing! Really!" He smiled nervously.

Gaara, who knew next to none about Chouji's sensitivity, calmly answered. "He called you fat-ass."

Kiba death-glared the sand user. Gaara raised an eyebrow questioningly. "What?"

Shikamaru sighed as Kiba began running for his life, with an angry Chouji closely on his tail. "The 'F' word is a taboo word for Chouji."

"…but he is f-"

Shikamaru was rather surprised to find himself was closing the sand nin's mouth. "…sorry. Reflexes."

Gaara was also shocked. Back then, nobody and absolutely nobody could go as far as 5 feet from him without activating his sand defense much less closing his mouth, a sign that this Shukaku was clearly less violent then the 'previous one'.

"Just call him… pleasantly plump, big bones… anything but the F word. He's extremely sensitive about it."

Gaara nodded. "By the way, you Konoha did party like this often?"

"Only on certain occasions…"

"I see." Gaara looked at the spectacle inwardly amused.

Meanwhile, with the Adults, everything gone rather awry as everyone was totally drunk. Even Hiashi was laughing his ass off with Jiraiya while wearing a sake plate as a hat, all dignity forgotten. Kakashi was now looked worried. So far, he managed to eat and drink at the fast pace, without anyone noticing his face. Not that he worried people could see what his face looked like, but after the incident during the war with the Sound, he dare not to took his mask off with so many people around. Who knows of what he might do? However, he's also worried by the way this party was going. With all the adults drunk, the task of ensuring no sake fell to underage hands were seem to be forgotten. Truth to be told, Kakashi stared in horror as Sakura's face was getting redder and redder, yet, she continuously drinking from the supposedly 'harmless water.'

"a-Anoo… Sakura-san! I-I think… y-you're not drinking water."

"Huh? I knoooow! What? You think I can't stand a little bit of sake? Hick!"

Tenten sweatdropped and moved away a bit. Before long, Sakura pulled her back. "Where do you think you're going? Party ain't over yet. MORE SAKE!"

"Oi, forehead girl! You drink too much! GIVE ME THAT!" Ino was equally drunk when she said that.

"Gimme those back you Ino-pig!"

Yukiku all the while, had drunk herself to sleep some time ago…

Meanwhile on the boys, a bottle of sake had somehow found its way to Naruto's hand, who now drinking it per Kyuusei's instruction. The fox had allowed Naruto to also skip his sense training tonight under one condition: he had to at least give the fox a taste of some sake. Then after 10 bottles of sake…

**FINALLY. I HAVEN'T TASTE SOME SAKE FOR A FEW DECADES.**

'You know what Kyuusei? Hick! They didn't taste so bad after all.'

**AFTER THIS, MAKE SURE TO HAVE A SWIM OR SOMETHING TO CLEAR YOUR HEAD. KIRA'S GONNA HAVE MINE IF HE FINDS OUT.**

'Like he could. Hick! You're inside me, remember?'

**NEVER UNDERESTIMATE HIM; I THOUGHT YOU'VE LEARNT THAT?**

'Well Yeah whatever. Hick.' On the outside, the fox host couldn't even walk straight. Then he looked at Neji. The said Hyuuga was pinning Lee down. All the while, he seemed to be eyeing Hinata, who was nervously fidgeting her fingers amidst her roaring ass drunk friend. Upon a closer inspection, Naruto knew instantly that he was eying Tenten rather worriedly as the weapon mistress in question apparently was having some problem with her drunken friends.

Neji had looked at Hiashi only to find the said Hyuuga head was drunk and he was singing with opened belly button with Jiraiya on the stage on top of their lungs. Later on, the Hyuuga prodigy went to find his friend, but he had to catch Lee who had spotted a plateful of sake. Using his own version of Dynamic Entry, he managed to pin the Taijutsu master to the ground. He was looking for Tenten so that he could ask her help to strap the squirming Lee away from Sake. However by the way things going, she didn't seem to be in the best situation either. Then something occurred. Something that really caught the Hyuuga prodigy's full attention.

Tenten was trying to find a chance to escape when Ino silently unraveled both of her buns, catching her by surprise. Her hair flowed down all the way to the waist with some covered a bit of her face nicely.

Neji stopped dead in his tracks. He never knew… the weapon mistress was very…VERY beautiful when her hair was down. This was his first time seeing Tenten's hair down. All the sudden, the weapon caught sight of him staring at her. Neji blushed and immediately turned the other side. Abruptly…

"NARUTIMETTO HERO-ENTORII!" Naruto performed his dynamikku entorii and kicked Neji squarely on his face.

"Oi! Naruto what the hell?"

"Omae baka! Even idiots can see it! You and Tenten! Hick!"

"What are you talking about? Naruto, you're drunk!"

"Urusei! Neji!" Naruto grabbed hold of Neji's collar. "Don't you realize that everybody already knew? She likes you, and you like her too! Rather then go on coo-coo with her; just tell it to her straight away, for all our sakes!"

"What do you mean?" Neji was bit red as he yelled it out loud.

Tenten blushed.

Sakura smirked. "Oi, Tenten! You too!"

"Huh?"

"If you like Neji that much, then hug him or something!"

"W-what?" Tenten was as red as tomato. Meanwhile Sakura pushed a bottle of Sake to Tenten.

"Here! Drink up!"

"Erhh… no… just…"

"SHUT UP AND DRINK!" Inner Sakura glared to Tenten. She reluctantly took the sake. "Look, this is your chance. We'll find a way to make him drunk, and after that, you go ahead and try to kiss him."

"K-kiss him?" Tenten nearly choked. Eventually, she drank the whole bottle.

Sakura smiled devilishly. She walked a few steps away and using a bottle of sake as a walkie talkie. "Naruto, this is Sakura. The target is now ready. Do we proceed? Over."

"Wait a second. The Hyuuga still refused to admit it. Over." Naruto used a sake bottle in a same manner.

"Just what the hell you guys thinking?"

"If you keep up the shy thingy in the way, we're the ones who'll be running out of patience!" Naruto glared evilly at the sweating Neji.

"But…"

"So much we're already on the edge of it! Hick! Once this night over you better propose her, get married, have lots of sex and get a bunch of kids." Sakura crossed her arms menacingly.

"Wait the minute! You two are way too drunk!"

"What are you, a sissy? Hick! Get a grip and be a man!" Naruto growled.

"Tenten's waiting for you long enough! Hick!" Sakura groaned.

"That's what I'm trying to tell you! I… I don't feel anything special or something to her… she's… my closest friend… that's… all?" Neji was downright nervous when the two deathglared him.

"You… don't… feel… anything?" Sakura's face resembled that of a demon.

"W… What?" the Hyuuga prodigy was shivering in fear. Lee had long managed to escape, yet he took no notice.

Back to Tenten, she managed to drink the entire content of the bottle. She sighed happily. Hinata looked worriedly at her though… slowly but sure, Tenten's face gone awfully red as flood of sweat poured down on her skin. It got redder and redder until all the sudden, burst of smoke exploded from her head before she fell unconscious.

"TENTEN-SAN!" Hinata shrieked.

"TENTEN EXPLODED!" Ino yelled happily.

"YES! ALL ACCORDING TO PLAN!" Sakura went to grab Tenten.

"Sakura-san! What did you gave her?" Hinata frantically looked at the label of the bottle: 'Fuuma Shuriken Sake-50 Percent Alcohol! Not for kids! A sip and prepare to ZIP!' "B-But… t-this is t-the strongest sake in Konoha!"

All the while, Sakura had brought Tenten to the stage. "Naruto, grab hold Neji!"

"Roger that!" Naruto pinned the squirming Hyuuga prodigy to the ground.

"Oi! What the hell you guys up to! Let me go!"

Sakura laughed evilly. "You don't have any special feeling for Tenten weren't you? So… basically… you don't care what's going to befall on her right?"

Neji had a very, very, VERY bad feeling about it.

The pink haired kunoichi smirked. "BOYS! GENTLEMENS! COME AND LOOK! I'M GONNA STRIP HER CLOTHES OFF! RIP HER OFF HER UNDERWEAR! OPEN YOUR EYES GUYS! MWUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"M-matte! S-sakura-san! Y-you're w-way too drunk!" Hinata squeaked.

"ALRIGHTY!" Every male cheered happily. Except Gaara who simply rolled his eyes.

"STOOOOP!"

"It's not your business wasn't it?" Sakura smirked as she opened Tenten's pink sleeveless upper clothes, revealing her black bra and her bouncing breast.

"AAAAAHH! OIIII! YAMEROU!" Blood began to trickle in Neji's and the spectator's nose.

"Guys! I'M STRIPPING HER LOWER CLOTHES!" The crowd cheered more happily as Sakura undo Tenten's trousers, revealing her black underpants.

"STOOOP! STOOOP! OKAY I GET IT!" Neji yelled as he was blushing hard. Sakura paused for a moment. "Okay… I admit it. I like Tenten. Please… let her go?"

"OH! THE BLOOMS OF LOVE IN THE MIDST OF YOUTH FIRE!" Gai was yelling at the top of his lungs with tears streaming down his eyes.

Sakura and Naruto both laughed evilly. "Ku ku ku ku ku… Yell it directly in front of Tenten!"

"WHAT?" Neji roared in protest.

"Oohh… poor Tenten…" Sakura made a mock sad voice. "Her dignity must be torn asunder just because a certain Hyuuga is so stubborn…" She unraveled a bit of Tenten's nipple as she pulled Tenten's bra down.

"STOOOP! OKAY! OKAY! I'LL DO IT!" Neji yelled. The crowd roared in protest while throwing various things at Neji.

"NOOOOOOOOO!" Jiraiya screamed.

"COME ON MAN, IT'S THE CLIMAX!" Ichiraku Genji yelled.

"DON'T STOP IT!" a drunken Kiba groaned.

Nevertheless, the Hyuuga had made his final decision. "Alright! I'll do it!"

"Here, it'll make you braver! Drink it all up!" Naruto threw a Sake bottle to Neji, whom the latter caught it and drink it empty with a gulp. When he was done, Neji's face was all red, a sign that he had gone drunk.

Meanwhile, the crowd was still groaning.

"That Hyuuga Neji… he doesn't know about the situation ain't he?"

"I want to see the girl naked…"

"Too bad."

All this didn't go unheard by Neji. In his drunken haze, he roared angrily. "SHUT UP!" He turned around. "YOU WANNA SEE SOMEBODY NAKED, SEE ME!" Instantly, the Hyuuga prodigy had removed all his modesty, including the heavy weight attire.

"YEAH RIGHT!" All male vomited, some fainted.

Tsunade burst the sake on her mouth at that.

Kankurou fainted and Gaara had to sweatdropped.

Some girls giggled as they blushed at the 'size' of the Hyuuga prodigy.

"OKEY DOKEY! Neji! You're the man!" a drunken Naruto toasted.

Neji slapped his cheek several times. He stood face to face with Tenten, whom Sakura still grab hold on, just in case Neji changed his mind, and so that the still drunken girl won't fall off.

"Uh-um. Anoo… Tenten…"

Everyone looked excitedly at the Hyuuga. Tenten began to open her eyes.

"Look… err… Anoo… I…"

Light almost returned to Tenten's eyes.

"I l-"

"DYNAMIKKU-HICK!-ENTORIIIIIII!" A DRUNKEN Lee HAD to ruin everything by kicking Neji squarely on his face, again.

Everyone's mouth went wide as their face paled.

And all that's left was complete chaotic bloodbath…

"WHY DON'T YOU WATCH OVER HIM?"

"EXCUSE ME? WHAT KIND OF NIMRODS WHO GAVE THE KIDS SAKE ANYWAY?"

"WATCH OUT FOR THAT PLATE!"

"WHERE ARE THE ANBUS WHEN YOU NEED ONE?"

"MEDIC! I GOT A SAKE BOTTLE STICKING ON MY BUTT! SOMEONE PLEASE SUCK THE POISON!"

"IN HELL!"

"N-NEJI-NII-SAN! PLEASE PUT SOMETHING ON FIRST!"

"CALM DOWN LEE!"

"HAIYAAAAAAHH!"

"NARUTOOOOOO!"

"Sakura to Naruto. Operation Hyuuga Lovebirds failed. I'm retreating. Over."

"Naruto to Sakura. Neji had just kicked my ass. SOS. ASAP. Over and out."

Gaara couldn't contain it any longer. Finally, for the first time in his life, he laughed his lungs out in amusement. "Aha. AHAHA. AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Kankurou was shocked. He had never heard his brother laughed happily like that. "Gaara…"

"Aha… This is really-really CRAZY! I've… I've never see something as funny as this! AHAha! I'm really… really glad I've ever known this village."

Kankurou was holding back his tears. For the first time ever, his brother laughed out of happiness not out of hate. He brushed off a single tear. "Yeah! Me too, Gaara! Look at that! AHA! HAHAHAHAHA!"

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

And so goes the night…

1 o'clock in the morning…

"I should've known this will happen." Kira sweat dropped. The whole place was in complete disarray. Half of Naruto's body was planted on the wall. Only his legs can be seen. Yukiku was still sleeping with a pillow over her head. Ino and Sakura were all piled up along with her, sleeping soundly. Neji was nowhere to be seen. Hinata seemingly fainted with blood trickling down her nose for reasons unknown. Kiba was snoring with saliva glistering on the side of his mouth. One of his eyes showed a sign that it was stomped by a fist with the size of elephant's feet. Next to him, Chouji was still snoring while occasionally mumbling: "Zzz… no thanks, I'm not hungry. But I want more caramel cakes… zzz… zzz…" Shikamaru was fast asleep with Temari subconsciously holding on his stomach. Shino was sleeping while standing. His sunglasses were nowhere in sight. Lee was hanged on the roof. The poor boy had bruises over bruises on top of his head. On the other hand, Kira looked at the Adults. "…thank goodness I refused to come…" Jiraiya and, much to Kira's disbelief, Hiashi were both half naked with writings on their stomach. Tsunade was snoring with a sake bottle sticking in between her breast. The rest of the older Jounins also slept on the spot. Mostly in the most improper position as they can be.

"Kira-san?"

Kira turned around to see Gaara in his usual pose.

"You're still awake huh?"

"Habit. I've never actually slept before… but I managed only… 2-3 hours…ever since you freed Shukaku."

"Where's your brother?"

"He teased my sister again when she was drunk. Something about her falling in love with a person named Nara Shikamaru. My sister blew him away with her fan. He's probably stuck somewhere on the roof."

"I see. How're you feeling?"

"Never better." Gaara smiled.

"Glad to hear it." Kira grinned. "By the way have you seen…"

"Hyuuga Neji? I think he went out. I don't know where though. (Yawn) I think I'm going to sleep again now."

"Okay. Nighty night." Kira walked slowly across the piles of people and plates.

Outside…

Neji was lying on his back against the grass field. After he gave Naruto a good piece of his mind or two, he woke up from his sleep and it was as if Kyuubi was having a tap dancing on his brain with all his tails. He walked out of the hall slowly and eventually reached the said grass field. Right now, the Hyuuga prodigy was trying to recollect the memories of what exactly had occurred when he had gone drunk. However, the image of a certain weapon mistress kept hounding his mind. Then he looked at his hands. Back there. He said he liked Tenten… or was it? Was it just because his teammate was in danger of utter humiliation?

'_You care for her.' _A voice from the back his conscience flowed in.

'She's my comrade.' His thoughts retorted.

'_But you love her more.'_

'No. She's only a comrade. Nothing…more.'

'_Then why you helped her?'_

'That's the right thing to do.'

'_Yet deep in your heart, you were angry with Lee because he ruined the only chance you'll ever get to admit your true feelings to her.'_

'That was… my mistake. Because I didn't watch over Lee.'

'_All the same. It doesn't matter whose fault was it to begin with. The thing is, you love her.'_

'Did not.'

'_Did to.'_

'Did not.'

'_Did to.'_

"DID NOT!" Neji screamed the last thought out loud.

"Neji?"

The Hyuuga genius gasped and immediately turned around. There stood Tenten, thankfully with her clothes on. "What was that just now?"

Neji blinked.

"You just screamed something."

"Oh, well, it's nothing. Really."

The weapon mistress looked at Neji skeptically. She finally sat next to Neji. "So… what're you doing now?"

"Not much… I'm just… staring at the stars… just so until the grogginess to dissipate."

"I see." Tenten looked at Neji, his eyes in particular. "What have that Kira done to you? Your eyes… are… black?"

Neji snorted. "He sealed off my Byakuugan. He really is amazing. If you ask me if he could do almost everything, I'd say yes… except probably, as he said it, bringin' back the dead."

Tenten smirked. "I kinda actually liked your new eyes though."

"You do huh?" Neji chuckled.

"It's beautiful."

"Eh?" Neji flushed.

"The moon." Tenten pointed to the sky.

Neji looked up to the black sky. It was cloudless and the full moon shone brightly high on the sky, along with the sparkling stars. Indeed it is a beautiful sight. "Hm. Yeah, it's pretty."

The two stared at the sky. Abruptly, Tenten suddenly undo her bun. Her long hair flowed down all the way. Neji looked at the weapon mistress in awe.

"…Neji?"

"Yeah?"

"…am I pretty?"

"…why did you ask?"

"Well, it's just… my parents used to say that boys won't like girls who sleep with at least a dozen kunai on her bed."

Neji snorted. "What it has to do with you being pretty?"

"So you think… I am pretty?"

Neji flushed a little. "Err… well…Yeah. Why did you ask?"

"Because…" Tenten also blushed. "…because… I want to look good… at least to you."

Neji blushed furiously at that. He immediately regained his composure. "Still… I… I like you the way you are."

Tenten blinked. "…Neji… do you… do you really… like me?"

Neji raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Back there… in the party… do you really mean it?"

"About… what?"

"When Sakura almost stripped me… when you said you like me… was it really what you truly felt?"

"…well… off course. I like you."

Tenten's heart rejoiced greatly at that.

"I mean… we're best friends aren't we? It will be only natural if I said that. Besides-" Neji never finished that sentence as one cold hard slap landed on his face.

The Hyuuga prodigy looked at his teammate. Tenten's hand was still in the air. Her body was shaking with rage. "So that's what we are, isn't it? Hyuuga Neji?" She spat his name with pure hatred.

"Tenten?"

"So be it. Forget you ever knew me. Forget what happened today." She turned around and stomped her way off.

"Tenten wait!" Neji grabbed hold of her hand.

"Let go off me!" The weapon mistress shook off his hand with a stroke, and the Hyuuga prodigy found himself nailed to the ground by at least a dozen Kunai on his clothes, each was dangerously close to his vital organs. The two met eyes for a second and the Hyuuga gasped. Aside from the flooding tears, sheer fury and hate filled the weapon mistress' eyes. The Kunoichi immediately ran off, leaving the shocked Neji.

Tenten was running in the alleyway of the Konoha. Tears still fell, layering her cheek. 'That's right… that's what we are… we're only friends… and we'll never be more… he only said those words back there because he was forced to. He didn't and he will never truly love me.'

Neji touched his aching cheek. Guilt suddenly hounded his heart. '…what have I done?'

----------------

The next morning, Hokage office…

Kira was lying lazily on top of the Hokage Mountain when Torii landed. The bird chirped on Kira's ears.

"Hoo… I see… that's a problem indeed. Okay, I'll take care of it." Kira smirked. The Shitennou jumped out of the spot.

Downtown…

Neji was walking with hundreds of thoughts filled his head.

After last night accident he couldn't sleep, trying to figure a way to deal with the matter. After several things he thought off, the only idea he get was to apologize and make it up with Tenten… still, he was having difficulty just trying to find her. Clearly she was so mad at him up to the point where she refused to see him or even let him see her. He had come to Tenten's home, but her parents said that she didn't come home last night. THAT worried him to no end. But he didn't know where to go, hence the prodigy was wondering rather aimlessly.

Supposedly he went to the training ground for Kira supposedly waiting for him now. But being punished because of skipping the training was the least of his worries now.

He looked to every direction when all the sudden, somebody called his name.

"Hyuuga Neji?"

Neji immediately turned around and said. "Tenten?" To his dismay, it was Kankurou.

"I'm not your girlfriend."

"Sorry." Neji looked at the puppet user. "I see you've packed?"

"Yeah. We could go anytime we want… if my sister hadn't moaning that she got a headache… still we'll manage."

"…I see. So… what were you doing just now?"

"Killing some time before departure I guess. It's just so happen we met on the way… Just now Gaara was suddenly called to the Hokage Office… That Kira called him… Did you know something about this?"

"I have absolutely no idea."

In the Hokage office…

"Bodyguards? I don't need those."

"If it's the old you, maybe you don't. But now, remember, Shukaku's power has already been completely sealed off. You guys won't stand a chance if some member of Akatsuki suddenly showed up. I had just received an information that some of them were spotted somewhere on the road from here to Sand. You, I mean the current you, will need help to get pass them. And not to mention, Baki and the other Jounin from Suna were still helping with the repairs in here."

Gaara scratched his red hair. "But I thought your friend is strong?"

"He is."

"Then can't he took care some Akatsuki member?"

Kira sighed. "Gaara, it's a three day journey from Konoha to Suna. In one of those days you'll ran into him. The problem is when? I don't know where he is exactly… and I don't know where exactly the Akatsuki members either. What happen if you ran into them first… before you met him?"

"…I guess you're right. So… who's going to come with me?"

Tsunade searched some papers. "We'll send two shinobi with you… problem is… we haven't got much Jounin to spare… mostly are still on missions… we may have to resolve to Chuunins…"

Kira's eyes gleamed mischievously. "Tsunade… if I am to recommend… I suggest…who was that super genius Nara-clan? Shikamaru-kun?"

"Oh him? Yeah, that's a good idea." Tsunade immediately prepared Shikamaru's profile papers. "Still, that leaves us with one person short… I guess I'll figure that out somehow. The teams really need to be reassembled with all the occasions happening lately."

"Okay then. In that case, we'll take our leave for now."

The two left the office. Abruptly something crossed Gaara's mind. "By the way, Kira, this friend of yours… does he have a name?"

"That'll be Athrun."

"Athrun?"

"Yes. That's his name. Athrun Zala."

"The name… he's…a western?"

"That's right."

"What's his face look like?"

"Navy hair about a neck long, green eyes… His age and appearance is just like me. Somewhere between 17-18 years old."

"Anything else I need to know?"

"Yeah, he wear a pretty noticeable western priest clothing. Modified with a little bit of piece of protective armor here and there… a hat, and a thick long black coat… and he usually carry around this extremely, heavy, distinguishable large metal stick."

"And here I thought Shitennou love to wear something that closes their feature?"

Kira snorted. "Ha, ha. Let's just say we all have our personal reasons."

Gaara smirked.

"One more thing… about this Akatsuki we spotted… word has it that it was someone you people from Suna, especially Puppet users, knew quite well."

"Who?"

"The puppet army genius, Akasuna no Sasori. (Sasori of the Red sand)."

"The missing nin … that man's name has already in Suna Hunter nin's blacklist for as long as I can remember."

"Yes. Problem is, supposedly they won't be able to move in 3-4 years… if that information is correct, then I'd say he's lingering in Kaze no Kuni for his own personal intentions. We don't know what that is though, nor do we know whether he's really on his own. So be careful."

"Alright."

----------------

"Now… who to send… who to send…" Tsunade rubbed her head several times.

"Tsunade-sama?"

"Eh, how can I help you?"

"Well, actually, I overheard your problem. I'd like to volunteer for the job."

"You are? You might already know, but it may take a while."

"I know. That's just exactly what I need."

Tsunade sighed. "…alright. But, again, are you sure about this?"

Tenten took a deep breath. "Yes."

----------------

Temari was rubbing her head non stop. 'It's a mistake. It must be a very, big, fucking mistake.' Last night, she remembered she was having a (dozen) sake or two. The next thing she knew, she woke up… with her hands hugging a certain shadow user clan for her dear life. She really had to make Gaara, who happened to saw everything, to swear that he will not breathe a word to a single soul alive about the event. She was avoiding the Nara every chance she get.

Right now, she was walking in the city streets, trying to calm herself. If Kankurou found out, she'll never be able to live it down.

She didn't pay attention to where she was going until she bumped into the one person she was most dreaded to meet.

"Oi, girl, watch where you're going next time." Shikamaru groaned in his usual lazy tone.

"Wha… you watch it!"

"What are you doing anyway? I thought you're going to leave?"

"I am! But my brother was called off by your azure Dragon or something."

"Who the hell is that?"

"Your own village's living legend and you didn't even know?"

"It's too troublesome to find out."

"You are hopeless."

Just then, Gaara appeared. "Temari."

"Gaara! Good, you're here! Good. Let's find Kankurou and leave!"

"You seem to be in a hurry?" Gaara looked at his sister skeptically.

"Short of." 'The faster I get the hell out of here, the faster I'll get away from him.'

Gaara sighed. "Okay. Go find Kankurou."

"Right." Temari cheerfully walked away.

"Are you Nara Shikamaru?" The sand user turned to the shadow user.

"Hm? What?" The lazy Nara perked up.

"Something had been brought to our attention. Hence the Hokage had asked you to accompany us all the way to Suna. Ask her about the details."

"What… you mean I'm coming with you?" Shikamaru howled as he felt his lazy hour had been taken away from him.

"Yes." Gaara answered clearly.

Temari, who was eavesdropping, fainted on the spot.

-----------------

Few hours after that, in the afternoon…

Neji had finally given up looking for Tenten without having a lunch first. He was sipping his tea in a canteen when the groaning Shikamaru barged in.

"You seem to be in the bad mood?" Neji asked.

The shadow user growled. "Look who's talking. You're not in a very good mood yourself." He took a sit right in front of Neji.

"What happened?"

After thinking about for a few seconds, he decided that he really needed someone to let it all out. "Just great. I was free this week and I was planning to sleep all day! And then guess what happened! The Hokage called me and sent me to a troublesome job to escort Gaara to Suna!"

"I see. Why haven't you left yet? I saw Kankurou had already packed. I don't think you need a long time to do that now do you?"

"It was stupid. That Steel fan-girl fainted because she was too drunk! Right now she's still sleeping. But I think we'll leave in the evening once my other teammate ready too."

"Teammate?"

"Hokage want to send two shinobi. One is me… the other is… I think… Tenten."

Neji's tea cup broke as it slipped off his fingers in shock.

------------------

"You are just avoiding Neji aren't you?" A woman, in her 40s, wearing a full red Chinese dress was looking at Tenten, who were packing up her equipment.

"I don't know what you're talking about, mom."

"Tenten… I know something's wrong with you. Last night you came home, crying! And then when I asked what's going on you only said that if Neji tried to meet you I have to tell him that you're not here! Something's definitely wrong!"

"I want to do this mission because I want to see the world. I want to become the best Ninja. For that, I need to know lots of things outside this village, am I not?'"

"He came here today asking if he could meet you. He said something about wanting to apology. Tenten. Please be honest with me. What happened?"

"I'm always honest!" She forced to smile.

"No you're not. I can always tell you're lying. I'm your mother, remember?"

"Off course you are." She threw a scroll into her bag.

"Then, please tell me the truth."

"…I'm sorry… but this is something I've decided on my own. I'm sorry; mom, but I can't tell you why."

"…Tenten…"

"…Mom… could you leave me alone for a few minutes? I'll get down when I'm done."

"…okay." Tenten's mother left her daughter alone.

Tenten looked at her bag. '…Neji… you'll regret this for the rest of your life.'

-----------------

Evening…

Naruto was at the gate. Gaara, Kankurou, a pale Temari, the grumbling Shikamaru and Tenten were standing in front of him.

"Well, safe journey to Sand."

"Till we meet again." Kankurou smiled. Gaara was rather uncertain on what to do.

Naruto noticed and grinned. "Normally in times like this, we shook hand to each other. But to tell you the truth I'm not really good at stuff like this… so…"

Just then, Gaara offered his hand. Naruto looked at his hand and smiled. The two shook hand.

Tenten looked around; Neji wasn't anywhere to be seen.

"Well, we'll be on our way now." But before the group could took their leave, Chiyo suddenly hopped in.

"Wait, wait! I'm coming with you people!"

"Chiyo-baa-san?" Temari exclaimed.

"I've heard the story from the slug woman. I'm coming with you people."

"But, aren't you needed here?"

"Who you take me for? I maybe old, but I'm not helpless! In fact you might need some help."

"Do we now?"

"Just accept it. Besides, I have wanted to give my grandson some love for quite a while now…" 'Sasori, we'll meet again.'

They looked at the old woman. She seemed determined. Everyone looked at Gaara. Kankurou mouthed: "It's up to you." The sand user eventually nodded.

The group left with Naruto waving his hand in goodbye. The sand trio returned the wave as they go. Naruto watched them as they disappeared from the sight.

Moments later, training ground…

Naruto was walking slowly to the training ground when he saw Neji was kicking a log time and again. The log was all beaten up, a sign that it had been going all day.

The fox host walked right next to Neji.

"Tenten left."

"So I've heard."

"You're angry with me for what I did last night?"

"No."

"…why didn't you meet her? I thought you wanted to see her?"

"She didn't want to see me. Why should I bother myself?"

Neji received a punch right on his cheek as an answer. The Hyuuga prodigy fell to the ground. Yet he showed no sign to retaliate.

"Because, she loves you." Naruto replied, holding up his anger.

"What the hell do you know?" Neji was somewhat angry not to Naruto… but to himself. When he heard about Tenten leaving, it was as if he will never saw her again. He lay low on the grass field, feeling like a failure he is. "I… I've failed her, that's why."

"Then you're just gonna give up?"

"Like you give up on Sakura?"

"Don't mock me, Hyuuga Neji! I care for Sakura, and honestly, I still do! But she loves Sasuke, and that's why I know, she's a lot happier with Sasuke! Even I doubt I could be a man who'll make her happy! That's why I'm angry when Sasuke left her!"

"Wasn't it just the same with me? The thing is, she left me. She liked it that way. Then so be it."

"Neji, there's a clear difference between giving up and letting go! The difference between Sasuke and you is that you've realized what you have lost!"

"Even if I'm not giving up, then what are you proposing me to do? Chase her all the way to Suna?" Neji was losing patience. "…She didn't want to see me. I just… let her do as she likes."

"…you should've seen her back there. She told Tsunade that she want to leave because she wanted you to come and see her-"

"This is my problem! Not yours! Don't go around making me feeling regret or anything! Who are you to say things like that? Huh?" Neji roared in anger.

"Neji, look. I'm a person who doesn't want your team to suffer the same fate that happens to mine! My team was all broken up, just because the Genius of our team made a stupid mistake as he severed his bond with us! I don't want you to make that same stupid mistake of giving up and sever your bond with her like this!"

Neji looked at Naruto. He shook his head in remorse. He spoke in a much calmer tone. "…no Naruto. I'm sorry I yelled at you… I know you're trying to help… but I think I've screwed up. The bond between me and Tenten… that bond you've talk off… it has been severed last night… it was… my fault. I deserve this… fate."

"Only if you give up on her, that's your decision to give up, not your fate! I thought you stopped believing in those kinds of things such as fate and alike!"

"…" Neji looked down.

Naruto sighed. "…sorry. It wasn't my right to lecture you like this… I just can't stand it seeing it… because it was my fault. Had I not been so drunk that day…"

"It was bound to happen, sooner or later. It wasn't your fault."

Naruto felt kind of bad. "…I'll leave you alone for now to calm yourself. Just for you to know, Kira said to me our training tomorrow will be intensified."

"…hai."

Naruto take one last look to Neji before left.

Neji finally laid his back to the grass field. He looked up to the evening skies. "…fate huh?"

-------------------

A week earlier…

"You called sir?" A silhouette of Itachi along with the other members of Akatsuki appeared.

"Yes. There's a change of plan." A figure that is supposedly the leader spoke.

"What kind of sudden disturbance that you stop doing the needed preparation, yeah?"

"The Youki signature of Shukaku disappeared."

"Is it now?"

"Yes. Hence, a change of plan is in order."

"How much change will it be?" Itachi spoke.

"'The Five' requested that the currently known Jinchuriki are to be located, subdued, and secured immediately."

"Those old geezers are pretty impatient." A female voice asked.

"I think the director feel that we're not hurrying enough." Another Akatsuki figure, the biggest amongst all stated.

"Nevertheless, we have our instructions."

"But still, we haven't got enough time to prepare. What should we do, sir?" Kisame groaned.

The leader sighed. "The Five told us that the most important thing right now is to ensure that the Youma'ou are captured and made sure that they are ready for extraction at any time, by any means necessary."

"But the time is-" Zetsu interrupted.

"Yes, the Five also aware of that. Which is why, we must locate the two known Youma'ou Jinchuriki in the next 2 years. From there… we have to 'contain' them until the extraction. Which means… this is going to be a hard work for everyone, for it will take a longer time then expected… probably a year longer."

"Perhaps it will be a longer and perhaps a harder work then you can imagine, sir."

"Anything you wish to say Itachi?"

"There's a problem. A very big problem that might make 'The Five' reconsiders this… desperate decision."

"Which is?"

"The Shitennou are all on the move." The female Akatsuki answered.

All figure turned to the girl's silhouette.

"All four of them." The figure added.

"Are you certain?" the leader asked. His voice went deathly serious.

"Certain as ever. I saw him with my own eyes. One of the Shitennou, which is Kira Yamato, was on the close watch on both Shukaku and Kyuubi's Jinchuriki. And recently, he was watching over Kyuubi's Jinchuriki. The Shukaku had left Konoha, but I figure that he had prepared someone else to watch over Shukaku. Judging by the way things going, it would appear to be that all four of them had already begun to move against our actions."

"How do you know all that?" Itachi asked.

"Well, I'm in Konoha right now. I've been watching over this village for quite some time now."

"Good work. Keep a close watch on them."

"I don't know. It's getting harder for me to watch over the Jinchuriki without him, or the Shitennou for that matter, to notice me. The Shitennou's training him, and he's getting stronger by each passing moment. Sooner or later I won't be able to keep up any longer."

"Kyuubi was my job, I thought you know that?" Itachi was somewhat vexed.

"Take it easy there, Itachi. Don't go around turning yourself into a workaholic all the sudden. You'll work yourself to death one of these days."

"That's Itachi for you." Kisame chuckled. Some members also snorted.

"Uh-hum." The leader calmly took everyone's attention. If everyone could see his face, they would see him smiling kindly. "Nevertheless, thank you for all your information. However, we have our orders. For now, we'll _pretend _to do it. Just keep a close watch on them but wait for further instruction."

"I hate waiting." A short figure groaned.

"You have your orders Sasori."

The puppet master simply groaned as he nodded.

One week later… Somewhere in the borderlines of Kaze no-kuni and Honoo no Kuni…

'She said that the Jinchuriki will be here shortly… damn the superiors to force me to do this! I hate waiting.' Sasori was inwardly groaning. Next to him, his partner Deidara was checking his clay bags.

"Remember Sasori-dono! This Jinchuriki's my assignment, so I should be the one taking care of him, yeah?"

"How many times you've told me that?"

"A lot didn't I…Yeah?"

"Every single god-damn hour. Now will you just shut up and get on with the scouting?"

"Okay, okay, yeah." Deidara put his hand into one of the bag. He pulled it out, revealing a mouth on the palm. It was chewing something. After a while, the mouth let out a handful of clay. The Ishi Nuke Nin (Rock Missing Nin) balled his hand, opening it, before revealing half a dozen small clay birds. "How do you like this Sasori-dono? This was artistically designed… yeah."

Sasori looked at the birds and sighed. "You mean artistically explosive?"

"Where's the beauty if it can't produce any artistic single fleeting feeling, yeah?" Deidara released the birds to every direction.

"Sorry. But your art of ka-booming stuffs weren't really my thing."

"Well, our perspective differs, yeah?"

"Whatever. Just be done with it."

"Yeah, yeah." Deidara closed his eyes. Meanwhile, the clay birds were flying high above the air. Their clay-made eyes had chakra flowing within them, with a very thin and long chakra string connected directly to Deidara's brain. Now, in the Clay-users head, it was as if he was watching 6 different views at the same time. "Found them, yeah."

"Where?"

"They're going our way alright, but… the Jinchuriki is not alone, yeah."

"That is to be expected. Who's with him?"

"Just brats… oh, no. That'll be… six people, yeah."

"Six people? That's above the standard of traveling."

"Well it's just this; the group consisted of five brats, and one old hag. Four from Suna, including the hag, and the rest, Konoha, yeah."

"…old hag? Was she fat, short, wearing brown attire?"

"Yep, yeah."

"…Deidara, when were you going to make the move?"

"Pretty soon. Why asked, yeah?"

"Because… I need to say hi to a certain someone. After all she is my granny."

-----------------

-----------------

-----------------

TBC

As usual, read and review please.

Next chapter:

Chapter 17

Kappa, Priest, Alchemy


	17. Kappa, Priest, Alchemy Part 1

Hoo, hoo… massive long chappie here… Hence the part 1-part 2-part 3 thingy.

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": special case**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA: Demon speech **

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

**Chapter 17.1:**

**Kappa, Priest, Alchemy**

**Part. 1: Life in Storm**

A figure wearing a black coat was walking calmly in the middle of the desert. "Kira sure use people rather harsh. Finding the Akatsuki and the Jinchuriki at the same time? Heh." The person shook his head. Brandishing his long staff, he turned around several times, looking for something, or rather, someone.

----------------

"We're nearing the country border. From there, it'll be 2 day journey to Suna. For now, we'll rest here." Kankurou opened his backpack and unraveled his camping gear.

"Okay." The other began doing the same. Tenten gathered some fire wood while Shikamaru simply unpacked his sleeping bag.

Few moments later, the fire had already started.

Gaara was rather confused. He had never slept before, so he never brought any sleeping bag or any camping equipment. Kankurou seemed noticed his brother confusion. "I thought this would happen. Here, I bought this from Konoha." The puppet master threw the sand user a sleeping bag.

Gaara looked and blinked. "…what am I supposed to do with this?"

"You sleep in it. Here you open the zipper, then get inside the bag, and then you zip it back from inside. Here like this." Kankurou tried to explain how it was done to Gaara.

After some time, Gaara was already inside the sleeping bag.

"How're you feeling?"

"…I can't move."

"Well, you don't walk in your sleep do you?"

"…guess not."

"Nighty night. Anyway, who's going to watch for the night?"

"That'll be me. Anybody switch me after 2 hours okay?" Tenten volunteered. Inwardly she was thinking of making herself busy so that she can forget about Neji.

"Okay." Chiyo answered.

"You sleep there, I'll sleep here! You got 10 feet near me, I'm gonna blow you all the way back to Konoha! Got me?" Temari was downright frustrated. She kept on asking to have the lazy bum replaced. But it would appear that none were available or even qualified. Plus, apparently the decision is final. She finally gave up. But she made sure that Shikamaru was nowhere close to her at ALL time.

"Gheeze. Calm down, I'm not gonna grope you or anything!" Shikamaru only shook his head.

"Shut up! Just try do that, and I'll TORTURE you to death!"

"That's a Girl for you."

"Excuse me?" the females glared at Shikamaru.

"Mendokusee."

Kankurou sweatdropped.

Pretty soon, everybody was fast asleep. Only Tenten awake… or so it seems. Chiyo got up. Tenten looked back. "Chiyo-baa-san, it's still 90 minutes before the switch, you should be sleeping."

"Nah. I hate sleeping. When you reach my age girl, sleeping will be closest thing you'll ever get to death. I still got too many things to do before I die."

"I bet."

"May I?"

"Sure." Tenten moved a bit, giving the old lady a space to sit. Chiyo sit next to her.

"It's quiet night, tonight. Almost too quiet. Be wary young one. We may be safe from wolves and alike, but this is a perfect spot for ambush."

"Wolves were the least of my worries. We should consider ourselves lucky if those animals are the only thing that'll stand in our way."

"You're referring to Akatsuki?"

"…I only heard things. What are they?"

"Akatsuki is the organization that consisted of powerful Kage-level missing nins. They hunt Bijyus, amongst other things."

"Bijyus?"

"Tail Beast. Demons. Citizen of Konoha and you didn't even know? Your village was attacked by one before!"

"You're referring to Kyuubi inside Naruto's stomach?"

"Yes. They hunt the Jinchuriki, they who, in their body, were sealed the demons. In the past, governments in the worlds sought to find a way to use the unfathomable power of the Bijyu. None succeeded. Eventually only Jinchuriki, the one known method capable of utilizing the demon's power."

"This Akatsuki… hunts Naruto… and Gaara, to take away their demons?"

"Precisely."

"I kinda overheard things. But I heard something along the lines of Sasori of the Red Sand. And the way you've said it, he's your-"

"Grandson. Yes. He was the only family I have left aside from my brother."

"I'm sorry."

"…"

"…"

"…"

"Granny?"

"…"

Tenten looked closer. "Granny? Oh my god, did she die?"

"…no."

"K-!" Tenten hurriedly closed her mouth, otherwise she will really going to shriek and wake everyone.

"Ahahaha! I'm just playing dead!"

"You scared me." Tenten pouted.

"Ahahahaha!"

----------------

The next day, high above the skies, Deidara was watching the landscape with his 'artistically modeled' clay eagle.

"Now, let's see, let's see… where is our target now, yeah?"

"Deidara, have you seen them?" Sasori's impatient voice echoed inside Deidara's ear drums.

"Just wait. I'll tell you when I saw them, yeah."

Somewhere 30,000 feet below, the puppet master growled. "I hate waiting!"

"You know what you need Sasori-dono? You need calcium and composure, yeah."

"Deidara you lit'l shit. Are you trying to piss me?"

"Sorry. Forgot to tell you that you might get pissed, yeah?"

"Once we're through all this just you wait!"

"Whatever, yeah." The clay user scanned the area with his eye scope. "Target found. Yeah."

"Where?"

"Later!"

"Deidara wait!" Too late; the communication was cut off soon. Sasori pounded his fist. "Son of a bitch!"

"Heh, sorry Sasori Dono. But every artist needs a challenge, yeah?" His clay falcon was speeding up towards the group. Just then, a swirl of silver sand storm enclosed everyone. 'W… What the…?'

Not only Deidara, the group was also equally confused.

"What kind of sand storm is this?"

"Do not separate!" Gaara yelled.

However, the sandstorm came with an abnormally powerful wind that made everyone had a hard time standing.

"God-damn it! These winds are jutsu! No mistake about it. The velocity is downright abnormal!" Kankurou was trying to use his chakra to stick to the ground with little to no success.

"Everybody hold on!" Shikamaru's voices were swept out by the roaring wind.

"AAAAH!"

"WHOAAAA!"

Pretty soon, everyone was tossed off their feet.

Deidara managed to escape the sand storm, but his falcon didn't. It exploded the moment it touched the Silver Sandstorm. When it's all over, his target disappeared. He groaned. "Damn! Sasori-dono isn't gonna be happy about this…"

-----------------

Neji had already calmed down considerably after yesterday. Naruto, being Naruto, easily brushed off the event. Yukiku, who was completely oblivious with the recent event, simply get on with life. As Kira had promised, their training had gone way more severe. But they did it without complaint.

At the afternoon, lunch time, they were eating at the Shinobi quarter. Naruto slowly ate up his meal whilst savoring the taste of each individual ingredient.

'Let's see… beef, onion, soy, water, salt, pepper, and lettuce… …LETTUCE?' "Hey, I thought this is steak?"

"Yes?"

"There's lettuce in it!"

"So?"

"It's a veggie!"

"Yes it is. It's a vegetable. All kids need four basic food groups."

Naruto grumbled.

"Anyway, if you're done, we're going to need a new set of clothes for you."

"Do I?"

"Excuse me, would you like to lend Neji's clothing all the time? You practically destroyed every clothes you wear! You need some clothes for your own. One in particular that won't be easily destroyed."

"Okay." Kira was right. Currently Naruto still wore Neji's clothing. All his clothing, including his favorite orange attires was all busted out in his Apartment in the battle against the sound. One of Neji's clothes he lent was destroyed when he had to fend off the Garous. Sooner or later, he really had to get his own clothing. It won't be nice if he kept destroying other people's clothes.

Kira and Naruto finished their meal first. Kira told Neji. "You two, just stay here. We'll be right back."

"Okay." Neji nodded. This was his chance of proper rest after all the training. He reached out for his cup of tea when the glass cracked. He looked at it. '…I usually don't believe in this kind of thing… but I have a bad feeling…'

Kira and Naruto walked into the street. Just then, Kira noticed something. He put on his hat to cover his face. "Naruto you go first to the tailor. I want to check something out."

"Sure." Naruto looked suspiciously at the sudden change of behavior but obliged nonetheless.

Kira walked slowly to the spot. It's a thrown up newspaper. But the date was today. He looked at the headline:

"_**They're BACK!**_

**_People from every corner of the world please exercise extreme caution. A highly dangerous band of terrorist missing Nins that were known as the Shitennou had returned. For those who do not know about them, they are enigmatical, illuminati-esque organization comprised of terrifyingly powerful missing Nins, whose origin were still unknown. Each of them was rumored able to take on a single nation on their own. Governments from various countries had been looking for them for ages. Every time we think they're gone, they keep returning to brought fear and terror amongst us. We need your cooperation to help us to meet up with this threat. Anyone who has seen them is expected to report immediately. Any senders of useful information regarding them will be richly rewarded."_**

Kira tucked his hat as he chuckled. 'They don't even put any pictures or descriptions… che… they've also begun to move… as expected. I wonder… does it have something to do with Akatsuki sudden movement? Or could it be…?'

He looked to the direction of Kaze no Kuni. 'Athrun, be careful. Let's just hope things would get on nicely out there…'

"Oi, Kira-sensei! Hurry up!"

"Okay, okay…" 'Speaking of which… I wonder how the Kappas were doing…'

------------

The first sensation that welcomed one Kankurou was the warmness of a blanket. When he opened his eyes he saw a straw ceiling. 'Where… where am I?'

He removed his blanket and looked around. It's a straw house with the interior were decorated mostly by leafs from of watery plants. 'Leafs… wait the minute, watery leafs in the middle of a desert?'

He turned to his side; putting away the thought of unusual decoration; he wondered where the others are. His question was answered when he saw Shikamaru right next to him. 'That's the lazy bum alright… where's Gaara, Temari, Chiyo-baa-san and that weapon girl?'

"Ah! You awake!" A voice that sounds like a choked throat asked.

Kankurou turned towards the speaker and yelled. "GWAAA! KAPPA?"

Indeed it was a Kappa. It has spiky red hair circling his round head and a plate full of water on top. A tortoise shell covered his back and his face had that birdlike beak. The Kappa in question was wearing a grey Hakama and long dark blue trousers covering his green skin. Aside from that, he also wore a pair of wooden sandals. His built were rather muscled. He looked confusedly at the puppet user. "Yes I'm a kappa. Is there something wrong mister?"

"A kappa? A living breathing… Kappa?"

"What's all the ruckuses? Shut up!" Shikamaru growled as he got up. He looked at the creature in question. "…a Kappa."

"Yes. I'm a kappa. What happen to your friend? He looks scared."

"Dunno."

"Confounded lazy stupid idiot! Kappa is flesh eating monster that loved to choke somebody to death before eating them raw!"

"Ho? Ah hahaha! Where did you hear that? We Kappas only eat fish. Normally we fry' em or roast' em. But we never eat human."

"See? They won't eat us or hurt us then why did you wake me up?"

"You bloody idiot! We have to found the others!"

"Mendokusee. Calm down for one full second could ya? Anoo, Mr Kappa. Where did you find us?"

"Actually, I found you two stuck just on the edge of the sand storm. I immediately took you out of there before the sandstorm got you."

Kankurou gaped. "What is that Sandstorm?"

"That tornado is 'Eight-Fold Silver Desert Dragon' Formation. It acts as a barrier to protect us from outside dangers."

"Us? Are you saying there are more of you?"

The kappa laughed. "Is it weird? In fact mates, you're in our village now."

"EEEEH?" Kankurou's jaw couldn't get any lower.

The two immediately grabbed their clothing from the Kappa, whom they soon know the name was Himizu. The Kappa kindly escorted them outside the house into the Kappa village. They gasped. Impossibly sturdy looking buildings were built on top of mountains of yellow sand. Kankurou was amazed. He never thought that buildings can be build upon a fragile soil like sand. Shikamaru however, practically paid no heed. The village itself was quite big. Not as big as a normal shinobi village, but it's still big. About 2/3 the size of Sunagakure. Two things however, were surprising him: 1. Water flowing like river from here and there, and Kappas constantly drank or refill their plate from it, a sign that it was clean water. Watery plants grow inside ponds that were sited everywhere. Fish jumping in and out occasionally from the pond. Kankurou had to rub his eyes several times. The people in Sunagakure could kill each other only to live in a place with abundant of water like this. And there's thing number 2: the whole village was encircled by a massive Sandstorm. Judging by the fact that the sand was vaguely transparent silver colored, one can say that it was clearly not a normal sandstorm.

"A village of Kappas… with so much water… in the middle of the desert?"

"You're amazed aren't you? Well it wasn't like this a few decades ago. We Kappas had to travel from one place to another, searching for clean water. It's all thanks to the Turtle Priest we finally managed to settle down in this wonderful place."

"But… how could you guys produce so much water?"

"The Turtle Priest taught us how to create a natural rain. But he constantly encouraged us to be wise in using our water. We agreed wholeheartedly, for it is crucial for our survival."

"…creating rain?"

"Oi, Himizu san. Who is this…Turtle Priest?"

"He's our savior. He came in contact with us often, checking our conditions… he taught us a lot of things! On our early days settling down, we don't know how we'll end up had it not for him helping us."

"Hmmm…"

"Well, if you see him, can you tell me? We sure can use his help in Suna! Every people in MY place were dying to get a place like this."

"Ahaha. Well, actually…"

"HIMIZU!" A gruff and militaristic voice called.

The Kappa gasped and turned around. "Ahh… Saizou Danna!" The two nin looked at the said kappa.

This one looked bigger and muscular then Himizu. His carapace had bigger and longer sharp spikes jutting out here and there. His skin is darker then Himizu, and he wore an eye patch that covered his left eye. A long scar plastered on the said eye. His hair was grayish black and somewhat longer then the others. He wore an armor that covered about ¾ of his figure while leaving his scarred chest bare. A long massive Nodachi rested on his waist. Dark grey samurai armor pads covered his left shoulder and arm, whilst his right hand is only covered by an arm guard. Two kappas, both slightly smaller, were standing on his back. They were carrying a trident with them. Judging by all the condition, the two Nins concluded that this kappa is a general or some short.

"You brought strangers again here. You were lucky last time. But now, I really can't help you anymore."

"Saizou-danna. These people were wounded. They were unconscious when I found them."

"And bringing them here was the brightest idea you can get?"

"Well… I can't just leave them to die…"

Saizou sighed exasperatedly. "You've risked the exposure of our village to humans. This time I can't help you. Guards, take the humans away." The two Kappas did as they were told. Kankurou tried to fight, but silenced with a glare by Shikamaru.

'We're the uninvited guest here. Be quiet until we have a chance!' the Shadow user whispered. Kankurou reluctantly nodded.

"But they were dying at the time! What are you proposing me to do?" Himizu protested.

"Himizu, I don't want to upset you or anything. But I had to follow the order. The elders had spoken. Now they will convene and decide their fate. It's well beyond my jurisdiction. Sorry."

Himizu could only watch his guests being dragged around roughly.

--------------

Gaara groaned in pain as he tried to get up from mountains of sand that covered half of his shoulder. Half of his body was sunk into the sand. He tried to disperse them when he remembered he can no longer control sand as easy as before. With a little bit of effort, he managed to burst out of the ground. He looked around. Yellow sand as far as his eye can see.

**IT'S SEEMS WE'RE SEPERATED QUITE FAR OFF FROM THE REST.** Shukaku's voice boomed.

'Let's go find them then.' He looked around. He tried to accumulate sand. Little that reacted to his command.

**SORRY. BUT I GUESS YOU HAD TO WALK. YOU CAN'T USE SAND TO CARRY YOU ANYMORE.**

'I AM going to walk. But that's not what I'm trying to do right now.'

**THEN WHAT?**

Gaara knelt down and gathered a handful of sand. With chakra he turned it into an eyeball. He touched his left eye. 'Daisan no Me!'

In an instant, it felt as if his eye was out of the socket. Yet he can still see. 'Now just wait for the wind…'

A few moments later, a strong wind blew. Gaara crushed the eye, letting the sand scatter as the wind blow them away. He grabbed his headband and tied it on his head in a similar fashion with Kakashi. "Now, we wait."

--------------

Tenten groaned. "Wait until I find the one responsible for this…" The weapon mistress stood up while brushing off some sand away from her attire. She undid her buns and started shaking it. "There's gonna be sand in my hair for months." She tried to brush off the sand stuck up in her hair to no avail. All the while, seeing her hair down reminded her of the past event with a certain Hyuuga. "AAAAAH!" She snapped and shook her hair violently.

After several minutes of hair yanking, she calmed herself. 'Calm yourself… the first thing to do now is to find the others… you can deal with Neji, after.'

A nick of sand got her eye. "Kh…my eye. Stupid sand."

Roughly a few kilometers away from there…

"Found one." Gaara stood.

--------------

Back to the Kappa village…

"Question, how long you're going to stay here?"

"Until I figure a way to get the hell out of here, and then find our friends. Why don't you sit down? You've been walking back and forth for hours!"

"Because I'm downright worried! Why can't you used that shadow jutsu of yours, possess one of the guards, and get us out of here!"

"Even if we can get out of this cell, we still got that sandstorm to worry about. If we get out just like that, we might gonna get ourselves killed. That Kappa general named Saizou, he really means business."

"Khh… alright." Kankurou sat down and sighed. He looked at the two Kappas guarding their cell. They've been here for quite some time. They weren't treated very nicely. But, what would you expect? They're prisoners after all.

Abruptly, a familiar Kappa came to them.

"Halt! State your business!"

"General Saizou asked me to bring the prisoner their food." Himizu's voice replied.

"Okay." The guard opened the prison doors and Himizu went in.

"Ah! Himizu san! Good timing! Help us o-MM" Himizu immediately closed the sand Nin's mouth with his green hand.

"Lower you voices! Listen! I can't get you out here now! The elders were convening and they'll be ones that will decide your fate! There still some chance for you guys to survive! But you must lay low and stay quiet! If you try to escape, you'll be killed on spot, and they wouldn't care less!"

Kankurou slumped down whilst Shikamaru simply sighed. "Why is it that you people hate outsiders so?"

Himizu sighed. "…I don't know the complete stories… the elders knows… but still… I heard that we Kappas were once a great nation once. Until outsiders came, and we were reduced into this… life of wandering from place to place… we were lucky being helped by the Priest."

"…"

"Is that why you people dislike strangers?"

"That is correct." Saizou's voice answered. Everyone gasped to see the Kappa general. "Himizu, leave us."

"Hai!" the Kappa obeyed.

The general sat between the two. "I'm Saizou Mazura, head retainer and Commander of the Kappagakure armed forces. First of all, I really must apologize for putting the two of you here. If I didn't, some… short minded Kappa will kill you on spot."

"That much?" Kankurou cold sweated.

Saizou sighed. "You might already hear it from Himizu, but we were once lived as a massive nation. However, now, we're all that's left."

"What happened?" Kankurou asked, curious.

"We used to be open for everyone. Trades and stuffs working just fine with non-kappa beings… Perhaps… we've become too open in the end."

"In what way?"

"As the trade goes by, we also begin to accept culture from outside… some that weren't really going well with ours. Eventually, our society was split into two, those who retain our original culture, and those who accept the outside culture."

"Let me guess… constant conflict between the two parties that eventually escalated into a civil war?" Shikamaru finished.

Saizou snorted. "Well… that sum things up… amongst those whom we trade with, some were demons from Ma Kai. Some of us were enticed by the demonic powers… the next goes on the way you've said it, human. The thing is, our original culture lost… and the whole race were driven mad by the demonic powers… we become like beasts…. Creating all that evil myths you've heard about us… it took a long time before we regained our sanity and remembered who we were."

"So during the process… your entire nations falls… wait the minute… you seem to know everything. Were you actually there?"

Saizou rubbed his scarred eye. "I was one of those who somehow survived."

"How… old are you?"

"Does it really matter?"

"So… the villagers practically hate strangers?"

"Not everyone. Himizu's a good Example for that."

"But, the demons corrupted your race right? Why… they hate humans then?"

"Here's the thing: the first demonic influence came from human. They somehow infused demons within themselves."

Kankurou and Shikamaru looked at each other. "Jinchuriki." The two concluded.

"Well I don't how you humans call it now. I personally not too surprised. Humans after all, desire power above all else. Rendering demon power for dominating another species sounds like human habit for me."

"You can say that again…" Kankurou remembered his ruthless father.

"So what will happen to us now?"

"The council is convening to decide your fate. If they decided to execute both of you, then so be it."

"Great. So practically, you saved us, just so to kill us? What kind of rescue is that?"

Saizou sighed. "Just stay put. If you try to run… I'll execute you on the spot."

The kappa general left.

"Like hell we're going to stay here…" Kankurou groaned once the general was out of hearing range.

----------------

"Deidara, you better give me good reason why I shouldn't kill you now."

"Well, it's not my fault… honest, yeah!"

"You practically LEFT me there! You know damn well that I got some business with them. And you know damn well too, that you have interrupted my business… I don't like being interrupted!"

"I didn't interrupt anything, yeah."

Sasori growled and shoot a horde of kunai from Hiruko's mouth towards Deidara, who were flying around atop his clay owl. Some of them hit the owl, blowing it off the sky. Deidara immediately summoned another clay falcon and rides away from the angry puppet master.

"Calm down Sasori-dono! Okay I admit I'm wrong. But even if you're there, can you stop that sand storm that hit me, yeah?"

"Where the hell you think I came from? I'm a god-damn freaking Suna missing nin! Sandstorms are my breakfast!"

"Not this sandstorm. Uh-uh! Not this one. It's a jutsu, Sasori-dono. Somebody summoned that sandstorm… either it's to stop me, or to attack them. It's clear somebody's looking for the Jinchuriki too. That's what. Yeah."

Sasori glared at the clay user. "That's the last time I'll ever ask your help. This time, I'll find them myself!" The puppet master unrolled a scroll inside Hiruko. The puppet's stomach opened as the puppeteer put the scroll on the surface of the sand. Just then, it was as if there's a pack of moles digging in and spreading to every direction.

"Now, we'll do this right! You mess up, I'll kill you. Got me?"

"Yeah, yeah."

----------------

"Chiyo-baa-san! Please don't pretend dying again this time!"

"Ahahaha! I'm just playing dead!"

"One these days, you might gonna get yourself killed because that." Gaara shook his head. Not so long after he regrouped with the weapon mistress, his dispersed Third eye caught sight of the old lady. She was buried nearly six feet under, literally.

"So… all that's left are… Temari, Kankurou… and the Nara."

"My third eye found Temari's steel fan… I don't know where the person is… yet."

"Let's go then. That Steel fan is heavy. If anything I doubt Temari-san will be that far off from her weapon."

A few moments later, they found the said steel fan. It sank pretty deep.

"It's her fan alright. But where is she?" Tenten examined the fan.

"I haven't caught sight of the others too. Anyway, somebody took the fan out. We might need if we meet her."

Tenten grabbed the fan, and with the greatest ease, plucked it out of the sand. Chiyo gawked. "How… that Steel fan weighs nearly half a ton… how did you managed to lift it so easily?"

"Back in Konoha, I used to bring orders from my dad's shop, delivering it from house to house… mostly consist of heavy things… hundreds of Kunais, dozens of fuuma shuriken in various sizes… you can imagine how heavy was that can you?"

"Ah… guess so." Chiyo nodded.

"What's that?" Gaara noticed something.

"Hm?" Tenten looked at the fan. An imprint of a… creature can be seen on the fan.

"I don't recall that to be an imprint of a human hand…" Chiyo muttered.

**BECAUSE IT WASN'T A HUMAN… IT'S A KAPPA.** Shukaku's voice answered within Gaara's head.

"A… kappa?" Gaara repeated, disbelieving. The two, unaware of Shukaku's answer, looked confusedly at the sand user.

**YEAH. NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. THEIR HANDS ARE PRETTY MUCH MOISTURED SINCE THEY'RE RIVER CREATURES… NOT TO MENTION THE DISTINGUISHABLE WEB IN BETWEEN THE FINGERS… THIS WAS DEFINITELY A KAPPA.**

"I thought Kappas were only in fairy tales."

**KAPPA EXISTED. BETTER START BELIEVE IN FAIRYTALES… MY OLD MAN OFTEN TOLD ME STORIES ON HOW GENBU USED TO LEAD AN ARMY OF THESE CREATURES IN THE PAST WARS OF THE WORLDS.**

"Genbu? Who was that?"

**ONE OF THE SHUSHIN, HAGARETSU NO GENBU OF THE NORTH. KAPPAS WERE HIS SUBORDINATES… IF THE KAPPAS HERE… THEN I GUESS THAT ATHRUN MUST BE AROUND HERE SOMEWHERE…**

"Athrun? Wasn't he, like Kira, Genbu's agent? A Shitennou?"

**YES. **

Gaara frowned. "Is this his invitation… so that we may come to him?"

"Whose invitation?" Tenten asked.

Gaara blinked. The other two Nins were looking at him completely at lost.

"…I think I know who sent those sandstorms…I guess instead of us found him... He founds us." Gaara muttered, seemingly ignoring everyone's confusion.

"What's with the rude invitation?" Chiyo asked.

"…let's just try and find Temari and the others first… Shukaku, can you do something?"

**IS KAZE NO KUNI SURROUNDED BY SAND? **Shukaku answered confidently.

----------------

Kappa Village…

Shikamaru was sleeping while Kankurou was still grumbling.

All the sudden, the warden opened their cell. "Oi, we got one more of you lurking around."

Kankurou perked up whilst Shikamaru only turned his head. Two Kappa guards were carrying an unconscious yet familiar figure. When the two put the person to the ground, everyone gasped.

"Temari?"

"Hm? You know her?" One of the Kappa asked.

"She's my sister!" Kankurou growled before grabbing his unconscious sibling. "Hey, Temari! Temari! Wake up! God damn it!"

"…! What… who? Kankurou?"

"Temari! Thank goodness… you're alright!"

"Where are we?" The fan user looked around the cell.

"She was dying too when we found her. Don't worry, her wounds has been cured."

"What's the point of healing her wound if eventually you guys might gonna kill us?" Shikamaru spoke.

The warden growled. "You should feel lucky that you're still breathing now, human." He immediately closed the prison bars with a clank.

"Kankurou, where are we, what is he doing here, and you lazy bum, what do you mean, we might gonna be killed?"

Shikamaru brushed it off and return to sleep. "You explain to her. It's too troublesome for me to repeat the whole story."

Kankurou sweat dropped. He began his story with: "Okay. Look, right now…"

----------------

Sasori was still, grumpily, waiting the news from his puppet. Deidara, after his failure, decided wisely to be quiet all day, awaiting the senior Akatsuki to finish his job. One good thing he learned after tagging along with Sasori for all those years was never try to argue with him when he's pissed.

Meanwhile, knowing that his partner had decided to shut up, Sasori tried to think calmly on the current events that occurred that day. 'Silver sand storm…' the truth was he saw the sand storm too. And to him, silver sandstorm in the middle of yellow sand desert was clearly out of ordinary, make no mistake of that. Regarding to what Deidara had said about somebody else looking for the Jinchuriki, he can only think of one possibility.

"_The Shitennou are on the move… all four of them."_

'Shitennou…'

Years being a Shinobi and he knew almost next to none about these 4 people but the fact that they're clearly were even more mysterious then the Akatsuki itself. Given the fact that only a select few, which mostly perhaps older; or some may have rested high above the skies; then he did, who knew them, it would appear that they're not a very open group… nor they are a very active one… The Akatsuki's activity clearly had driven them out… but why? What is their purpose? Why now of all time, they choose to be on the move? Even for the information gathering expert like Zetsu, their existence still shrouded in obscurity. Given the lifespan of their group, it was clear that they were aiming a long term target… the question is what? This unknowingness of the enemy truly irritates him. The possibility that the enemy may know about them more then they do served only to further his frustration.

After several trains of thoughts flung into his mind, an image sent by one of his puppet caught his attention.

"Deidara, you got any creation that can go underground?"

"?" the clay user looked at his senior questioningly.

----------------

"I see… so let me get this straight. We're imprisoned by a paranoid Kappa society, just because we were caught by their own sandstorm, and because of that, they can kill us anytime. What kind of assholes are we dealing with here?"

"Paranoid ones… that's what." Shikamaru answered.

"And have you planned anything to get us out of here?"

"Not yet."

"And I was beaten by the likes of you in Chuunin exam?"

"You got any idea? Why don't you just spit it out rather then complaining?"

"You…!"

"Oi! Cut it out you two! You guys sounded like a married couple."

Temari glared at her brother, who cowered in fear the next instance. Temari looked at the lazy bum to find that he was lying lazily on the bench. But frowns in his forehead showed that he was thinking hard.

-----------------

Kappa elder meeting room…

"So, I am to understand, that you, once again, had endangered the exposure of our village to the outsiders? Humans, at that?" Seven elder kappas were sitting on turtle shells. Their bodies were relatively thinner then the guards. Their shell was a lot thicker and bigger then the rest, but the spikes were less sharp. Their hairs and eyebrows were mostly long and white. The also had writings in their chest, beak, carapace and several parts of their face. They all wore a rather raggy elderly hakama. The one that seemed to be the leader held a wooden staff, decorated with some old corals.

"They were dying at the time. One thing I can think of is to get these humans to safety. After all, they were caught in OUR sandstorm." Himizu retorted.

"It is their carelessness that brought them here. It is not our fault." Another rebuked.

"That sandstorm was enacted to make our village hidden. It wasn't meant to harm more people with it!"

"You dare to blame the Turtle Priest for enacting the sandstorm barrier?"

"NO! But… venerable elders… don't you think we've isolated ourselves long enough-"

"How long should we isolate ourselves is off your concern!" One elder growled loudly.

"…" Himizu bowed down.

"Himizu you must understand. The storm was there for a reason, and it's the reason we've survived this long." The leader of the elders spoke in a softer tune.

"But I overheard many times, the turtle priest offered to take off the sandstorm. People everywhere were anxious to get out! PLUS, you may say yourself we're safe here. But we're dying. Sooner or later the building anxiety will explode… eventually our people might gonna get themselves hurt just because they're trying to do something stupid. I think it is time we throw away our tradition of closing ourselves to the outside world. There's a value in just opening our doors just a little bit to the outsiders-"

"THAT SUBJECT IS NOT UP FOR QUESTIONING!" One of the elder finally burst out.

"I AM QUESTIONING IT!" Himizu angrily rebuked.

"ENOUGH!" the leader of the elder stomped his staff, cutting the outburst. "Girohi, we're elders. When sitting in this room, we must be impartial. We have no time to deal with your past personal vendetta. You don't want me to take your outburst personally… will you?"

Girohi bowed down his head in silence.

"Himizu. I understand your feeling. You are still young. It is natural for you to be inquisitive. However, you must understand that not everybody share your enthusiasm. Even if you do, where is the proof? Some of us too, as far as I concern, attack any outsiders on spot. You do know that, do you?"

Himizu frowned. "…then what will happen to the humans?"

"We cannot let them go. Otherwise they might tell everyone about this place."

"Or we can send them out blindfolded. That way, they will never know how to get here." One of the elder suggested.

"In the middle of the desert? Where they might thirst themselves to death? That's like giving them a slower, more painful death!" Himizu clearly didn't know, that as a sand nin, Kankurou or Temari have not much of a problem finding their way out of the desert.

"Then what do you propose we should do?"

Himizu went quiet.

"I suggest we keep them locked here, until we can ensure that they won't tell anyone about this place." The council leader concluded.

Himizu remembered what Kankurou said. People in Kankurou's village were dying to get a place like this. It is very likely for them to tell other humans about this place. To convince Kankurou or Shikamaru not to breathe a single word about this place might be difficult. And if he mentioned about it now, the chances the two humans faced the execution ground will be almost certain. Temporary imprisonment seemed much better then beheading. So the Kappa nodded in agreement.

"Anyone wish to object?"

The elders were silent.

"Very well. This meeting is hereby adjourned."

The elder left. The only one left were Himizu and the Council leader.

Himizu was about to leave when the elder called him.

"That wasn't a very nice outburst prince Himizu. If your father's here…"

"Cut the crap 'If my Father's here'. Uncle, we're dying, you know that! We're like rock being slammed by waves. Each of us was taken away with each wave!"

"Our current way of life is protected!"

"Our current way of life is deteriorating! We're isolated from the ever changing world. This entire village had become our whole universe! I knew you elders are old. But I believe your eyes still sharp! Sharp enough to see that we've lived like for 10,000 years ever since our clan first got out from the demonic curse. Sharp enough to see that everyone's been trying to get out of this place. Elders like you might think it can be controlled, contained. But I'm betting my shell that won't last long! People will try to get out of this place… sooner or later."

"You're still young. As you grow older, you will understand."

"Tch! Understand my ass…" Himizu furiously stomped out. "…I will never understand anything. My worlds are old maggoty books and tornado isolated village."

The angry Kappa walked out furiously, passing through Saizou who immediately stepped aside.

"Seeing him like that… I guess it's the same case?" The Kappa general sighed when he saw the elder nodded. "He is very curious… too curious for young kappa. I reckon he get that from his mother."

"I should've known. My sister told me before she breathes her last, that when Himizu reigns, the whole society will change. I guess she was true."

"That amount of curiosity… it equals the amount of talent he had…if only he put more time on training he'll become stronger then I do by now."

"You're not here to report on Himizu's training progress are you?"

"No. I'm just here to report that we found another human. A female. From what I heard she seem acquainted with the male humans we caught beforehand."

"I see."

"Judging by the way things are I'd say there are more of them. Clearly it's impossible for them to travel this desert by three people. This is quite troublesome that if there are more of them, the others will surely try to find their lost companions. Although I understand that we are protected by the storm, somehow they might be able to get through."

"I agree. Then what do you think we should do?"

"…about that, I have good news. The reason why these humans stuck here may not be our fault after all."

"Oh?"

"My scout reported that there's a silver sandstorm, exact same like ours, about 20 kilometers away from our village. There's only one person I knew able to do that."

"The Turtle priest had returned."

"He may know what to do with the humans."

"I agree."

-----------------

"See? You believe me now?" Sasori calmly spoke.

"Blessed Mother Earth… and I thought they were only legend…" Deidara had to rub his eyes several times.

Using his clay as a Chassis shell and Sasori's puppet as the machine, the two Akatsuki had dug deep underground to reach the place where Sasori had saw the Kappa village. Now they've safely passed the sandstorm barrier and took their sightseeing activity in the Kappa village, secretly deep down the earth off course.

"But, Sasori danna, our job is to found the Jinchuriki, we have no time to sightseeing, yeah?"

"Don't call this a waste of time… the Kappas body structure is interesting. I always wonder if the carapace on their back was planted within them… or were they detachable."

"You're not planning on capturing and studying them to be turned into a puppet are you?"

But, seeing the look on Sasori's face, the stone nuke Nin already knew the answer.

------------------

At the same time, Kappa village…

Meanwhile the three Shinobi prisoners were silently bidding their time waiting for their sentence. They've been thinking various ways to escape, all, sadly, were thwarted by the sandstorm.

"We can use your shadow to force a guard to open this cell. Once we do that, we need to go underground to avoid the sandstorm…"

"Where we're going to be crushed by the sand pressure?" Shikamaru pointed out.

"Well that's…" Temari's head bent down. Scratch another idea off her head, thanks to that accursed sandstorm existence. Everyone sighed. Kankurou was always the fighting type. He's not as smart as the other two. So, he chose to be quiet and lend his strength once the two geniuses decide their plan.

Silence reigned once again.

Outside, the Kappa village…

The Kappas were going on their daily life, unaware of the events that would transpire that day.

"Yo, my water is almost empty." A Kappa pointed his plate.

"Oh, okay. Here, fill up." Another kappa gave a water basin to the said Kappa.

"Thanks mate." The Kappa filled his head with water.

"Did you hear the rumors?"

"About what?"

"They say 3 humans were captured this morning. It was said that Prince Himizu brought them here."

"Huh? For a royalty he sure is daring."

"Youngster's curiosity I'd say."

"So what happened to the humans?"

"Apparently they are being held captive for now. Hey, did you also hear about the Turtle Priest is coming here?" The first kappa became excited.

"Oh, please don't change the subject yet." All the sudden, Sasori's voice intervened.

"Huh?" the two Kappas turned around towards the puppet user. "Who the…"

"I hate waiting. So you do well please explain to me in more detail about these three humans?"

"Human! What the hell are you do-" the Kappa never finished his question as Hiruko's tail went through his chest. The poor Kappa was raised to the air while the poison from the sting spread. The water creature began to writhe as unfathomable pain coursing through his veins. After a while, the kappa fell down, dead.

The other Kappa was shocked, but recovered from shock almost instantly, replaced by fury.

"Hurry up and answer the question. And I'll make sure you die painlessly." Sasori added calmly, while he checked the blood dripping from Hiruko's tail.

Instead of answering, the Kappa gave a long loud roar to the sky. The whole village heard the roar. "Now the whole village knew you're here, Human! Prepare to get butchered."

"Eh?"

"We're warriors! If you want to kill me too, you will not find me an easy prey!" The Kappa grabbed a spear, ready for combat.

Sasori chuckled. "Really…" With a flash, Hiruko's already in front of the Kappa. The puppet's right arm revealed a set of jagged claws before stabbing it right on the creature's stomach. It's only a scratch, but the sudden agonizing burn sensation in every part of the Kappa's body was all it needed to scream even louder, alerting more and more Kappa to come.

"Perfect." Sasori smirked.

Inside the Kappa village's town hall…

"What was that?" Saizou immediately brandished his sword and ran outside, where the commotion had escalated.

Hordes upon hordes of Kappa warriors were charging furiously at Sasori. Sasori though, easily dispatch them one by one with the blade tail. After he took out about a few dozen Kappas, one of them yelled. "Lock your shields! The human's tail won't get through!" The Kappas nodded and detached their carapace and held them in front of them.

"Eh? That answered my curiosity. Kappa's shells were detachable." Sasori calmly take notes inside his puppet whilst the said puppet continued its onslaught. The sting thrust into one of the shields. Much to the puppet master's surprise, the shield deflected it. Sasori inwardly smirked. "Hmm… let's try this then…" Using his strings, Sasori spin the edge of Hiruko's sting. 'Now, even if that shield blocks it, the sting will drill its way through… or will it?'

To test his theory, Sasori thrust the sting to one of the warriors. The drill sting hit the shield full. Sparks of fire began to light up as it attempted to penetrate the carapace. The Kappa in question gritted his teeth before he slammed his shield to the drill's side. The sting went off midair for a while before Sasori retracted it back.

'Note to self, get one of their carapace for check up. That shell practically blocked a sting that can penetrate even steel.' The puppet master was greatly excited. 'Then again, those shields are troublesome…'

Sasori opened Hiruko's mouth, from within a hurl of Kunai shot out. The Kappas blocked it all with their carapace. One of the Kappas suddenly realized that Hiruko's sting was heading towards him from above. He gritted his teeth as the blade hit his shoulder.

Sasori smirked. 'Got another one…' He tried to retract the sting. Much to his surprise, the sting stuck. "What the…" The Kappa that was struck by the sting dropped down his carapace to show that he was smirking, while his bleeding hand was holding the sting tight, which still sank into the Kappa's shoulder.

"Now you can't use this cursed tail of yours, human!"

"Foolish creature. That thing's poisoned!" Sasori was somewhat amused.

"Typical human. In the end, only humans that will think as low as using poison in battle. Afraid to fight with the honor and pride of a true warrior!"

Then Sasori realized. Amongst the pile of supposedly dead Kappas, some managed to stood up albeit the trembling. Indeed, as a puppet master genius, it is unquestionable that his poisons were superb. One small dose could actually kill a whale. One spoonful of poison turned to gas and it can still kill 20 blocks of houses. So it's pretty obvious if the entire arsenal stored within Hiruko were all poisoned. Sasori clearly had great confidence in his poisons. Able to stand up after getting even one scratch was pretty much humanly impossible.

The puppet master slapped his head in realization. HUMANLY impossible… Kappas were certainly NOT human. Now his overconfidence must pay its price: of all the Kappas he had taken out, with little scratches that is, at least 80 percent were still combat effective.

"That poison of yours… won't stop us!" The Kappas charged forward.

Sasori smiled as he pulled out a scroll. "Fine. How bout this then?"

The Kappas who were charging forward stopped when the figure suddenly exploded a massive amount of smoke, closing their view. When the smoke cleared, they jaw dropped. A massive humanoid thing, about 80 feet tall was standing in place of the small figure. The creature looked like a bulky muscular human, but it has 3 pairs of arm. Its head was covered by a samurai helmet with devilish skull mask adorning its face. Massive samurai armor pads covered all its six shoulders. Sasori in Hiruko, smiled. "Creating something like this needs a lot of bodies… about one city full. Thanks to that though, its destructive power was by far… in Deidara's term, artistic." The puppet master jumped into the creature's mouth. "Let's go, Ashura!"

The massive puppet began to move. One of its arms began to twist. The twisting continues until it reached maximum tension. "Quite frankly, this the first time I used it in battle. So, please be good enough to be my test experiments."

Ashura raised his twisted arm and slam its spinning fist right in the middle of the Kappas. A loud explosion shook the entire streets, throwing all the Kappas off the air. Some who were unlucky enough to be caught by the fist head on were crushed to smithereens upon contact.

Deidara, who was watching from the skies all along whistled. "Incredible, Master Sasori… and you said you dislike the art of kabooming stuff… in my opinion, that explosion was artistic enough for me, yeah."

Back to the cell…

"What the hell was that just now?" Kankurou was greatly alarmed.

"Sounds like an explosion." Shikamaru got up.

"It's so noisy out there… I wonder what's going on."

Shikamaru frowned. "Oi, guard! Let us out will you?"

"In your dreams humans. The only way you can get out of here is by getting past my big fucking dead ass."

"As you wish. Kage Mane no Jutsu!" Instantly the warden found himself unable to move at all; not even an inch.

"What the… what trickery is this? What have you done to me human?"

Slowly but sure Shikamaru moved the guards and unlocked the prison cells.

"Now hurry up and get out of here you two."

"You move one foot away from this cell human, and we'll execute you on spot!"

"You're not in position to make bargains here. Now shut up." Kankurou and Temari walked out of the cell. Shikamaru however, had one last trick.

"Hey, what are you doing? Let me go!"

"Your neck is longer then mine…so… have a nice dream." Shikamaru motioned his head as if he wanted to slam his head to the wall, but he stopped at the last second. The warden though wasn't so lucky. His longer head was banged into the prison bars pretty hard and it knocked him out cold.

"Now that we've done it, any idea on how do we get out of here?"

"…no. But one thing I've learned never lay low in one place when there's an explosion nearby. For now, let's go find our weapons. With all the occasions going on I rather not get out there unarmed."

"I couldn't agree more."

"What the hell…"

"Oh crap." The three Nins cursed. They turned around only to find Himizu stared wide eyed in shock. The Kappa immediately went down while the trio walked slowly around the place looking for their weapons.

"Do you have any idea what you've done? Breaking the cells, attacking the warden? They could hang you for that!"

"One thing about human: We're not just gonna stand by waiting to be killed."

"Yeah well I guess so! We got your human friends rampaging on our village now!"

"What?"

"He's using that big guy with six arms thingy, causing massive destruction! Was that your friend too?"

"Big guy?" Kankurou looked confused. "We don't know him."

"Are you? He's out there now!"

"I see. Well, that means we have to go." Shikamaru found his equipment.

"W-what? You're just going to leave?"

"What? What do you expect us to do?"

"Help us?"

"And we got executed for breaking off the jail? Please. What exactly your intention coming here?"

"I helped you didn't I? Do humans know nothing of repaying debt?"

"…we do. However, if we stay here, we're gonna have ourselves killed. Then how do we suppose to repay you?"

"Damn, I think I left my steel fan behind."

"Where's my puppets?" Kankurou groaned.

Himizu looked desperate. "Look, regardless whether you knew this people or not, there has been a lot of victims. We need all the help we can get… please… help us. And I promise I'll stand up for you in front of the council and take full responsibility… please."

"…" The three looked at each other. The sand siblings looked at each other first then towards Shikamaru.

The shadow user only sighed and muttered. "Mendokusee…" But he prepared his Kunai nonetheless.

Temari sighed. "That means yes."

Himizu was confused. "Some weird habit you humans have…"

"Oi, Himizu-san. Do you happen to see my puppets?"

"Puppets?"

"You might don't know, but it was bandaged all over, about a human size. Do you see it?"

"Oh, those things? Yeah. We put it on the other side of the cell. Was that yours?"

"Yes."

"In that case, Kankurou give me all our weapons. I don't have my steel fan with me; I need all the weapons I can get."

"Here." Kankurou handed her all his weapons.

"Follow me please." Himizu lead the way with Kankurou followed whilst the remaining two ran out of the place.

Outside, despite the appearance of the Ashura, the Kappas fighting spirits didn't seem to diminish. Sasori was quite impressed. "They are relentless and savage yet they know what they're doing. They're indeed a true warrior!" 'And true warriors usually have good bodies… but I'm looking for the best. Which one of you now?'

Sasori was swatting every Kappa that tried to attack him. The Kappas were clearly not stupid, as they attack in different style each time the previous attempt failed. At one time, they hurled a flock of massive lance that nearly impaled Ashura's head. The other time they tried to burn his puppet using boiling oil and burning arrows. Both failed as he swatted the lances off the air and smashed the cauldron away, but they certainly refused to give up. Currently they resolved by throwing their spears at the giant, to no avail as Ashura continued its onslaught.

Just then, the giant's leg smashed one Kappa to his death.

"Dear!" One female Kappa shrieked. The shriek caught Sasori's attention a little bit. He looked down to saw the Kappa was sobbing over her lost love.

'Hmph.' The Ashura continued its ruthless onslaught, ignoring it. All the sudden, Sasori felt he lost control on Ashura's left leg. 'Huh? What happened?'

He looked at the left leg and gasped. A kappa was gritting its teeth with a spear was sunk deep into Ashura's left knee. It would appear that the spear had stuck on one of Ashura's movement gears. However, what surprised the Akatsuki member the most was the fact that the Kappa was the female Kappa that he had left behind.

"What the… even the female ones too? Grrhh… do I have to squash every last one of you before you stop bothering me?" Sasori groaned. One of Ashura's arms began to twist again, ready to strike. And strike it did. But before the arm could hit its desired target the giant stopped in its track. "What now?" The puppeteer looked at his surroundings. Then he found a single black line linking Ashura's shadow. He looked in front of Ashura to see Shikamaru concentrating hard with his Kage Mane no Jutsu.

"Oi, Fan Girl! Get that woman out of there now!" Shikamaru was sweating all over. Right now, he was using every ounce of strength he had to stop the giant in its tracks.

"My name's Temari you lazy idiot!" The sand Kunoichi appeared right next to the female Kappa, who was trying to pull the spear out. "Come on hurry up!"

"My husband's spear! I can't just leave it here!"

"Gah! Here!" Temari grab hold of the spear and with a snap, he pulled the spear out of the massive leg. "Now come on!"

"Arrgh! I can't hold out much longer!"

Ashura began to move again. Sasori smirked. "Thanks for pulling that cursed spear out little girl. You saved me the trouble fixing Ashura's left leg."

"Guah!" Shikamaru fell down, terribly exhausted. Temari appeared next to him.

"Come on get up!"

"Damn… it… this is really… troublesome!" Shikamaru groaned. Meanwhile, the Ashura began to move towards him slowly, but it was gaining pace. On the streets, the Kappas reluctantly retreated while keep eying the puppet.

Temari was somewhat rather panic. She got the exhausted Shikamaru on her shoulder. Alas, the said person continued to slide down. Either out of anger or worry, Temari screamed: "ON YOUR FEET SOLDIER! ON YOUR FEET!"

The female Kappa helped Temari carrying the Konoha nin. Sasori gave chase, causing massive damage to the surroundings due to Ashura's size.

However, the Colossus finally caught up. Sasori was about to smash the group with his spinning fist attack when he noticed Temari. 'Wait the minute…' So, he punched right in front of the group instead. Ashura's fist sank there, killing some unlucky Kappas but intentionally blocking the three's way to escape.

Everyone turned towards the giant. Ashura's mouth opened up to reveal Sasori, still inside Hiruko.

Temari recognized the person in an instant. "You! Traitor!"

"Oh? You know me?"

"Akasuna no Sasori! What are you doing here?"

"That's my line. Either way, I'm not here to discuss such trivial matter."

"Trivial?" Shikamaru gritted his teeth. "You call destroying a village, killing its entire inhabitant, TRIVIAL?"

A kunai landed right in front of Shikamaru. "The reason why I haven't killed you yet right now is because you have a question to answer by staying alive. You have something I want. And I'm not letting you off until I get it."

Temari was furious. There's no doubt what he want. "I don't know where my little brother is… and even if I knew, I'll never tell you!"

"Fine. I guess your other sibling would be willing enough to answer my question… if I show him how I tear you off alive… limb from limb."

One of Ashura's arms extended to grab Temari. Surprisingly, Shikamaru tossed the Fan User towards the hand. "Shikamaru you-!"

Sasori smirked. "Ho… so you gave me the girl in exchange for your life? Too bad for you… I dislike that kind of guy. Die." Another one of Ashura's arm began to twist around preparing to crush Shikamaru and the Kappa. Shikamaru surprisingly was smiling.

The giant shot its swirling fist towards Shikamaru. Shockingly, instead of hitting the shadow user, instead it hit Ashura's hand, one that was blocking the way.

"What?" the resulting impact shook the entire puppet, setting it off balance before falling down on its feet with a massive thud. Temari managed to break free. She landed on the ground before immediately catching the nearly fainted Shikamaru.

"Care to explain what was going on in your head?"

"I… handed you to him… because I knew he will do that spinning fist to us again… I used Kage Kubi Shibari at that time to redirect that fist to his other fist… I know I can do it because his entire shadow was towering us… that jutsu is a lot stronger in close range… now we can go…" the shadow user was smiling though he was barely conscious.

"You… are the most idiot genius I've ever know!" Temari didn't know whether she should be praising him or give him a good beating. The female Kappa was somewhat confused.

"Excuse me? Is he a stupid or a very clever person?"

"Both!" Temari answered.

"Huh?"

Just then, Ashura moved again. "Okay. That's it. NOW I'm pissed." Sasori growled inside Hiruko. The next instance, the colossus had already stood up again. This time, the fact that Sasori was furious was evident as the first pair of Ashura's forearms on its back was suddenly torn apart, replaced by some short of a contraption that resembled a large gauntlet with revolving parts on the on the arm and spikes jutting out here and there. Its fingers were relatively shorter, but it has holes on its tips. The second pair of arms pulled out two blades out of nowhere. The remaining pair seemingly remained the same.

"What the hell is that?" Temari was somewhat horrified.

The first pair pointed its finger holes to the houses along the streets. Large pipes came out from its fingertips before the contraption began to revolve even faster.

Shikamaru was the first to realize the danger. "Run! RUN!"

The spinning had reached the top speed. Shikamaru yelled. "DUCK!" The next second, hundreds of large steel lances burst out from Ashura's fingers, raining every house on both sides along the streets, turning them into oblivion. Many Kappas who were caught by surprise were nailed dead as the projectiles pierced through their body while some were killed or wounded due to the explosions.

The three ducked down just in time a lance landed right in front of them. Temari was downright horrified. "What the hell was that?"

"I don't know. Still, you don't want to get hit by that."

"Get up, humans! We have to fight that thing back!" the female Kappa seemingly undisturbed by the fact that their opponent had just wiped off two blocks of house with one swipe.

"How, may I ask?"

"I think its weakness is in the spot I've stab him. If you can stop it like before…"

"I'm out. I can barely hold that thing more then a minute… besides; I doubt he'll fell to the same trick like before."

"Look!"

The giant had already towered them again. Sasori looked at the three. "It was you, wasn't it? The Nara. You're the one who redirected my attack back there aren't you?"

Shikamaru sighed. "So what if I am?"

"Fine. Try to redirect this." Ashura raised both of its swords, preparing to slam it at the three.

Shikamaru growled and look at the sky. 'Damn it… this is so… troublesome…'

"Die!" Ashura dropped both of its swords. The swords suddenly stopped in its track. Temari and the female Kappa looked confusedly. Temari realized this instantly. The sword's shadow was connected to Shikamaru's shadow.

Shikamaru grinned. "Thanks for saving me the trouble connecting my shadow to yours."

Sasori smirked. "Smart ass… let's see how long you can keep that up."

Shikamaru grinned. "I have no intention to keep this up anyway." The shadow user fell down on his back just as he just a few microseconds before his shadowbind jutsu reached its limit. Mimicking the fell, the colossus also fell. However, unlike Shikamaru, Ashura have additional limbs on its back. The cannon arm was the one to take the fall. Under the pressure of a few thousand tons, the weapon cracks.

Sasori realized this just a bit too late. He immediately used the other pair of hand to stop the fall. Alas, one of the gun arms had been damaged. Only one gun arm remained. "Damn that boy!"

Few moments later the giant puppet readied its swords and without further ado, swung it towards the group, specifically to Shikamaru.

"Shika!" Temari instinctively covered Shikamaru and closed her eyes. A loud sound of metal hitting metal echoed throughout the village.

After a few seconds, Temari dared herself to look. The female kappa's beak and eyes were open wide when she saw the scene. Saizou, using his long sword stopped the twin massive swords. Veins popping all over his well trained muscles.

"Grrrh… Hurry! Get them off here!"

Before the three could move, Kuroari and Karasu grabbed them all and pulled them away from the danger zone. The puppeteer Kankurou smirked. "Sorry I'm late. Got myself some trouble back there… and sis, you can let go your lover now."

"What?" Temari then realized. She was hugging Shikamaru, who nearly ran out of breath. Blushing furiously she let go the shadow user.

"Go Saizou-sama!" the female Kappa cheered the Kappa blademaster.

"Grr… RAAAAH!" With great effort, Saizou managed to toss both blades to the side.

"Hooo… you seem to be the boss eh? Good. Finally some challenge. But I will end this quickly."

Saizou steadied his breath.

Himizu who also arrived on the scene asked. "Kankurou-san, so this 'person' was a wanted criminal in your place?"

"Yep! Akasuna no Sasori. A missing Nin. A traitor." Kankurou answered as he readied all his puppets to battle.

Saizou also readied himself to battle.

Sasori smirked. Just then, Ashura suddenly knelt down. From his mouth the puppet master hopped down. Saizou was downright confused. "Do humans were supposed to have tails like that?"

"Now… if anything, I'd say it's a puppet."

"Puppet? You mean like a wirepuller? Where he controls the strings, controlling the movement of the puppet?"

"Yes. There's no doubt about it. The thing is, you won't be able to cut the strings… it's a chakra strings. We puppeteers can reform shred chakra strings as many times as we want."

"You mean that giant there… it's a puppet too?" Saizou gasped in disbelief.

"Apparently." Sasori answered. Hiruko's tail was swishing around menacingly.

"You… Why did you attack Kappagakure?"

"Well, because I'm interested in you people. I only heard you in legends… and now I'm seeing you with my own eyes…"

"Just what the hell you think we are?" Himizu growled angrily.

"A rare thing you don't see everyday that much for sure. And I'm pleased to say that I'm very anxious to tinker with your species."

"Why you…" the Kappa royal was about to march forward before Kankurou stopped him.

"Wait Himizu-san. This man is the most wanted man in Suna. He was rumored to kill his parents when he was a boy. A puppet genius at the age of ten. Don't make any wrong move!"

"Hoo… to be known by a brat like you… that's an honor…"

"Who wouldn't know you? Despite your reputation, every Kugutsu jutsu user knew your name. Open every Amateur guide in puppetry and your name will be mention at least 10 times. But why did you join Akatsuki?"

"Hmph. What good is it to tell that to a person who's about to die anyway?" Sasori snorted. "And you… your body's perfect. The muscles are all well trained… I can't wait to turn you into a puppet. Just give up and I'll make sure you die painlessly."

Saizou snorted. "Don't be too overconfident, human. This is a warrior's village, comprised of warrior's society. Every citizen here is warrior from cradle to grave. You want to give me a painless death? You best hope you can give me a good fight." Saizou removed his carapace.

Sasori grinned. "Alright. I'll give you a good fight. The reason why I got out of Ashura is because this way I can be sure that I won't cause excessive damage to your body. It'll be a waste."

"Just shut up and fight… and I'll make sure you die in one piece."

"My sentiments exactly. In fact, I hope I can kill you that way. Your body will make a fine addition to my collection. With yours, it'll be exactly 299 bodies… gah, I need one more to complete it…" Sasori looked at Shikamaru.

Temari roared and readied her weapon. "Don't. Even. Think. About it!" Himizu also readied his carapace shield in front of him.

Sasori grinned. Then he looked at Saizou. "Eh? Won't you ready your shield?"

"Hmph." Saizou grinned. He dropped his shell next to him. Smokes arise as it sank deep into the ground, signifying how heavy it was. "These scars on my body weren't just some decoration!" He readied his long jagged blade.

The Akatsuki puppet master whistled. Kankurou gaped. 'How heavy was that thing?' that single thought crossed everyone's mind.

That thought was immediately swept away as Saizou charged forward with blinding speed.

Sasori was about to welcome the attack when a sudden burst of water from the ground stopped everyone on their tracks.

"Huh?" Kankurou blinked.

"Could it be… the underground water reservoir?" Himizu looked down.

------------------

A few moments earlier, somewhere else underground…

"Hei, Gaara. Ever figure to begin an underground subway service?"

"No." Gaara simply stated, adopting his usual stance. The three shinobi were standing within Gaara's modified Suna Kyuutai (Sand Sphere). The condensed sphere of sand is now traveling inside the sand with Gaara's scattered third eye act as a scout. 'Then again… I thought I won't be able to use this jutsu again…'

**WELL, YOU'RE ALREADY A SAND USER BY NATURE. LET'S JUST SAY THAT THE CHAKRA YOU NEEDED AND THE BASIC OF THE TECHNIQUE HAD ALREADY SANK DEEP WITHIN YOU. YEARS OF USING MY JUTSUS HAD MADE YOUR BODY SUBCONSCIOUSLY REMEMBER HOW TO PERFORM THE JUTSUS. PLUS, I TOLD YOU TO RELEASE THE WEIGHTS DIDN'T I? WHAT DO YOU THINK?**

'This is some exorbitant increase in my stamina… I've never thought I will get this much chakra by just using the weight for a few weeks!'

**WELL… IMAGINE A WATERPIPE BEING GAGGED BY A SPONGE. SOONER OR LATER THE SPONGE WON'T BE ABLE TO ABSORB ANYMORE WATER. EVENTUALLY THE WATER BLAST OUT WITH A MASSIVE VELOCITY AND POWER…THE SAME CASE WITH YOU. AFTER YOU CHAKRA BEING GAGGED BY THAT WEIGHT… ONCE YOU UNLEASHED THEM, YOUR STAMINA WENT SKYROCKET. STILL, YOUR LEVEL OF CHAKRA WAS QUITE FAR OFF FROM YOUR PREVIOUS STATE…BUT YOU'RE DEFINITELY MUCH STRONGER THEN BEFORE. YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO TURN MINERALS INTO SAND LIKE YOU USED TO DO, BUT WITH THIS MUCH SAND, AROUND US TURNING THEM INTO A SPHERE WILL BE LIKE A CHILD'S PLAY.**

'Agree.'

"So, how long we're going to be like this?" Chiyo asked.

"Until my third eye could find Kankurou and the others."

"We could do that outside?"

'You know Shukaku that was some point. Why we need to do this underground?'

**BECAUSE IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, THE KAPPAS VILLAGE WAS PROTECTED BY A MASSIVE INVISIBLE SANDSTORM. THE ONLY WAY WE CAN GET PASS THEM, IS BY GOING UNDERGROUND. GOING THROUGH BY AIR TO GO OVER THEM IS ONLY POSSIBLE IF YOU CAN WITHSTAND TO FLY HIGH ABOVE SOMEHWERE ALONG 8-9 KM. THAT'S A POINT WHERE THERE ALMOST NO OXYGEN AT ALL, AND IT'S A FROZEN HELL. HUMANS CAN'T WITHSTAND THAT CLIMATE. **

'Then how we should locate an invisible sandstorm?'

**FEEL THE SOUND. IT'S STILL A SANDSTORM. EVEN IF YOU CAN'T SEE IT, IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN'T HEAR IT. FEEL THE TREMOR IN THE SAND! IT'S PRETTY DISTINGUISHABLE.**

'hmmm… yes… I can feel it… there's a massive vibration somewhere far-off.. no, not to far at all!'

**THEN LET'S GO!**

"Alright! Hang on tight everyone!" The sand sphere began to slither in the sand and moved towards the source of vibration.

After several minutes of moving underground, the vibration finally reached the point where the tremor had reached its peak. The whole sphere was practically shaking.

"Whoa, this is some tremor!" Tenten looked kind of worried.

**DIG DOWN. DEEPER!**

'What?'

**WE'RE NEARING THE SANDSTORM. WE HAVE TO GO DEEPER UNDEGROUND. IF WE GET TOO CLOSE TO THE SURFACE, THE SANDSTORM WILL TEAR THIS BARRIER APART AND WE'LL BE SWEPT AWAY TO OBLIVION! WE NEED TO GET UNDER STORM!**

'Understood.' Gaara nodded. The Sphere dug deeper and deeper. Once the tremor had subsided, it began to move forward.

**JUST BE CAREFULL. IT'S A BIG SANDSTORM. IT'LL PROBABLY TAKE ABOUT… 5-10 MINUTES TO GET PASS IT.**

'5 to 10 minutes, eh? Hmm? Hey I hear some sounds…'

**YEAH ME TOO… WE'RE NEARING SOMETHING… WHAT'S THAT THOUGH; I DON'T KNOW.**

Gaara closed his ears to the spherical wall of the Suna Kyuutai. Aside from the sound of the swirling sand, he also heard something… flowing. "What… was that?"

"What is it Gaara?" Chiyo looked curious.

"…" Gaara frowned. The sphere continued to move forward, but eventually, it hit something solid with a thud.

"What's that? Did we hit something?" Tenten questioned.

"We hit something solid…" Mentally, Gaara controlled the thick sphere to move forward while the one that got hit slowly dispersed, revealing a tiny bit of the wall it had hit to its three passengers.

"It's like a wall…" Chiyo commented.

Tenten move forward and gave the partition a knock. "It's made from metal and pretty thick. I wonder what this is."

'Shukaku?'

**NO IDEA. IT WASN'T HERE LAST TIME I CAME.**

'And when is this last time?'

…**500 YEARS AGO.**

'Right.' Gaara fought an urge not to sweat drop.

"Let's find a way around it." The oldest of the three suggested.

"Wait. Open up!" The sphere dispersed half of its form, revealing a flat surface of the wall. (So now the sphere had become half sphere, making it looked like a half globe plastered to a flat wall, inside, the three passengers could see more of the wall.)

The wall was flat all over. No curves whatsoever. "It doesn't seem to be anyway around it." Gaara thought up… 'Hmm… Naruto…if you're in my position what would you do? Wait, if I'm Naruto… I may just drill my way out with that thing he called Rasengan… Hmm… Uchiha Sasuke might gonna use that sparking thing to penetrate this wall… what was it called? Chidori wasn't it? Stab… spin… wait the minute… that's it!' A glint appeared in Gaara's eyes.

"Then what must be done?" the weapon mistress question was answered when she saw one surface of the sand sphere burst out and enclosed Gaara's right arm.

'This isn't one of your jutsus you've taught to me Shukaku. But I've seen it in action and it's quite effective. I named this… err… Suna Kaguya.'

**KAGUYA?**

'In memory to one of my enemies who had given me the inspiration.' (AN: Guess Who!)

The sand initially formed several sand spines. The spines continuously add up, crisscrossing each other until forming a massive circular spearhead. 'No, not dense enough! More!' Gaara concentrated even harder. More sand accumulated into that single arm, but the spearhead seemingly did not grow in size.

Chiyo understood. 'I see… he accumulated the sand, condensing them to make a powerful solid spear… where did he learn such trick?'

After several moments of sand gathering, with the sand spear show almost next to no change at all in its size (at least to the unwary eyes), Gaara hold out the spear with his other hand. "Alright." Gaara prepared in front of the wall. His left hand pressed the wall, while his right prepared to thrust the spear into the wall. "Now, spin…" the spear began to spin furiously. 'Khh… is this how he felt? That bone guy? What pressure!' The spin began to get faster and faster. At some point… 'Suna Kaguya!'

The spear slammed against the wall. Gaara gritted his teeth as the sparks of fire began to light up with the drilling spear was trying to pierce the metal wall. After a while, the drill finally began to dig in.

"Alright!" Tenten cheered.

"Well done Gaara!" Chiyo nodded.

"We're not out yet. This new jutsu really took a lot…"

"Don't worry Gaara-san! We got plenty of Soldier pills! You just drill!"

"Where did you get such Jutsu?"

"Experience… and… thanks to Uzumaki Naruto too."

"Oh? What he had to do with that?"

"Let's just say one of his jutsu inspired me…" 'More like reminding me.'

**SPIN AND STAB… A COMBINATION OF RASENGAN AND CHIDORI I SEE. WELL, I CAN ONLY SAY I'M IMPRESSED.**

'No. It's not perfect yet. Chidori gained its massive stabbing power because of the speed. Naruto's Rasengan, gained its destructive power because he condensed a massive amount of chakra into that single spiraling ball. This jutsu however, is still far from perfect. If I can apply the high speed attack and condensed more chakra into this. Now that's perfect.'

**AGREED. MATERIALS YOU USED WHEN YOU PERFORM MY SHUKAKU NO TATE WILL GIVE YOU THE EDGE YOU NEED. BUT THAT IS FOR LATER UNTIL YOU'VE GAINED ENOUGH CHAKRA TO DO SO. FOR NOW, I'D SAY THIS IS ALREADY SUFFICED.**

'Right.' The drilling continues on for several minutes. Eventually, the drill finally went through. Just then, Gaara felt a weird sensation on the tip of the drill. "Hmm… weird…"

"What?"

"I think I've gone through the wall… but… instead… I hit something else…"

"What?"

"Something… liquid."

"Liquid? Lava?" Tenten gulped.

"No… it's… cold… I think it is water."

"In the middle of the desert?" Chiyo was confused.

Just then, something began to seep through the sand drill. The color of the sand began to get darker. Gaara gasped. "Yes! It's water! It's seeping through my drill!"

"Water?" The two dumbfounded.

**WATER? OH NO… THIS MUST BE A WATER TANK!**

'A water tank?'

**GAARA, REMEMBER WHAT I TOLD YOU ABOUT THE WATERPIPE AND THE SPONGE?**

'Yeah?'

**NOW _WE ARE_** **THE SPONGE.**

"Oh, crap."

Truth to be told, a few minutes later water began to shot out from the hole where Gaara's drill holed in. A few more burst out from Gaara's cracking drills. Before they can do anything, a flood of water burst out, filling the sand sphere with water.

On the surface, that water was bursting out of the ground right now on the surface.

Saizou looked at the water burst. "Could it be because of the battle, the water tank leaked?"

From the water burst, Gaara's Suna Kyuutai shot up before landing with a thud on the ground.

Kankurou gaped. "That's… Suna Kyuutai? Gaara?"

The sand sphere cracked as water began to flow out from the sphere. A few moments later it broke to reveal the panting Gaara, Tenten, and Chiyo.

"Haa… haa… haa… I thought I was done for!" Chiyo gasped.

Sasori was rather surprised. 'Granny…'

"Gaara!" Kankurou and Temari cheered as they ran towards their little brother. Gaara shook his head.

"Phew… that was a close one…"

"Thank goodness you're alright." Temari almost cried.

"Your brother's strong alright. He won't die that easily." Tenten chuckled. "Here, I brought your fan."

"Thank you."

"Hoo… the Jinchuriki's here too eh?" Sasori smirked.

The two sand siblings immediately stood before Gaara. "You want to get to our brother you have to get pass us first!"

"No!"

Everyone looked at Chiyo. "You have to get pass ME first. It's been a while… Sasori."

Himizu and Saizou stared questioningly at the old lady.

"Hello there, Granny. A hag with one foot away from the grave…What are you doing here?"

The Kappa general twitched. "Sorry for butting in, but that's not the way to speak to your elder!"

"Let it be, Kappa-sama. After all… it was our fault that he grew to be like this." Chiyo prepared two set of kunais. The next instance, she let loose all the Kunai and shoot them towards the Akatsuki. The horde of kunai tore off the Akatsuki's cloak, revealing a puppet. On its back there's a huge face where the tail blade came out from its mouth. Its left hand had pods layered all over its forearm.

"What the… hell?" Saizou jaw dropped.

"Don't worry Kappa-sama… that's a puppet."

"Kankurou-san had told me about it… but where is… the puppeteer?"

"He's real body is on the inside."

"Oh?"

"Kugutsu no jutsu performers are vulnerable when they're operating their puppets. Hence, that puppet functions as both shield and sword for Sasori. That puppet is called Hiruko. I knew it well."

"What is this puppet?"

"Kugutsu no jutsu is the art of using inanimate puppets to fight in place of the puppeteers. You see, the puppet is most likely to be filled with countless deadly weapons in the most unforeseeable place. Hence, its opponent cannot make the wrong move."

"Hmm… humans can create something like that eh? I'm impressed. Still, you know the mechanism well… you're at the advantage here… no?"

"Hmm… I was planning if you can protect Gaara while I take on Sasori on my own, Kappa-sama… but clearly it won't be that easy."

"Pardon?"

"The shape was slightly different then the Hiruko I used to know. That shell and that left hand weren't there years ago. Plus, being a master puppeteer, I believe he had redesigned some of his important traps."

"In the end, one must dodge all his attacks and smash that puppet to get this Sasori out… correct?"

"Yes."

Saizou chuckled. "I get it. I presume your grandson is right below that face shell? Fine. Err…"

"Chiyo. My name's Chiyo."

"Rite. I'm Saizou Mazura, head retainer of the Kappagakure. Chiyo-sama. If you can fend off his attack, I can defeat him. I just need an opening for a specific amount of time."

"How much?"

"…5 seconds."

"5 seconds?" Chiyo was rather surprised.

"Oh please… who you take me for? A one eyed useless amphibian? You and I, we're both old. We're the veterans here. I don't know how gifted this Sasori, but I highly doubt he's more experienced then either of us."

Chiyo chuckled. "Well ain't that the truth. So be it. I'll give you your 5 seconds."

"Normally I would prefer to fight my enemy one on one. But the casualty has been too high. I will appreciate any help I can get."

"I hope you've done your chattering. Because I hate waiting."

"Don't worry. We'll kill you quickly!" Chiyo growled.

Saizou blinked. "But… he's your grandson?"

"Be that… as it may. His sin is far too great… I have no regrets." Chiyo remembered her deceased son, Sasori's father. 'Forgive me… my son.'

"…so be it. I'll hold nothing back!" Saizou readied his blade.

"You guys. Get Gaara and move away from here."

"Agreed. Himizu you go on ahead and get your 'friends' out of here."

"Yes sir!" Himizu and the other group was about to leave when Sasori suddenly spoke.

"I'm afraid that's not possible. Deidara!"

Out of nowhere, about half a dozen birds with 2 pairs of wings rained upon them followed by a series of massive explosions.

'What the…'

'Another enemy?'

The explosion eventually separated the two groups.

"Finally you let me into the show, yeah." Deidara, atop his clay falcon, arrived at the scene. Both of his hands rummaged his bag. "Now then, which one of you is the Jinchuriki, yeah?"

The group growled. Temari was the first to react. "Get lost!" She swung her massive fan. 'Dai Kamaitachi!'

The clay falcon immediately soared up, avoiding the wind storm. Just then, Karasu appeared behind him, attempting to stab him in. It caught the falcon instead. The clay bomb exploded, taking Karasu along whilst the rider simply summoned an owl.

"Damn! I lost Karasu!"

"Annoying brats…" Deidara dived down, attempting to ram Temari. He was welcomed by a horde of kunais and a single trident instead. The owl hurled to the side, avoiding the barrage.

"Damn… he got away." Tenten rolled his scroll and Himizu simply groaned.

"Tch… brats from Itachi's village and that Kappa…" Suddenly a hand made of sand tried to caught him from behind. "What the…" The sand hand missed its target, but barely.

Gaara being his silent self immediately changed his jutsu. 'Suna Shigure!'

The hand shot countless sand bullets towards Deidara. The clay user used his owl as a shield. Once the rain subsided, the owl exploded again, whilst Deidara landed on the roof.

"Dear me… four rides in a day… if this continues I'll be running out of clay." He gazed at the group, particularly to Gaara. "Still, at least I know now which one is the Jinchuriki."

Meanwhile, with Chiyo and Saizou was waiting for a chance to attack.

Sasori watched the two elder warriors with extreme vigilance. One is his own granny, the master puppeteer in Suna. The other was the high ranking general of the Kappa. He didn't know how strong Saizou is, but seeing his demonstration of strength when he blocked Ashura's massive swords was evidence enough.

"Now… shall we begin?" Hiruko opened his mouth patch and shot a rain of Kunais from its mouth. The two warriors charge forward. Chiyo easily dodged the attack in between the shooting Kunai whilst Saizou moved away from Hiruko's line of fire. Just then, Hiruko launched its left arm. The pods exploded, unleashing hundreds of poisonous needles to every direction. Chiyo managed to dodge the attack, but Saizou took full damage. Surprisingly, Saizou's body vanished in a puff.

Sasori was clearly surprised by this. 'What? That Kappa can do Kage Bunshins?'

All the sudden, Saizou appeared right next to Hiruko's head, grinning. "Never underestimate elders, **_brat!_**" With that, he beheaded the puppet.

In retaliation, Hiruko's tail lashed out towards Saizou. It stopped midair just a few centimeters away from the Kappa. 'What? That old hag!'

"Saizou-san, here's your 5 seconds!"

"Saaa!" the Kappa jumped.

5.

"Oho, not that easy!" a set of claws appeared from Hiruko's right arm.

4.

The claws were trusted upwards and hit Saizou's stomach full.

3.

Saizou's Kage Bunshin's stomach, to be exact.

2.

'Where is he?'

1.

Saizou's blade suddenly went through the shell on Hiruko's back and went straight through the puppet, impaling the puppeteer within, and nailing the whole contraption to the ground.

Time's up.

---------------------

Part 1 end


	18. Kappa, Priest, Alchemy Part 2

For FMA fans… please forgive me! (Ran out dodging a hatchet thrown by an imaginary angry fan)

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": special case**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA: Demon speech **

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

**Chapter 17.2:**

**Kappa, Priest, Alchemy**

**Part. 2: All Hail Crimson Knight!**

Hiruko lay motionless, whilst Saizou smirked. "This is for my fallen brethren!" He sank the blade even deeper.

"You did it." Chiyo sighed in relief.

"I told didn't I? I only need 5 seconds." Saizou chuckled.

All the sudden, Hiruko's tail began to move again.

'W…what?' "Saizou-san! Behind you!"

"Eh?" Saizou turned around to see Hiruko's tail move and attempted to stab him. Before the tail reached its target, Chiyo, using chakra strings, managed to pull Saizou away from the sting. The puppet began to move again.

'Damn it… did I miscalculated? Did he control the puppet from outside?'

Chiyo's question answered when Sasori's voice sounded from the remains of Hiruko. "It won't be too surprising you were able to dodge all my attacks. You even cleverly put a chakra string in Hiruko's tail. Was it when you threw those Kunai's at me?"

"Well, I was planning to make the Chakra strings as invisible as possible… but you work it all out quite well." 'Did you miss?' Chiyo whispered to the Kappa lieutenant.

'No… I can feel it… my blade went through a body within that puppet! There just no way it missed…'

"But the Kappa is the one that surprised me the most… who would've thought he knew how to create Bunshin? Heh. My bad… for underestimating you." Hiruko's figure began to rise. Finally it stood up with its two legs, showing Saizou's sword sticking out of its right chest.

Saizou gasped. "How… that's impossible. Why there's no blood?" Indeed, the blade was clean with no blood whatsoever.

"Eh? Is this yours?" Using Hiruko's tail, Sasori pulled the sword out before tossing it towards Saizou's head. The Kappa blademaster caught it without difficulties. Just then, Hiruko rise up using its tail. Hiruko's chest was suddenly split apart, revealing a hooded figure.

"Sasori…"

"Well… I guess if it's you, it is quite an obvious achievement. Who was it who taught me to play with puppets? No one else… but you."

Chiyo snorted. "Sad but true. Still, the play ends today."

"Ku, ku, ku, ku…" Sasori unraveled his hood. Chiyo gasped. Sasori has been gone from Sunagakure for about 20 years… given he left when he was only 14, Chiyo was expecting her grandson should age around 34 or 35… but now…

"Well, Granny… Do you really think it will be that easy?"

Saizou didn't seem as surprised as Chiyo. "Hmm… such a young prodigy. What a waste of talent."

"Sasori… how did you… your face…" 'The same as long ago… he hasn't age at all?'

"Is there a problem Chiyo-san?"

"Last time I saw him, he left our village 20 years ago."

"W-What?" Now the Kappa was dumbfounded.

"Hmph. Now then, ready for round two?" Hiruko's stomach suddenly opened up to reveal two more pairs of skeletal arms. Each arm carrying a blade. The face shield on the puppet's back split to two and acted as a shoulder pads. Before Saizou could recover from his shock, Sasori had shot a horde of Kunai from the Shoulder armor. All directed towards the Kappa.

Saizou realized this just a second too late, the kunais nearly hit him.

Just then, two puppets appeared blocking all the attacks.

"!" Sasori rolled his eyes. 'Those puppets…'

"Puppets?" Saizou looked at the old woman. She had opened two scrolls. Chakra strings emanating from her fingers.

The Puppeteer prodigy snorted. "I see… you brought those as well?"

"Maybe it's a premonition? When I left to Konoha, I somehow feel that I will need these two. The very first Hito Kugutsu (Human Puppet) you ever created… 'Mom' and 'Dad'."

Saizou's eyes widen. Then a realization hit him. The "Dad" Puppet's hair and face had a striking resemblance to Sasori. And the eyes of the "Mom" puppet were nearly identical to Sasori's. "Anoo… Chiyo san… those puppets… they were not…"

Chiyo sighed. "Yes. They WERE humans."

The Kappa general was stunned by the statement. Then he remembered what Kankurou had said to him.

"_He was rumored having killed his parents when he was a boy."_

"You… How could you murder your own parents? Your own flesh and blood?"

"Oh, please… spare me the lecture of family love. You want to ask why my parents are like that. Ask her."

Saizou looked at Chiyo, whose face had gloomed. "Indeed… had I knew you would become like this, I would never do such thing. In a manner, you are my sin. It is my task to rectify you!"

With that the two puppets seemingly sprang to life.

"…Saizou-san… I appreciate your help… but could you leave this battle to me? You see, I'm the one responsible for all this… I must be the only one to carry this burden."

The Kappa could see the determination in Chiyo's aged eyes. He finally put down his sword and moved away.

"Thank you." Chiyo nodded.

"Hmph. Come then." Sasori snorted.

Hiruko readied its blade.

The 'Mom' and 'Dad' clasp their hand together and stretch out wires from their fingers.

The three puppets charged forward to each other…

Back to Gaara and the others…

Gaara performed one Sabaku Kyuu (Desert Coffin) after another atop a tower, attempting to catch Deidara. Alas, the target was truly worthy of his name as a member of Akatsuki. Even with the help of the others, it would still seem as if he was just playing around with them. He constantly jumped from one pillar to another for a moment before using a 4 winged falcon to fly around with high speed. The clay user also sent hordes of exploding clay creeps, one after another, causing heavy damage to the surroundings. As much as Gaara hated to say it, but so far, it would appear only he who can give the stone nuke Nin some decent challenge. Still, he didn't know how long that could last. Indeed, he was much, much stronger then before, alas, moving the sand without Shukaku's aid was surprisingly tiresome.

'Sabaku Shigure!' Thousands of sand spears hurled towards the Akatsuki member. Still, Deidara practically _danced_ around the onslaught of sand lances, not even his cloak was touched. Along the while, Deidara sent some explosive birds towards Gaara's face. Before it could even reached its target though, Temari's Kamaitachi cut them away to pieces.

Deidara immediately turned his attention on Temari, who already wiped her own blood on the fan before sweeping it towards him. "Ninpou Kuchiyose, Kirikiri Mai!" the weasel Kamatari appeared carrying its massive scythe. "Gaara, MOVE!" Gaara jumped away whilst the clay user's eyes widened. The next second, everything that were higher then Temari's current height was leveled down.

Amidst the rising smoke, 3 birds with 2 pairs of wing speed up towards Temari. Using her steel fan, she managed to block the attack, but the resulting explosion knocked her off balance and sent her plummeting to the ground. Kankurou's Karasu caught her in the last second.

Deidara smirked as he sat calmly atop his clay falcon. Suddenly a storm of spiked bludgeons were thrown at him. All missed horribly, much to Tenten's frustration.

Shikamaru was equally frustrated. So far, wherever he predicted the Akatsuki member would go, the said person always able to read a few steps ahead, and the shadow user hadn't had a single chance to capture him with his shadow. That and the fact that the clay user was flying at the altitude where there will be no shadow simply increase the difficulty to caught him off guard. Hence he resolve to throwing kunais and shurikens to hinder Deidara's movement. All with little to no success.

Himizu couldn't do much but evacuating any Kappa away from the battle zone. 'The way they fight… even if we're stronger physically then them, they can still kill us! So… this is the strength of humans?'

Himizu weren't the only one watching. The whole Kappagakure villager practically glued their eyes on the fight scene.

However, as luck would have it, after a massive barrage of exploding birds, in which the group somehow survived, Deidara rummaged his clay bags only to find there were barely any clay left. 'Oh dear… I can only do one more attack… hmmm… the most important thing is to get my hands on the Jinchuriki…, yeah' At that, Deidara prepared a single massive bird like bomb whilst secretly prepared one fast moving exploding bird.

Gaara noticed the big bomb bird. "What is he up to now?"

"Well… generally speaking, this village artistic design weren't too shabby… so it's worth destroying it, yeah." With that, the bomb was enlarged. 'This is no. 18… its explosive power was my greatest artistic achievement… yeah.'

With that, Deidara dropped the bomb right into the village.

'This is bad! Ryuu Sabakuryuu! (Dragon Desert flow)' Massive desert avalanche burst upwards before forming a large shield, covering the whole village. Every Kappa looked in awe.

Saizou also watched the sand barrier forming on top of their heads. 'That sand… Ichibi Shukaku?'

Just then, the explosives set off, detonate with unfathomable power, shaking the entire village even when Gaara's shield blocking the explosion.

The one eyed Kappa covered his head. 'That explosion just now… he was… protecting us?'

Gaara fell on his knees, exhausted. Just then he heard chirping on his back. He turned around to see Deidara's explosive birds resting on his shoulder. 'Shi…!'

The next second the bird exploded, knocking the sand user nearly out cold.

"Gaara!" Everyone yelled. But before they can do anything, a big bird suddenly swoop down and caught the falling Shukaku's Host. Atop the bird, Deidara calmly sat. Meanwhile, Gaara used the last bits of his strength to disperse the sand shield before losing consciousness.

"Hmph. It would be so much easier if you just let it fell on them." Deidara looked at the Jinchuriki and sighed. "Che… My task is done. But boy, not killing him was harder then I imagined."

"Oh so this mean he's still alive then?" A voice on his back suddenly responded.

"Huh?" Deidara turned around to see a man wearing a dark blue priestly dress with a hat covering his eyes. He had about a neck long navy blue hair and carrying a long dark grey staff. He was standing atop his bird's head.

"Good. Kira would have my head if I told him we failed to safe the Junchuriki again. Now kindly give Gaara-kun to me?"

"Who the hell…"

------------------

Meanwhile down there, Saizou continued watching the battle between Chiyo and Sasori after it was halted for a moment due to the massive sand shield event. The truth is: he was pretty much amazed on how humans had developed to become so strong. The three inanimate objects were turned to life in their hands. Just now, Chiyo's 'Mom' puppet pulled out a whip with blades all over while the 'Dad' puppet pulled out a serrated Katana. The two puppets exchanged a rapid blow exchange with Sasori's Hiruko. In less then a few minutes, he could count there were at least 200 blows performed by each of the puppets. The puppet weapons, both Chiyo's and Sasori's were turned to useless broken pieces the next instance. 'Incredible…'

Chiyo immediately pulled the two puppets back. Sasori also halted his puppet's attack. "Impressive as always granny… an old hag you are, you're still an impressive Puppet Master."

"Old hag? Maybe. But the older the people are, the more they should move. I have too many things to do before I die!"

"Heh. In the end, you can't even safe a thing. You can't safe my father. You can't safe my mother either. **I** can."

"By turning their remains into soulless puppet? Sometimes I cursed myself that I'm the one who taught you all about puppetry."

"Hmph. Your regret came to late, old hag."

"…I guess so."

"Now let's cut off the chatter and let me kill you all now so that I can catch up with Deidara. I'm sure he already got the Jinchuriki by now."

All the sudden, unconscious Deidara's battered and bruised body landed with a thud right next to Sasori.

'What the…' Sasori looked up to find no one. He looked back to Deidara and observed his condition. By the look of things, he was beaten around good. 'Who did this?'

Just then, a massive pressuring Aura swept through the entire battlefield. Chiyo could feel her hair stood on end. Even Sasori were paralyzed. Saizou's eyes widen. His gasp slowly turned to smile. 'This feeling… yes… It's HIM!'

The aura continued to flow. Chiyo could sense that the person emanating the pressuring aura was coming from her back. She dared herself to turn around and saw the person carrying a dark grey staff wearing a dark blue Western priestly gown. His eyes weren't visible because his black hat was in the way. On his back was the unconscious Gaara. Just then, the Shinobi group and Himizu landed in front of him. Himizu immediately knelt down but the Shinobi stood still.

"Give Gaara back!" Kankurou threatened with a kunai. Although flood of cold sweat drenching his neck was evident enough that he was scared of this person's pressuring aura.

The man simply smiled before handing Gaara's body to him. "He's only unconscious. Give him a few soldier pills, and he'll be okay." The priest continued its trip pass them while occasionally gave a friendly tap on Himizu's shoulder. They all watched him confusedly.

Saizou's grin couldn't get any wider. He immediately bowed his head to the ground. "Welcome… welcome back. Turtle Priest-sama!"

The man took off his hat revealing a teenager of 17-18 years old with green eyes. He was smiling calmly. "Just call me Athrun please. No need for formalities."

"Yes priest-sama… eh I mean… Athrun-sama… I mean…"

Athrun chuckled. "Maa, maa. Daijobu yo!"

While the genin looked confusedly at the foreigner, Chiyo and Sasori gasped and looked at Athrun as if looking at a legend.

------------------

"Hmmm… Hey, Kyuusei." Naruto was training with Neji after he finally got his own set of clothes.

**WHAT?**

"Where does the name… Shitennou came from?"

**WHY DID YOU ASK?**

"Curious."

**HMMHM… I DON'T REALLY WANT TO DISCUSS SUCH TRIVIAL MATTER…**

"Really?'

"Hey Naruto. Did you just talk to Kyuusei again?"

"Yeah."

"Ya'know, I'm curious too about that. Why is it Kira was called The 4 Heavenly Kings?"

"Yeah. Why Shitennou? Why not, well, the 4 avatars of gods… or the right hands of the gods… or alike." Naruto looked at his stomach.

Kyuusei sighed. **SAY WHAT I SAY. "The title Shitennou does not actually come from the gods. It was we, demons from Ma-Kai who gave it and the name stuck. The reason it was called King, was because each generations of Shitennou, its members had his or her own 'King' title. Yes kit. Kira's generation isn't the only generation of Shitennou. It's just so happen, Kira was most feared by the demons. Hence, his title was 'Emperor of Swords', in regards to his nearly unsurpassable swordsmanship."**

"What about the other Shitennou? Do they have titles of King or queen… or alike? Say, that 'friend' Kira was talking about with Gaara. What king is he?"

"**Oh, you're talking about Athrun Zala, eh? Well, there were once these rumors that he had fought Kira up to a stalemate in the past which was actually true. Now, thanks to that, his reputation was just as fearsome as Kira's in Ma-Kai. The unique thing is that he was pretty much famous in the human world as well. The irony was that his nickname here was the same we gave to him in the Demon World. We used to call him…**

------------------

"…the Kaiser of Weapons, Athrun Zala?" Sasori and Chiyo both gaped.

Everyone blinked.

"Yes?" Athrun looked at the two.

"Chiyo-baa-sama… you know him?" Kankurou blinked in confusion.

"Only a select few of us know only his name. He was pretty famous amongst the community of secret weapon user as the master of weapons. None ever actually seen his face in person."

Tenten looked at the Priest immediately. 'The Kaiser of Weapon? Ain't he a bit… too young…?'

Gaara woke up after Temari shoved a soldier pill. "Gaara. Are you okay?"

"Yeah… who is he?"

"He said his name is Athrun."

"Athrun? Athrun Zala? That's him! That's the guy we're supposed to meet!" Gaara looked at the person in question.

"Chiyo-san. Could you please step aside? I need to have a word with your grandson." Smile vanished as Athrun's face turned dead serious.

Chiyo didn't even ask how the priest could knew her name and her relationship with Sasori but she did it without question nonetheless.

"Akasuna no Sasori. Weapon genius since the age of 7. Made Chuunin at 9, Jounin at 12, your career skyrocketed as a master puppeteer in a short 2 years until you finally turned missing nin." Athrun spoke monotonously as if he was reading a report.

"To be known by the weapon Kaiser… what honor."

"We Shitennou have a lot of connections."

At the mention of the name Sasori gasped. "Shi… Shitennou? You?"

Athrun's eye turned pitch black with a single white pupils in the center for a moment before flashed back to normal emerald green. "Athrun Zala, Shitennou of Genbu the North Shushin, at your service."

"I've no idea that you were part of that Organization."

"Organization? We're not that big. We're just a group of people who share one idea and one goal: the stability and balance between the human world and the immortal world." Athrun pointed his staff at Sasori. "And when the balance is disrupted, we won't just stand by and do nothing about it."

Sasori hummed. "Disrupted eh?"

"This village was under direct protection of my master, Genbu of the North himself. And yet here you are, creating all this destruction right underneath my nose? Why did you do all this?"

"Let's just say because I'm an artisan."

"What slaughter had to do with arts?"

"Well I thought it would be obvious. An artisan can't make masterpiece with defective raw material now, do they? You call this slaughter; I call this a process of selecting the best material amidst the defective ones."

"The art of Hitokugutsu… Chikamatsu Monzaemon had forbidden the use of that art a long time ago."

"Well, rules are made to be broken in a manner."

"Your 'art' doesn't go with mine." Athrun calmly rested his staff on his shoulder.

"That is to be expected." Sasori smirked. "So what will you do now?"

"I will have you under arrest. And I will interrogate you and get everything I want to know out of you."

"Oh please. Do you really think I will go down peacefully?"

"If you know what's best for you, you better do that." The turtle Shitennou's intimidating aura rose up again. "I for one am not as kind as Kira."

"Tell you what then. We're both artisans right? I will show my fine arts and you show yours. We'll see which art will prevail. You win, and I will answer all the questions you'll ask me."

"Deal."

"Deal. Let's get to it then! I hate waiting."

"As you wish." With that being said and done, Athrun disappeared and reappeared instantaneously in front of Hiruko. A flash of teal lightning rose up from his hand, and the edge of the stick suddenly transformed into a large hammer. Before the puppet master can do anything, his puppet had already been turned to oblivion with a smash. "Against puppet I need not show mercy."

'What the…' The sand nuke Nin was thrown off the air before landed with a thud.

"Like you I dislike waiting. So I have no time waiting for you to make your move." With a flash of teal bolts, the hammer turned into a staff again.

"Okay. Let me show you what I've brought along. Killing him for my collection was quite… troublesome… but that's why I like him the most." Sasori pulled out a scroll with a kanji of 'Three' written on it. A puff of smoke appeared and a new puppet stood ready. Every nin from the sand gasped.

"That's… it cannot be…" Temari gasped.

"Who's that?" Shikamaru asked.

"The strongest Kage of Sunagakure…" Kankurou eyes widen.

"Sandaime… Kazekage?" Chiyo was horrified.

Athrun seemed unmoved. "So that's what happened to Tetsujin…"

Sasori blinked. "You know him?"

"Sandaime Kazekage… Tetsujin… he was one of my friend."

"Sandaime Kazekage was your spy?"

"He's my and Kira's student. I asked him to keep a close watch on Shukaku… we lost contact with him more the ten years ago."

"Well, well. This is certainly a surprise… then I suppose if you know what he's capable of."

"**I'm **the one who gave him the Satetsu (Iron Sand)."

"!" Bingo. That was a direct hit to the sand nuke Nin's plan. "Hmm. Maybe. But that's not all." Black sand poured out from the Kazekage's mouth. One forming a massive box, another formed a razor sharp triangle. "Which one do you prefer? Pulverized or sliced?"

The Turtle Shitennou sighed. "Hammer please."

"You ask for it." The hammer headed straight towards Athrun.

The turtle Shitennou simply dropped his staff and prepared his right fist which began to glow white with runic writings suddenly appeared. Just when the Hammer is just a few meters away… "Gauntlet of Metatron." It looked like a simple punch and a weak one since the Shitennou didn't even move from his spot. But the resulting effect afterwards sent everyone's jaw to the ground. The hammer was sunk deep into one of the walls with an imprint of Athrun's fist plastered on the surface. The next instance the hammer melted away, revealing the flattened remains of the Sandaime Kazekage's puppet.

Sasori was stunned by such display of force. 'This… is the power of the Shitennou?'

"What's next?" The priest didn't even sweat.

"…!" Sasori was speechless. 'Pulling out another puppet will be useless at this point. I only have Ashura, 'That'… and this one left.' Silently he began unraveling his clothes. "Fine. I'll put things a notch… besides, it's been truly awhile…"

Everyone's eyes widened.

"…since I used **myself **that is." His head may look human. But his body was completely puppet. In his chest, there's a pod with a kanji means Scorpion on it. On his back, two pairs of wings, each supporting 5 blades rested on its back, connected via artificial joints. The joints on his shoulder had been replaced by artificial ones. In his stomach, in place of the belly button, a whip woven from iron wires with a blade on its end protruded. His back held a wooden scroll holder that supported 5 scrolls, presumably puppets.

"I… see… after 20 years he didn't even change appearance… THAT'S why." Chiyo trembled. 'Sasori… my grandson… what have you done?'

"You… turned yourself… into a Hito Kugutsu?" Kankurou gasped when he saw his former childhood hero in such state.

"Madness… he… switched his human body into artificial ones?" Himizu gaped whilst Saizou simply speechless. 'So that's why my sword didn't kill him…'

"…" Athrun simply frowned.

"Why… Why did you do this! Sasori! Why?" Chiyo shrieked. Tears threaten to fall.

"…I wanted immortality."

"What?"

"You see it yourself. Your body will slowly decay, and rot, and eventually die. I wanted to create a body that will never perish… that thought has been plastered within me… ever since you showed the dead bodies… of my parents. My innocence as a child, combined with my ingenuity finally gave birth to those two." Sasori pointed at the puppets of his parents. "Puppets… are eternal. Even if you damage them so many times… you wouldn't feel any pain… and even if it's destroyed… you can rebuild it many times… untied oneself to the limitedness of life. Isn't that perfection?"

Chiyo knelt down, tears flowing down her cheek.

"Chiyo-baa-sama…" Temari tried to comfort the old lady.

"Sasori… you're a sad man." Athrun stepped forward, pity evident in his eyes.

"Oh please don't look at me like that! Don't pity me! Give me that look when we first met! That intimidating aura that tells me that one wrong move and you will grant me death! Try to kill me! I will not feel any pain… and I will not die!"

"But I do pity you for kept seeking immortality… yet we, the immortal ones, forsake our immortality and seek death… Do you truly understand the nature of immortality? It is an unlimited Hell. When we dared ourselves to be bound with others, we have to feel the pain of seeing them die… while we can't do anything to stop it. We cannot die… but we're not alive either. Is that what you want?"

"And that's why I call this perfection… in the end… this heart of mine is empty… no more empty then this wooden body of mine. I feel no pain at all. Physically… or mentally."

"…so be it. This discussion is over." Athrun slammed his staff. Red burst of light enveloped his figure before it diminished and enclosed him in a crimson armor. Gaara noted that the shape of the armor was totally different with any eastern armor he used to know. It's more like a heavily modified western (AN: European) armor. The body armor was seemingly colored in a mixture of dark and red color. Its helmet were crowned with red horns with the biggest one supported a green gem on the forehead area. A single line in the face area showed the Shitennou's glowing green eyes while the rest were covered. The armor also supported a long crimson scaly cape with sharp blades on the edges. The leg armor were too crimson colored with the knee protector supported a blade and the edge of the boots were hooked upwards. The armor covered a black body suit with silver glowing lines flowing on the surface of the armor and the body suit.

Sasori watched emotionlessly as two pipes appeared on the palm of his hand. He aimed the two on the Crimson Knight.

"Che…" the Shitennou immediately slammed his staff on the ground. Just then, everyone was suddenly covered by a blue light. Following, Sasori shoot his flamethrower just as the desired target had disappeared from the spot.

The group reappeared at the roof. The knight stated. "You guys stay here. I'll end this."

"What about him?" Tenten was referring to Deidara.

"Don't worry; he won't be able to move. Just don't kill him. He has much to answer when this is all over."

"Athrun-san!" Chiyo called.

The knight looked at the old lady.

"…please… take my grandson to where he wished to be."

Athrun nodded once before disappeared with a blink.

Gaara immediately performed a set of handseals. He formed several eyes of sand.

"Gaara? What are you doing?"

"The fight between an Avatar of god and the most powerful puppeteer in Sunagakure… I have to see this! Go! Daisan no Me!" the sand eyes were dispersed all over the place. In Gaara's mind, the whole battle played in his head as if he were there, while the rest saw the battle from their current spot.

In the battlefield…

Athrun stood face to face with the Puppeteer. Sasori pulled two scrolls from his back. He opened them and summoned two puppets. The puppets transformed into two pairs of weapon. Sasori detached both of his arms as it was replaced by the two new limbs. One that looked like a cannon arm attached itself on his right shoulder. The other turned to what looked like a 5 barrel gatling gun with blades on its pipes attached itself on the left.

Wasting no time, Sasori pointed the Gatling gun towards the Knight. Sharp chakra imbued bullets rained. The Shitennou didn't even move an inch. The projectiles ricocheted to every direction upon contact. "For your information, this armor weren't made from scraps."

"Yes I can see that." The puppeteer prepared his cannon this time. And fire he did.

Athrun staff morphed into an iron bludgeon before he swatted the cannonball off its track, sending it exploding a few kilometers away from the spot.

Seeing that, Kankurou incoherently commented: "Home run."

The Crimson Knight warped right in front of Sasori before trusting his metal stick on Sasori's face, dead center, sending the puppet master a few meters backwards off the ground before fell on his back.

"That didn't hurt at all…" Sasori muttered.

"…" Athrun was still silent.

When Sasori got up, his left eye and his forehead was taken out. Horrendously, there's nothing inside but empty artificial human skull.

Gaara frowned and for a moment he dared not to look.

"Fine. Let's get a bit hard." The gatling arm began to spin. At the same time, the blade also revolving, forming a massive drill. "This blade is also imbued with chakra and the material used to make the blade can even cut through a rock. It will easily penetrate your pathetic armor."

"…" Athrun clap his hand once before touching the armor. A flash of teal light later, the whole armor turned pitch black.

"Just changing the color won't safe you!" With that, the puppet master swung the spinning blade towards the Knight's head. Surprisingly, the arm broke to pieces upon contact.

"W… what?" Sasori stared at his broken arm with disbelief.

"I told you…" Athrun cracked his neck. "This armor weren't made from scraps. Kira made it for me to support my skills as an alchemist."

"Alchemist?" Both Sasori and Gaara muttered the same word.

"One third of human body consisted of a unique material that will change its solidity according to its density. That substance is Carbon. It can be as soft as a pencil… or as hard as a diamond. This armor… half of its composition was made from Carbon. I simply transmute it to cover the surface of this armor."

Gaara blinked. "Al… Alchemy? Transmute? Is this… jutsu arts from another world?"

"Oi, kindly fill us on what's going on?" Shikamaru looked confused.

"That Athrun Zala… you see it too right? He seems to be using some short of art different with that of Kira's. I mean… Kira's using Ninjutsu like we used to do… but this Athrun… he's using a different form… It's not jutsu… but it looked like one."

"And it was called… Alchemy?"

"Yes." Gaara frowned. 'I've never heard about that form of art before… but that Athrun simply knew what he's doing… Carbon… Indeed… now that armor was covered by a layer of black diamond… that's nearly impenetrable and even stronger then my Suna Yoroi… But…Alchemy? That's not jutsu… was it?'

Athrun transmuted his staff into a spear that looked like a cross. "Bye." In just a matter of seconds, Sasori's arms, legs, stomach, claws and head were shred to pieces. Only his chest remained.

The knight observed his handy work for a moment before he moved away. Just then, Sasori's heart burst out from the rubble of his former body. Hearing the noise, Athrun turned around to see the Heart floating midair.

"I see… so that's the real you."

The heart floated around before it dashed upwards towards Ashura. Athrun narrowed his eyes. "Kuso…" He immediately disappeared and reappeared right in front of the group.

"Everyone! Get as many people as you can out of here! Hurry!"

Realizing the danger, the group immediately left the spot while they do as they were told. The Kappas were immediately evacuated from the area. The process was still going when the Ashura had stood up again.

Not a moment to soon, the massive puppet began to move. Its eyes glowed menacingly. The giant puppet readied its sword and slammed it at the Athrun. It missed, but the sword caused massive damage to the surroundings. Some refugees were wounded in the process. The red knight hopped from one roof to another, attempting to lure the attack away from the civilian area. With Sasori's heart directly controlling it, the giant's movement become even faster. Ashura slashed one of its swords vertically before continued by a horizontal cut by another. Despite missing its target, the attack tore off the buildings, causing massive pandemonium. The colossus finally slashed both swords vertically at the knight. Missed, the two blades sank deep. Using the momentum, the Shitennou stepped on the two swords, disbelievingly preventing the giant puppet from pulling the sword back up. 'W-what?'

Athrun lightly touched the two sunken blades where bolts of red lightning rise up, effectively turning the blades to dust. Ashura pulled out the broken sword.

The giant laughed. **"Khe khe… that was interesting skill you have, Athrun Zala… indeed it will be worthy adding you to my collection."**

"Dream on."

"**Very well. Let's continue the fight!" **Ashura prepared its pair of normal arms. The two arms began to twist around. Before it finished its preparation, the Red Knight already appeared on the giant's shoulder, attempting to cut it off.

"**Hah! Like I'll let you!" **Just then, the shoulder's joint dislocated and its arm DROPPED to the ground with its outer skin stretching and took the blow. Athrun's spear felt like hitting a rubber. The elastic substance catapulted the knight back. The Shitennou however, easily landed with the greatest ease.

"You… that puppet. As I thought. There are more to that puppet then just 6 arms."

"**Khe, khe… this puppet was a special puppet I made. It's filled with the best tricks and traps I have from all the many years. One, you've just felt it. The joints of this puppet are detachable. Plus, the elastic skin of this masterpiece can even withstand a cannon fire!"**

"Astonishing. Too bad you used it for genocide. Your vast knowledge in human anatomy will make an invaluable asset to medical science."

"**To hear a person like you said that, Kaiser of Weapon."**

"I've never wanted that title to begin with."

"**But in the end, you, above all others, should understand this. A marvelous sword-smith wouldn't use his masterpieces to cut vegetables. Engineers of mighty fortress wouldn't build a straw house. High skills are only needed in places where battle be joined."**

"That, I dubbed you wrong. Creating something is harder then destroying it. While it's true that high skills were needed in battle, even higher skills were needed when you wish to fix all the damage you had done."

"**I guess our perspective truly differs."**

"That has been concluded since the beginning of this fight."

"**Agreed."**

Athrun prepared his spear once again. Ashura charged forward. Again, the red Knight slashed his spear on Ashura's left shoulder.

"**No matter how many times you try, it'll always be the same!"**

Like before, the joints dislocated and the elastic skin stretched. Athrun's attack was nullified like before. But before he was catapulted back, the Knight spun his spear, rolling up the elastic skin along in the process.

"**What? What are you doing?"**

"No matter how elastic they are, there will be one point where the elasticity reached its peak. And when that happens…" The roll continued until eventually the skin can no longer stretched. With one mighty upward swing, the red knight tore the bundle of rolled skin formed at the edge of his spear; effectively ripping Ashura's left arm off its shoulder.

"ALRIGHT! Kankurou, Temari, Shikamaru and Himizu who were watching nearby while helping some refugees cheered. Their smile vanished when they realized the massive arm was falling… towards them. "Holy… RUN!" The spectators jumped off the roof as Ashura's left hand crushed the building.

Athrun who saw the scene simply sweatdropped. "Oops…"

Sasori who watched the whole thing within Ashura awed. 'I can already tell… the difference of the amount of experience and his skills… all reflected on his move… Instant reaction, knowledge of traps and how to undo them… he's truly worthy of being the Kaiser of Weapons… Thank goodness I brought Ashura here on his maiden play… now I have no regrets!' **"Well done destroying one of my traps… but I'm far from done."**

"Good. Cause' I'm just warming up anyway."

"**Watch what you're saying, Kaiser. Otherwise you'll regret it when you die."**

"I never kid around. I'm a bad joker. Now that you know your joint dislocating tricks failed. What will you do now?"

"**Don't worry. I have many ways to defend myself."**

"Show me."

Ashura's remaining right fist began to twist again. Athrun cut a huge chunk of a building before transmuted his spear into a hammer and smashed the chunk towards the giant. He also transformed the building chunk into a massive sharp spearhead in the process. Before it hit the target, the red knight snapped his finger and the massive arrow exploded into tinier and sharper burning spears.

"**You got to be kidding me…"**

All projectiles hit the giant full marked by series of explosions.

The smoke dispersed immediately to reveal Ashura covered by a transparent blue barrier. Its chest opened revealing a set of Kanji writings.

"Chakra shield…" Athrun simply commented.

"**That's right. This is my second trick. And now, on to the next one!" **The chakra shield dispersed and the massive Puppet rushed forward. His right had been twisted to the fullest, ready to strike.

"Charging forward like that… it wasn't really impressive…" Athrun readied his spear.

Just then, Ashura's right leg suddenly spun. As the result, the entire giant body also revolved. Its two legs spun in succession, and in an instant, the Giant puppet had already stood on Athrun's back.

"W… what?" Chiyo stared in disbelief.

"**This is my third trick: a 360 degrees joints! Now eat this!" **The fingers of the right hand also twisting around till it reached full tension. Without further ado, Ashura launched its swirling hand of destruction towards the red Knight.

In retaliation, Athrun readied his spear. And just when the attack was just a few seconds away, the Red knight… threw his spear towards Ashura's shoulder. Hit its target the spear did… and it stuck there.

Sasori laughed ecstatically. **"BWUAHAHAHA! It seems you've missed! Now you've thrown away your weapon! DIE!"**

"One thing, Sasori." Athrun stood still. The swirling attack was still coming. "I never missed."

The swirling fist stopped just a few centimeters away from the Shitennou.

Everyone blinked in surprise.

"**What? What happened? Why can't I control my right hand anymore? What have you…!"** A realization struck Sasori. 'The spear! It must've jammed the gear movements! Coinci…' He looked at Athrun, who seemed very calm. 'No… it's not coincidence… he knew it… he stabbed his spear there for that single purpose! Did he guess where the position of the gear when he initially crushed Ashura's left hand? Such accurate prediction with just one look? This… this guy…!'

"I can't believe it. You can even move its fingers… you truly are a puppet genius. Too bad… you're on the wrong side." Athrun simply pushed the now inanimate fist away. A flicker of red lightning later and the whole right arm were disintegrated into smithereens. Athrun's spear landed on the ground. "And this must be mine." The red knight simply plucked his spear out. 'But dang… this thing is big… way too big. I thought if I could damage Ashura enough, I could force him to surrender… in all the likelihood, I have to kill him.'

Not giving up, Ashura prepared its gun arm. The next second, it began firing lances to random direction, causing massive damage and casualties. The crimson Knight jumped from on place to another not only to dodge the random attack, but to also prevent the mad puppeteer from causing more victims. Just when he stepped on a roof, the whole building rose up. Taken by surprise, Athrun nearly got hit by a pillar that somehow flying right towards him.

"!" 'He uses Chakra strings to lift the buildings?'

"**In the end… you're just the same with Deidara and all other people I've fought. They all underestimated the power of the Kugutsu users. Ashura maybe powerful. But if he's not controlled by a powerful person, he's nothing but a giant rubber junk. With one finger you have to withstand the weight of over 20 tons… and the tool to move it is only tiny strands of chakra."**

Large chunks of buildings rose up around Ashura before heading towards the Shitennou. Athrun easily dodged it, but to makes things worse, Sasori fired Ashura's gun arm on him, intending to catch him off guard.

"**Even when you compare them with raising these buildings, this is completely nothing!"**

More and more chunks of buildings were thrown towards the Knight.

Just then, Tenten was still evacuating some Kappa to a safe place. Abruptly she saw a small Kappa child who was crying. The problem was the child was awfully close to the battle zone. Without thinking, she immediately dashed towards the child's spot.

"Mother! (Sob) Mother!" the little Kappa girl sobbed.

"It's alright calm down. Come on we got to get out of here!" the weapon mistress grabbed hold of the little Kappa. All the sudden, Ashura's gun arm were directed towards them.

Athrun was ready to move again when he suddenly noticed that Tenten was helping a little Kappa right on the line of fire. "Oh no!"

He immediately stood right in front of the two.

"**DIE!"**

The gun arm shot a horde of massive lances towards the three. Using his staff, Athrun slapped them off its tracks one by one with godlike speed. When the barrage finished, all the lances were stuck on the ground around the ever calm crimson knight. None of the three were even scratched.

"Are you okay?" the crimson knight asked the two.

Tenten and the little Kappa nodded. Sighed in relief, the Turtle Shitennou turned his attention to Ashura.

"Leave these people out of this!" Athrun clapped his hands once before transmuting his staff into a large cannon-like contraption. Tenten found the cannon awfully familiar. The knight performed the same with the massive lances around him. Only he transmuted them into chains of sharp bullets of large caliber.

That's when Tenten realized it as a memory flashed in her mind.

"_See page 352. It's an automatic refilling high explosive grenade launcher."_

"That's… Armstrong Cannon!"

Athrun took no notice as he fired the cannon in rapid succession. Swarm of large hot bullets penetrated Ashura's skin, obliterating its massive mechanism within, but it didn't manage to get through the giant puppet. Hundreds of large bullet shells fell down from the cannon's ejection hole. After several hundred rounds, Athrun stopped. He looked at Tenten, who gulped nervously.

"What's your name miss?"

"T-Tenten."

"Right. Miss Tenten, how did you know?" he asked calmly.

"Eh?"

"Armstrong cannon. How did you know?"

"Erhh…" Tenten pulled out the weapon catalogue Kira gave him from his bag and showed the Shitennou the picture of what looked like an exact replica of the cannon Athrun was holding right now.

"Kira gave you that eh?" The crimson knight chuckled as he put down his smoking cannon. The weapon specialist nodded nervously.

"Ah look! That big guy is still moving!" The Kappa kittling pointed towards the Ashura.

"Not for long." The turtle Shitennou stated confidently.

"Eh?" the two looked at the knight.

"If you notice, I didn't just shoot any bullet."

"Huh?" Tenten looked at the one of the large bullets. On the bullet's head, there's a weird picture of a circle etched on it. "What's this?"

"A transmutation circle. It should be on effect now."

Inside Ashura, the bullets had indeed caused severe damage. They were all stuck on the gears, the chains, the frames… everywhere. It's a mess. Amidst the mess, the transmutation circles plastered on the bullet rounds glowed red. The next second Ashura's back exploded with massive force, burning the other parts in the process. The giant began to fell forward. Tenten gasped. "Oh no, oh no! That thing's gonna fall at us!" Before she could move, Athrun already got her back and along with the small Kappa warped away from the place.

The once six armed colossus finally fallen, causing a massive earthquake that shook the whole village as it hit the ground.

Smoke covered almost everything.

Tenten was panting heavily as she's holding a pillar for dear life while the little Kappa was holding her back. 'What battle…'

Shikamaru gasped. He fell from the roof thanks to the tremor. "Lucky I landed on something soft."

"That'll be me you lazy idiot!" Kankurou groaned. Shikamaru sweatdropped. Clearly he's not the only one fell down. What massive earthquake.

"Well, at least we took the big guy down." Saizou sighed.

"I wouldn't be too sure of that if I were you…" Chiyo still looked skeptical.

Just then a figure began to rise from the smoke where Ashura's remains lay.

"What did I tell you?"

Athrun looked at the rising figure. It was Sasori, complete with his body. His heart planted right in the middle of the chest. "Figures. You keep a backup body."

"Told you, didn't I? Even if my body's destroyed, I can recreate it as many times as I want. And now, let's draw the curtain of this play." Sasori pulled the last scroll, opened it up in midair as his back opened, and countless chakra strings burst out. A horde of puppets filled the sky.

"You… can control all that?" Athrun simply whistled.

Tenten gasped. "So many…"

Chiyo blinked. "To think he'd be capable of this…"

"I heard that Shitennou's individual strength can take on a single country… I wonder… since I used these 100 puppets of mine to take on a country also."

"…" The red knight didn't respond.

"Aka Higi: Hyakku no Souen. (Red Secret Arts: Hundred Puppets Show). Prepare for your last show."

Athrun chuckled. "By the way Sasori. It was so nice of you to flock them together like that."

"?"

The Shitennou stomped the ground with his staff. Just then, a massive crucifix with a pale blue skinned woman crucified appeared right behind the flock of Puppets. Both her hands were chained to the cross with nails sticking here and there. Her legs also shared the same fate and blood constantly dripping from the nails. Her white long hair was in disarray, covering her naked body.

"Anima, the Fallen. Swallow them all in Darkness!"

The dark angel raised her head a little, revealing her bloodshot eyes that were glowing evilly. She shrieked in pain with an ear splitting volume. Countless black wings burst out from her back and swallowed all 100 puppets, forming a large dark ball. The ball slowly sank down to darkness, along with howls of pain echoing from within. Few moments later, it's gone.

Tenten's face was pale white. So much she fell on the ground, cold sweat drenched her neck.

Sasori was paralyzed. Not because of fear. But the collections of his best puppets were all taken out just one shot. Just like that. "…!" He turned around to see Athrun only to find the latter had disappeared and reappeared on his back, with his heart plucked out.

The Nuke nin looked at his now empty chest before the human puppet fell down. Using his last bits of strength, Sasori's real body still managed to speak via the puppet. "Incredible… Athrun Zala… your art finally prevail…"

"…" Athrun held Sasori's heart firmly. He knew that right now, Sasori' was controlling his puppet via this heart.

"I know I've lost… but will you tell me… what was that? Consider this my last request."

"That… was homunculus. The peak of achievement of Alchemy. A literal artificial human."

"Astounding… if only… I met you sooner… you could help me…"

The Kappas were already gathering around the fallen Sand missing nin. Chiyo, Kankurou, Temari, Gaara, Shikamaru, Saizou, Himizu, and Tenten were also there.

"Even if you met me 20 years earlier, I still won't help you. You see… homunculus was actually something that no human should ever lay his hand upon."

"Rules… are made… to be broken…"

"But some rules… are not meant to be."

"Ku, ku, ku… That is too bad… human lives… are so… fragile… puppets… are supreme… you can create a life… countless lives unbound to time… as many times as you want!"

"…what kind of human are you?" Himizu gulped.

"…hmm… perhaps… a human that can't be puppet?" Sasori looked at his parents' puppets that somehow miraculously survived the battle. "In the end… this is what I've become. I have puppet body… yet have a living core… I'm not human… and an imperfect puppet either. Not human, not puppet either…"

"Sasori…" Athrun looked at the Heart. Slowly but sure, he can feel life-force sipping away from it. It would appear that Sasori's original body was also functioned as a container for his life energy.

"…you want to know about Akatsuki? Well… we're comprised… of Shinobis… with their own goals… you see… We all share… a common requirement… more power… hence… we hunt the Bijyus… to extract their power… however… each of us… has their own goal… one… that is kept private… from another… so I cannot tell you much either… not even their complete profile… we only know names… but we do not know other specific details… except villages… from which we came from… the only one… who knew all the information you require… is the leader himself… seek him out… if you want to…" That was it. The puppet's head stopped moving. The Shitennou can also no longer feel any life force from Sasori's heart.

Chiyo bowed down sadly. Athrun dispersed his armor and walked towards Chiyo. "Chiyo-baa-san."

The Suna elder looked at Athrun, who handed her Sasori's lifeless heart. She looked at her grandson's heart. Tears finally broke out and she cried and wailed. "This is all… this was all my fault… I shouldn't have sent his parents away that day! Sasori's parents were killed during one of their missions. We gave their bodies back to Sasori… the child turned them into puppets so that he can play with them everyday… But puppets are puppets… they're just inanimate objects… ever since that, he had been obsessed in human puppets… he kidnaps Shinobis from various places… woman to children… and turned them all into puppets… he did it all underneath my nose! He didn't run away from the village… I banished him myself! Never would I've thought he'll become like this… Sasori… I'm sorry… I'm really, really sorry…"

The old lady cried her heart out. The Kappas couldn't help but to pity the old lady too.

Himizu looked down at Sasori's lifeless puppet body. "Maybe the reason he threw away his human body… was because he was expecting he could join his parents as well… the parents he turned to puppets… with his own hands…"

"That's what humans are." Gaara spoke. Himizu looked at the sand user. "No matter how strong you are… no matter how smart you are… you can never defeat loneliness."

"That's true. Even for Kappa, it is an undeniable truth." Saizou nodded.

Athrun took Sasori's puppet body. Everyone looked at him. "Let's take him to the place where he wished to be."

Chiyo, still sobbing, nodded. Athrun carried the former puppet master body and placed them right in the middle of the 'Mom' and 'Dad' puppet. Chiyo placed Sasori's heart on the ground. "Athrun-sama… Please cremate them."

"Hai." The Alchemist snapped his fingers and the three bodies were in ablaze. He could've sworn he saw the 'Mom' and 'Dad' puppet shed a tear just before the flame caught them. "He's a poor child. Ingenuity and Innocence engulfed him with madness. I hope he found happiness now."

"Everyone please say a prayer to them. And to everyone who had died today." Saizou instructed. And so they pray.

Athrun looked up to the sky; Torii was floating in the air, watching everything unfold…

------------------

The next day…

"Well, yeah that WAS my fault. I created that sandstorm to strengthen this one… but it looks like they got caught in the process so…" Athrun scratched his head nervously. The Shinobi team was tried by the Elders after the event. Currently though, they seem to be winning given that Athrun was defending them, much to Himizu's satisfaction.

The Kappa elders sighed.

"Very well… we'll let them go. But can you guarantee that they will not breathe a word about this place?"

Athrun chuckled. "Well. I can. But before I do, won't you address that question to your people? They were waiting out there."

"Pardon?"

"After today's occasion, the youngsters practically asking-no scratch that-BEGGING me to take off the storm formation. Go ask them."

"Eh?" The elders immediately moved outside. There hundreds of young Kappas were standing there. It was as if the whole village had gathered in front of the town hall. Saizou and the guards were somewhat nervous seeing the massive number of mob. The shinobi team, save for Gaara, also gulped at the number.

"What brings you all here?" Himizu asked.

"We're here to humbly ask the priest to release the silver sandstorm that isolated our village." One Kappa spoke for everyone.

The elders gasped while Himizu simply grinned.

"But the sandstorm was there to protect us! Why did you want to get out there, where's it's dangerous?"

"Perhaps. But the sandstorm barrier almost made us forget who we were. We're warriors. Yesterday we saw how one human could bring us all upon a brink of destruction. If there are more people like him out there, we have to become stronger. Alas, we can no longer grow if we continue to be sedated here, where our skills continue to deteriorate with every generation. That's why we ask the barrier to be removed. Only by venturing outside, into the unknown world can we grow stronger and recover our former glory as the nation of warriors!"

"Yeah!"

"That's right!"

All Kappas supported the statement.

"Have you not forgotten what happened centuries ago? Our clan was destroyed because of the demons corrupted our race! Do you want that to happen again?"

"We know that. But we can learn. We can always do. And I believe… we all believe… that we will survive this time."

"Outside world filled with dangerous beasts." One elder commented.

"And if I recall correctly, hunting them used to be our breakfast every day. Where does the tradition go?" Himizu commented with a smile.

"Himizu please be quiet…!" One of the elder growled.

Himizu's uncle simply chuckled. "I will not stop you then."

"Chieftain?" the elders looked at the eldest Kappa with shock.

"However the world outside were reigned by humans. I'm sure you all know who's responsible for the corruption of our race, thousands of years ago?"

"Still, we've done many things we shouldn't be proud of. How many has it been? Poor souls that were caught lost in the desert, and instead of helping them we killed them under the name of safety of our society. What we did was no different then the demons and indifferent with humans either for that matter. However… if you noticed, these humans had helped us greatly during the battle. They helped evacuating the Kappas from the battle zone when that giant went rampage."

"The she-humans with buns on her hair saved my dear daughter." A female Kappa hugged her child, the one that Tenten had saved. The kappa girl waved her hand to Tenten, who waved back.

"The stupid but genius human also saved my life." The Kappa whom Temari and Shikamaru saved also stated, holding her deceased husband's spear firmly.

"The small human with red hair protected the whole village with his sand when that clay using human attempted to blow us away!"

"Chiyo-san also saved my life when Sasori nearly stabbed me." Saizou suddenly added. Everyone looked at the one eyed Kappa in shock. "What? I only stated the truth."

Himizu laughed. "Let me take it over from here everyone. The point is, uncle. If you're asking if we can trust outsiders…I'd say, we can start from these people… people who we know, had saved our lives… at the risk of their own."

Everyone nodded in agreement, except the elders. They concerned for a moment although the look on Himizu's uncle had already stated the obvious final decision. "So be it. Let's give it a try, boys. Athrun-sama could you…"

"I'm not whining, but you ask that after I strengthen the storm… taking it out will take… a few years or so. Probably 2 or 3 years…"

"We'll wait then. Look at the bright side guys! We can at least prepare for the new world!" Himizu yelled.

"Aye!" Everyone cheered happily.

Saizou sighed. "Alright then you lot! Go ahead and prepare! Now ya'll dismiss!"

The crowd obediently obeyed.

The Shinobi team though was still thunderstruck. Temari moved to Athrun. "Anoo… Athrun-sama… you don't mean we have to stay here for 2-3 years right?"

"You guys want to?"

Everyone answered in unison a big "NO!"

"As I thought." Athrun turned to Saizou. "Saizou-san, I believe they're running out of food and water during their trip here. See it to it they get enough provision for two days journey. You see, their home is quite far off from here."

"As you wish." Saizou bowed down before left.

Athrun turned back to the Shinobi team. "Why don't you people rest today? You've earned it anyway."

"But… where should we stay?" Shikamaru moaned.

"You guys can stay in any home if you like. You guys are Hero here now." Saizou grinned.

"Don't worry. I can sleep anywhere." The shadow user yawned.

------------------

Later that night…

After he and the Shinobi team arranged their provisions, Saizou was sitting on a roof. He was drinking a big barrel of ale.

"You seem to be in a good mood?"

"Ah, Athrun-sama!"

"May I join?" The alchemist smiled.

"Sure."

"So, in the end, you're also agreeing that this village will be opened at last."

"I guess it can't be helped. We're all warriors by nature… when we saw strong people… humans or anything… we just can't stand by."

Athrun smirked. "Probably your people's lust for fight can only be rivaled by the Naga. You know, one of Seiryuu's servants."

Saizou snorted. "Yeah right. I miss those slithering serpents already. How were they doing?"

"Kira told me: 'You don't want to know'. He was smirking at the time though."

The two laughed.

Down there…

"Can you please be a little bit more serious? It's already nightfall and we haven't found a place to sleep." Temari was itching to slam his steel fan atop Shikamaru's head. Kankurou and Gaara had already found a place to sleep in Himizu's cabin. Alas, there's only enough place for the two siblings. Tenten was offered a place to sleep by the family of the Kappa girl she saved, and Chiyo had her own. Hence that left the two of them without a place to stay. Off course, they were welcomed everywhere. Unfortunately, today's event had left many Kappa homeless. They have to stay in other people's house. Hence, houses were full everywhere.

"Told you… go on ahead without me… I can sleep everywhere."

Temari twitched. She was about to plummet the shadow user and lecture him about how hazardous it was to his health to sleep randomly and to incur her wrath when a Kappa called them.

"Hey there! How're you doing?"

"Eh?" The two turned. Temari recognized the Kappa in an instant. The She Kappa was the one Temari and Kankurou had saved.

She walked towards them with a smile. "What are you doing late this night?"

"Shopping." Shikamaru answered sarcastically. Temari nudged the Nin.

"We're looking for a place to stay tonight. But we haven't found one…"

"Oh dear. If that's the case, come sleep in my place."

"Oh no. We don't want to be troubling you."

"And you're the one who want a place to sleep…" Shikamaru muttered. A step to his foot answered, courtesy of the Fan User.

"Don't worry. My home's empty right now. There should be enough room for two."

"Really?" Temari grinned.

"Yes. I have a two person bed in my room, and one room for guest. You two can sleep there and I'll sleep in the guest room…"

"Wait! What do you mean…? I have to sleep with him?"

"Oh? You two are not couple?"

"NO!" The two answered in unison.

"…" The female Kappa sweatdropped. "Alright… Then miss, you can sleep with me… and you sir…"

"I'll take guest room… or anywhere as long as I'm far from woman… I heard they're a bit troublesome when they sleep…" The shadow user muttered the last sentence under his breath.

"Weird human."

"Mind him; he has a thing for woman." Temari sighed.

"I guess so…"

Not so long after they've arrived in the Kappa's, whose name they've learned was Mizumi, house. It wasn't so big. And it was one of a few lucky houses that survived Ashura's rampage.

The next instance, everyone had gone in to their respective room. Temari was surprised too find how a Kappa's room weren't that different with Human's. Not so long after the girls lay on the bed.

"Arigato yo, Mizumi san… damn I'm tired…"

"Nah. It's the least I can do to you people. Thank you for saving our village."

"I'm sorry that you've lost your husband."

"There's no regret. He died a warrior. In the end…I will see him again when I die."

"You don't sound to upset."

"I'll be lying if I said that I'm not sad. But I doubt my husband would want his wife to mourn forever. That's female Kappas' way of thinking. What about humans?"

"That depends on the person… some maybe like you… some may take a while before they can move on…"

"What about you?"

"Me?"

"Yeah. What if you're already married one day, and all the sudden your husband get killed."

"Hmmm… I don't know. Never thought of that. I mean… I'm still too young to think marriage…"

"Old enough to think about adult stuff… I think?"

"Just what are you getting at?"

Mizumi simply pointed at Shikamaru's room. Temari's face was bit red.

"Anyway let's get to sleep. You got a long journey ahead of you." Mizumi immediately suggested, satisfied she get the desired effect.

------------------

Himizu was smiling wildly. He couldn't believe it. After centuries locked in the isolated tornado, he finally got what he had wanted for so long: freedom to venture the outside world. He had been waiting for this day for god knows how long… so what's the problem of waiting 2-3 years? He was so excited he could barely have a sleep. Hence he walked on the cold breeze of the night, trying to calm himself.

"You're still awake?"

The Kappa snapped and looked at the speaker. It was Gaara.

"Hmm… yeah, can't sleep."

"…"

"How bout you? Don't you sleep?"

"I used to hate sleeping."

"Hate? Why?"

"Back then, if I have sleep, I always got nightmares to make my night."

"And now?"

"It's okay for me to sleep now but… I still can't get used to it."

"…I heard from Kankurou kun, you're his little brother… your name's Gaara… right?"

"Hai."

"…no offense… but, are you a hosted one?"

"What?"

"…did you have a demon inside you?"

Taken a bit of surprise, Gaara reluctantly nodded. "…how?"

"The sand… that was no normal human skills. Was it Shukaku the Ichibi?"

"You knew?"

"…in the past, we used to fight his Senior, his old man… he was always there, watching everything unfolded… it wasn't too long till we had to face him ourselves. We were introduced with his… sand."

"…"

"Don't worry. I'll tell no one. You've saved our village from that explosive freak… for that, I thank you."

"You know… I heard some stuffs too… about you. You being a royalty or something…"

"Oh that… who told you?"

"Overheard conversation of the villagers."

"I see. Well, my father used to be the Chieftain of the Kappagakure. He was a warrior alright… but we're not too close. He's somewhat… cruel… but my uncle always told me that he only thought the best for me and for the village. But I never listen… until the day he died… He died protecting me, saving my life… I could only mourn that I've never actually pay heed to him… but, what's done is done… now, it's my turn to follow his footsteps… what about you? Hosted or not, you have a father right?"

"I have one… but… he's not a person whom you want to be your father. Like yours… he's a leader of our village and he only thought of the best for the village… but that was it… beyond that he cared nothing else."

"How bad are we talking here?"

"Up to the point where he killed his own loving wife and several murder attempts on me, his own flesh and blood, one that he turned into a weapon, a Jinchuriki."

"…okay that's really bad."

"Don't worry, he's dead already."

"I guess it's pretty obvious that you don't seem to be upset about it."

"He's a failing leader. His rules can only make my village suffer. It wasn't until his death we learned that he had become a pet-dog of the Wind Country government. He's been accepting bribes from the government as along as he can deteriorate our forces. Ironically, he was killed by another person, whom later assumed his identity, and used that same reason to make us attack the village that we're supposed to call Ally."

"Some history… So… if your father was the leader of your village… will you follow his footsteps and becoming the leader of your village too?"

"I want to be the Kazekage because I want to not because of him."

"Kazekage… That's what the leader of your village was called?"

"Actually, there are other villages. The leader of each village had their own title regarding to the village they lead and the country they're in. There 5 known biggest villages and their own Kages. Konohagakure: Hokage, Kumogakure: Raikage, Ishigakure: Tsuchikage, Kirigakure: Mizukage, and finally Sunagakure: Kazekage. Aside from this, there are Grass Village, Hoshigakure, Yukigakure, etc. They're plenty of the Shinobi village in the outside land."

"All of them… were as strong as you guys?"

"…I don't know. Some maybe weaker, some maybe stronger. It's a large world out there."

"Yep! I just can't wait to get out of there."

"What about following your father's footsteps?"

"Don't worry! I can do it! Being an adventurer and the leader of the whole village sounds fun."

"It's nearly impossible. What if when you're gone, your village was attacked?"

"Well that's… look being leader it doesn't mean you have to sit behind the chair all the time right?"

"If it needed to, then you must do so. As much as I dislike my father when I was a kid, I often saw him hadn't left his desk from dawn to midnight. Now that I want to become a Kazekage…I knew that's what I'm going to face…" 'And what Naruto's going to face as well.'

"…"

"Your father. I'm sorry if I'm saying things that are not in my place… but I really think that, like you, he's also eager to go on an adventure to far off places… but he had a village to watch over for… hence he stayed."

Himizu was silent, thinking about Gaara's words.

"Well, I think I'm going to rest now. Nighty night." The sand user bowed his head.

"You do that. It's long journey tomorrow." Himizu smiled lightly.

Gaara hopped away.

**WELL, YOU CERTAINLY GOT HIM. I NEVER THOUGHT YOU COULD SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT, REMEMBERING YOUR DAD WAS A PERSON THAT GIVES SCUMBAGS A BAD NAME. **

"One thing for sure, Shukaku. If I'm to become a Kazekage, he's the last thing I want to be."

**YEP.**

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End of Part 2


	19. The Convene

OOOOHH YEAH! TRIPLE UPDATE NO JUTSU! I'M SO GENKI!

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": special case**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA: Demon speech **

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

**Chapter 17.3:**

**Kappa, Priest, Alchemy**

**Part. 3: Epilog**

Athrun-holding the paralyzed Deidara-, Shikamaru, Chiyo, Tenten and the three Siblings stood on the outskirts of the sandstorm.

"Well, we're sorry for the trouble we caused you all."

Himizu smirked. "Nah. We're the ones that have been troubling you all! You sure you can find your way in the middle of the desert?"

"We're Suna Nins. We've been trained since we're young to find our way in the desert. So don't worry. We'll be just fine." Gaara answered.

"Then, safe journey." The Kappa shoved his hand.

Gaara simply smiled lightly and shook the Kappa's hand.

"About last night… I've been thinking about it… You're right Gaara. My father always thought the best for our village… I too want to do that. But I'm not giving up my dream to venture the outside world. One day I may be able to do so. But I'm not gonna give up."

Gaara simply chuckled. "You do that then."

"Hai. You too. Ganbatte yo!"

Gaara nodded.

The group turned around to face the Sandstorm. Athrun was still preparing something.

"Now, how do we get out of the sandstorm?"

"Let's see… everyone hold on to me please."

The group touched the Alchemist's back. "On three, two, one… poof!"

Blue light covered them all before they vanished.

"Sayonara… Gaara-kun." Himizu smiled with new life glinting in his eyes.

"Saa… Himizu. If you're done, you better get ready for the next sparring."

"OK! This time I'll beat you Saizou-danna!"

"…who are you and what have you done to Himizu?" Saizou jaw dropped.

"Eh? Nanni-ga?"

"Usually when I asked that question, the Himizu I knew would I try to find a dozen excuses to skimp on training… what happened?"

Himizu smirked. He looked at the silver sandstorm. '2-3 years… and we can kiss this stupid sandstorm a nice goodbye…' "I… I grew up a little. That's what happened." 'But for me… looks like my trip around the world had to be postponed… for a while that is.'

Saizou smirked. "OK! Let's keep up that spirit till we begin training!"

"Yosh!"

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Kankurou, curious, simply asked. "What happened last night?"

"Just conversation between would be leaders. Nothing fancy. Why do you asked?"

"Oh, well. No nothing at all." Kankurou back to walk.

"Nee, Athrun-san… did Kira sent you?" Gaara asked.

"Hai… he told me I'll meet you in the desert. But, maybe it's just some lady luck that I was thinking to go check up on Kappa village all the sudden and then I ran into you guys… and you too." Athrun was referring to Deidara.

"Hoi… what's with all this, yeah?"

"Well let's see: you're a member of the organization who hunted Demons. For some purpose. For what, we don't know… yet."

"You're going to interrogate me yeah?"

"That's correct."

"Well, you're welcome to try, yeah."

"Aside a main fighter, I'm also the information gatherer of the Shitennou. So you can bet my interrogation skills are not a child's play."

"Even so much you paralyzed me like this… what jutsu you used? Kanashibari?"

"I don't really understand eastern jutsu. What I've done was simply transmute your blood."

"Eh?"

"To move, humans need Hemoglobin to tie the Oxygen in their blood. Without oxygen, you'll lose strength. However, it is more reactive to carbon monoxide, which, in a certain dose can be lethal to human. What I did to you was simply transmuting the Carbon Dioxide within you into Monoxide. It's not on lethal dose… but it's enough to tie all the Hemoglobin just to make sure your body lack oxygen… hence, you lose strength. In a manner… only your head that is alive… your body is… let's just say in suspended animation."

"Shitennou are all like that? Sheesh… looks like we really arousing a dangerous group yeah?" Cold sweat drenched Deidara's neck.

"Your fault to hunt the Bijyus in the first place."

"Look. I'm not complaining that you turned into half dead like this. But…"

"But what?"

Deidara, frustrated that Athrun kept pulling his cloak, dragging him in the sand like a ragged doll, finally yelled. "Can't you carry me in a cooler looking method?"

"Ah? You didn't say anything so I thought you don't mind."

"Why you…"

"Oh that's right. I'll keep dragging you like this until you're ready to tell me everything about Akatsuki. Don't lie. Cause I'll know."

"YOU!"

"Consider this the first portion of the interrogation. I can bring you to the brink of death if I want to, and I'll still keep you alive enough to answer my questions. The first question is… what are these rings for?" Athrun showed Deidara's and Sasori's ring lying in his hand to the clay user.

"…I'm not talking."

"Everybody said that… let's see how long you can last."

"Matte kudasai." Gaara looked at Athrun.

"Hmm?"

"You said you don't understand Jutsus? Then, what are those things you do?"

"That is Alchemy. An art that is somewhat similar with Jutsus you people know here."

"But… you don't know any Jutsus?" Kankurou was curious.

"Hold on there. What did Kira told you about me?"

"He said you're strong… and you're one type with me."

"One type with you?"

"Absolute defense master, one hit kill move user." Gaara began to wonder whether Kira was lying to him. If it's about an absolute defense user, his black Diamond armor was proof enough. But Alchemy? Transmutation circle? All those terms were all alien to him.

"Hoo… that's what he thinks eh?"

"You're not?"

"Well it's not me to decide. I fight the way I like. There's no preferred style whatsoever. All Shitennou do. We have our own fighting style. That's what Kira thinks about me. I don't know what you think about me though."

"…" Gaara frowned. "Alchemy… Jutsus… are they the same?"

"They're similar… but no. They're not the same."

"…" 'Then maybe I should get back to Kira…'

"But it doesn't mean it can't be linked."

"Eh?" Everyone turned to Athrun.

"Alchemy is about Understanding, Decomposing, and Reconstructing. And it follows the absolute rule of the Equivalent Trade. You can't gain anything without presenting something of a value. Jutsus are nearly the same. You can't create something out of nothing. When you cast say, water from your mouth, you're using your stamina turned to Chakra. When you cast the water, your chakra diminish equivalent to how much water you let out. There's an application of the Equivalent Trade law there."

"Hooo…" Everyone nodded in understanding.

"But it's pretty simple theory ain't it?" Shikamaru asked.

"Maybe. But not even a hairline mistake is allowed. You can't create something out of nothing. Also, the item you wish to create must be at the same masses from the material you used. Furthermore, each substance needed in the creation of the item must be on the exact measure. In a matter of speaking, it's more like… the art of transforming one object into another."

"…" Gaara finally sighed. "Maybe I'm going back to Konoha."

"EEH?" Everyone gasped.

"You're upset that I'm not like what you expect me to be?"

"Don't get me wrong. I understand and acknowledge your skills. But we're using jutsus. If it's different from the art you know… then maybe I'm not fit in with you after all."

"I see… Hmm?" Just then, Torii landed on Athrun's head. "Eh? Torii? Nanni-ga?"

The green bird began to chirp excitedly.

"Eh? Kira said that?"

Torii chirped once as if answering yes.

"…Yo… Gaara-kun."

"Eh?"

"What's the easiest and fastest way to kill somebody quickly?"

Gaara blinked.

"…you said you're a one hit kill user right? I don't know whether I'm one type with you. And I don't know what you'll think about me. But I will try to help you. Plus… Kira just sent me this question for you… What's the best way to kill someone quickly?"

Everyone wondered where this going so they only watch silently. Gaara answered calmly. "The quickest way to kill someone…is to caught the target off guard."

"And how do we do so?"

"To attack where he less expect it… to attack at the most unforeseeable direction… and to attack with… with something he wouldn't expect to be a weapon."

"Exactly by the word. Those three rules are the basic of the Suna's puppetry, because killing someone quickly was the main intention of the puppet users." Chiyo approved.

"What are you getting at?" Gaara blinked. Something suddenly began to come to light.

"I'm beginning to understand why Kira sent you to me. The reasons why you think yourself as a one hit killer user was because no ordinary human ever challenged your sand and live long enough to tell the tale more then 5 seconds. But mostly because they don't know…nor they ever expect that sand can be a weapon. Soon though, you'll find yourself in trouble since people begin to recognize you by your sand techniques."

"You want to tell me that I may not be a one hit kill specialist after all?"

"It's not me to decide. It's just how you think. If in the end whether you give up your current fighting style or not, it's not me to decide."

"…" 'I see… this is why Kira refuse to teach me even more… had I been staying with him… my fighting style would surely change… he sent me away… so that I will meet him… and so that I'll… damn… I'm really playing right in his hands…' "Then share me."

"Pardon?"

"Share me this… art of Alchemy. You said yourself. The art of Alchemy and Jutsus maybe different; but it doesn't mean the two can't be linked… or used in conjunction for that matter." 'Nobody would expect this for sure. A skill that only I can do… no mortal can figure it out!'

"Alchemy and Jutsu together, eh? Guess we're alike then, since I too think that'll be a good idea."

Everyone smiled. Tenten suddenly had something else in mind. "Anoo… Athrun-san…"

"Let me guess… you want me to teach you too about the art of weapons right?"

"Eeerh… how did you know?"

"There are at least 3 clues: 1. you're carrying the book **I** wrote. 2. You often using weapons in battle. 3. Kira knew this will happen hence he gave you that book. That Satori kinda annoying…"

"Satori? Weren't that Kira-san's bloodline limit?" Chiyo remembered her conversation with Kira.

"Aye. The ultimate eye."

"In that case, I too…" Kankurou was about to ask the same question before Athrun interrupted.

"'Make the whole group members as your pupil.' That's what he said via Torii just now. Kira clearly had foreseen everything."

"EEH? Me too?" Shikamaru gasped.

"Aye. He said you're a shadow user. But at the same time you're a master tactician. I guess it's obvious that he recommend you… since I'm a tactician myself."

"You are?"

"Yep."

"Interrogator, A Knight, Alchemist, Tactician… boy, didn't you have any girlfriend yet, yeah?" Deidara muttered.

Athrun smiled. "Oh yes. I have a wife already."

"EEEEEEEHHH?" Everyone gasped.

"Now come on! We had a long journey ahead of us. Gaara, I'll start explaining about the ABC of Alchemy on the way to Suna."

"Okay."

Athrun smiled before looking at Torii, dead serious. "Torii, please give this to Kira. It's urgent." The Alchemist gave a pill to Torii. The bird took it before fly away.

Athrun watched the flying bird. 'Now… we have made our first notable move… your turn… Akatsuki.'

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Part 3. End.

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End of Three part Chapter 17

TBC

Total words for chapter 17 (drum rolling): 26947 words. Dear me… Happy reading. Beware of Headache. Chapter 18 follows from here.

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**Chapter 18:**

**The Convene**

"Oi, don't slack off now! You've only been training for 5 hours!" Kira muttered lazily as he read a newspaper calmly.

"Give… us… a… breather…" Naruto was panting, near dead.

"Yarre, yarre… hng?" He noticed Torii was floating above.

"Torii… what're you carrying?"

The bird obediently landed on Kira's shoulder after putting the Pill to Kira.

"Ara? Nanni ga?"

Torii chirped.

"Athrun gave this eh… hmm… Minna, take 5 minutes breather."

The three nin sighed in relief.

Kira eyed the pill for sometime before gulping it down. The pill went through his throat all the way to his stomach. There, it disintegrated by the enzymes and immediately absorbed by the blood veins, sending the substance all the way to the cerebral cortex and then into his brain. The substance suddenly turned into minuscule ivies connecting the brain and the ears.

Kira's mind…

"Athrun. What is it?"

"Sorry for sending this message the unusual way. I fear that, now that we've done something like this, Torii will be intercepted along the way."

"Right. Had you not tell me about the way this 'communication seed' works, I would've scolded you. Still that's not the case… so what is it."

"Well, for a starter, a formal report would do. Yesterday, I've taken out Sasori, one of the members of the Akatsuki. He's dead now, but he gave some cryptic explanation about the organization."

"Clearly not the same like the one we used to know."

"Yes. He said that it consisted of Shinobis with their own individual goals. All they share was the common requirement of more power. Alas, the information about others is only limited to trivial matters. The leader was the only one who knew everything."

"And who's that we didn't know do we?"

"Yet."

"Who else is with you?"

"I had Deidara. The missing nin from Ishigakure. He'll tell us everything."

"I'll leave that to you then."

"Yeah… still there's something else that I really need to know… but I guess you're already what I'm going to ask?"

Kira sighed. "Konoha was attacked by Kyuubi. Instead of killing it, he was sealed instead. The horrors are still in the heart of the villagers. Not that I don't trust Naruto, but we need to consider the scenario if Kyuubi were forced to be on rampage again. We need to gather all the power Konoha will ever need, just in case that happened. That's why many Konoha Nin will be trained this time."

"You just said… 'Forced' to…?"

"The current Kyuusei is… in a matter of speaking… calm. However, not so long ago, Sanbi Garou attacked and had entrenched themselves in the Konoha forest."

"Garou? Who the hell called them? How?"

"By the looks of things… it has been some time too. So that'll be… Kyuubi, Sanbi, Ichibi, and two Bijyus captured by the Akatsuki plus 'him'. More then half of the Youma'ou are here on Ningen Kai. This is clearly the biggest balance distortion we've ever faced. Something is likely happening in Ma Kai."

"…one thing that crossed my mind: Civil war."

"That's easy huh?"

"This is some massive vacuum of power in their hierarchy. Added with some power hungry demons… That's the only possible occurrence."

"The higher ups of the Youma'ou must be sending the Garous to find Kyuubi… so that they can use his power and turn the tides of war into their favor."

"Higher ups? I guess it's only possible that the conflict will be between what's left of the Youma'ou eh?"

"One side was clearly Sumikiru the Seven tail wolf. She's the only one strong enough to make a stand on her own. The other?"

"I could only think of Amurui the Bear. Sarugo the Ape is too loyal to the Triumvirate… and Shion the Lion… well, you know how he is."

"Hmmm… still, as long as the war had not been waged on Ningen Kai, we have nothing to say to their power struggle."

"You're not going to tell Kyuubi?"

"He's not stupid. I believe he had figure out all the possible situations. I assume that's what he thinks when he left Sumikiru in charge."

"I guess that leaves us with the human world… what should I do now? Aside from extracting information from Deidara that is."

"I'd say, we maintain our location, and 'secure' the Jinchuriki we had. They got two; we got two-no-I mean three. In a manner, we're at the advantage."

"But this is not something should be solved in term of numbers."

"Truly. But since we've taken out two of their member, their power now decreases. Sasori was a senior member; clearly the rest of the Akatsuki will be taken back by this. Not to mention the sudden move of the Five."

"They won't just lay low anymore, won't they? They've become desperate."

"You read the newspaper?"

"The way they say it… it was as if they're blaming Akatsuki's crime list to us."

"That is… to be expected… Do you suspect there's a connection between the two?"

"Quite a bit… speaking of which, I think I'm beginning to understand Akatsuki's method of communications."

"You're saying now they know their two members were taken out?"

Thousand miles away from Konoha, in the middle of the barren, Athrun smirked as he mentally answered. 'Oh yeah… they just know alright.' He was eying the rings, whose Kanji suddenly began to light up.

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Somewhere in the depths of the unknown, a man dressed in Akatsuki robe bowed down in front of the five figures. The whole room was dark and the five figures were nothing but silhouettes.

"This has to be a mistake. You want to make us believe that in less then 24 hours, two Akatsuki were taken out?"

"A week after we get the news that the Shitennou were all on the move." The man spoke. He has unruly short hair with his eyes blindfolded.

"You're the leader of the Akatsuki. What are your men doing?" The sixth silhouette figure suddenly joined and immediately scolded the Akatsuki leader.

"Be advised Director. We're only doing what you asked us to do."

"Pardon?"

"It was you who demanded us to be hurry with the extraction. You know damn well that the original plan was to wait for 2 years to gather strength… this sudden change of plan clearly leaked many of our weaknesses. This is the result."

"Ajira. Speak your tongue. What is it that you propose to do?" One of the first five figures spoke.

"Patience. That is all I have to say. Patience. Now that a dangerous group such as Shitennou suddenly got involved, putting untrue rumors in the newspaper won't help us. If we run, we'll lose things a lot more. But if we walk, we can still gather things fell down, and still we reached our destination… with everything stayed intact."

One the five spoke again. "What do you want?"

"I want my command under Akatsuki is to be relieved, immediately. I will assure you that if we do things smoothly and quietly… we may still get what we wanted."

"On the contrary, we must be hurry! If this Shitennou were also hunting the Bijyus, we must be hurry to take them away before they can prevent from doing so! Delicacy is out of question here." The sixth figure growled.

"The Bijyus."

"This is our only chance."

"Failure is intolerable."

"Your methods may be delicate. But we cannot wait for a better opportunity like this again. The director's correct. Still, we cannot close our eyes by thinking this will be over in the long run. The empty seat of the Akatsuki membership must be filled immediately."

"We've reached this far. Do not stop. Still, we'll give you some time to find a replacement. Immediately proceed with the mission once you're done. We'll talk again, after you've succeeded."

"Yes, milord." Ajira bowed down as the five figures disappeared, leaving the last figure with him.

"You can still talk big after you've lost two men?"

"Address that to yourself, _director_. It was you who gave us the order. And it will be you who will take responsibility for the possible deaths of my… _your_ men."

"Hmph! Wait till this is all over. THEN we'll see who the favorite kid of the Five is." The sixth figure disappeared as his last message echoed. "You best don't fail this time Ajira. The Five and I had little patience for failure."

"Insolent son of a bitch…" Ajira gripped his fist tightly.

Just then, the dark room vanished, replaced by a cave with kanji encryptions on several parts of the wall. Ajira walked out of the cave when Zetsu appeared on the wall.

"Zetsu."

"Sasori's dead. His wooden body was burned. I found the remnants of his singed body in the middle of the desert. I was lucky to find one of his fingers though. I recognized his fingerprints. Still, the rest is probably in ashes by now."

"Deidara?"

"Gone. I don't know whether he's dead or alive. I haven't found his body. But I found his clay bags and armaments. If anything, I'd say he's captured."

"The rings?"

"Not there. Whoever did this, he knew that the rings weren't just for decorations."

"…what a clever move… our order stands, Zetsu. Locate and secure the currently known Jinchuriki, immediately. Spread the words…"

"Hai." The Venus trap shinobi disappeared soon after.

Ajira looked up to the red sky of the evening. "Too far to stop eh?"

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TBC

Short. I know. But I'm tired so. Enjoy. Lastly this Minichapter down here which will be updated randomly. Depending on the reviews. Ja ne.

Deidara's days in Interrogation:

Minichapter 1:

Caged Bird

Sunagakure, 2 days later…

"Oi what the hell you're doing to me?" Deidara was able to move again once the group had reached the village but instantly he was put into an awkwardly shaped prison cell. The cell though, had Chiyo's seal etched underneath, restricting his use of chakra completely, hence he couldn't use any jutsu at all.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm putting you on jail." Athrun smirked.

"Jail?"

"Yep. And don't try to eat the steel okay? It has black powder in it… you try anything explosives… well, you know the rest."

"Sheesh…"

"You're going to stay here until you're ready to squawk everything you knew about Akatsuki."

"I see. You're going to starve me to death eh? Or what? Clip off my fingers?"

"Oh no. Worse. Much, worse." Athrun smiled evilly before he took a basket of tar and gave several kids some pillows.

Deidara looked dumbfounded at the preparation.

"First of all, have a taste of humiliation." Athrun showered the Ishi nukenin with Tar. "Kids. This guy is the big bad evil ninja! Beat him with the pillow!"

"Gah! WAIT!"

Too late. A flurry of pillow bashing later, the Nuke nin had already resembled a big chicken with feather allover. "This is your last chance to save yourself from utter humiliation. Answer my question. What is Akatsuki? What do they want with the Bijyus? Where is their leader?"

"Like I said, I'm not speaking, yeah! Especially to somebody who turned me into a chicken, yeah!"

"Suit yourself." Athrun clapped his hands once and tapped the ground. The next second, an earthen pillar hooked the cage and hanged it a few meters off the ground, just so that the whole village could see. It resembled like a giant bird cage with Deidara as the bird.

Big bold letters inscribed on the pillar:

HERE LIES DEIDARA: A RARE GENUINE MISSING CHICKEN NIN FROM ISHIGAKURE. (Saa, mina! Go ahead and laugh at him!)

The laughter of the whole villagers seemingly went on for weeks…


	20. Return to Wave

SPOILER ALERT!

UGH! I've just downloaded the recent chapters of the Naruto manga and damn… it seems I made some major difference with the main story already… the three Tails is a turtle… dear… and the other two member also showed up… everything gone rather fast… and the basic of Naruto world elemental system is pretty different then what I had depicted… oh well… this is a fanfic after all…

SPOILER ENDS

NOTE:

_Bla bla bla…: Kira wrote_

_(Bla… bla…)_

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

**Opening:**

**Journal**

**Kira's POV:**

"_Few months now had passed ever since I took Naruto, Neji, and Yukiku into my tutelage. Nearly 5 months to be exact. Everyone had been progressing well, if I may say so myself. Despite all the occurrences that had been happening lately, everyone get on with their lives. 2 Akatsuki had been taken out, one in cinders, and one taken into our custody. I hate to think what Athrun had in store for the poor Nin. Whatever it is, I doubt it will be nice._

_Jiraiya-kun was doing just fine. Even if I 'officially' stole his future pupil, he seemed to have found a substitute in form of his master's grandson, Konohamaru. Naruto didn't know this though. I think Konohamaru did his job well of keeping his mouth shut. Clearly he intended to surprise his so-called arch rival. I only pray that only Jiraiya's skill passed down. Not his pervert behavior. _

_Tsunade still crippled. But she's still able to do her job as the Hokage. She instructed her assistant, Shizune, to pass her knowledge to her student, Haruno Sakura. Alas, not all knowledge can be taught, since some medical jutsu can only be done by Sannin. It pains me that I can do nothing to help her. _

_Kakashi constantly went on mission. In his spare time, as I spot it, he's either: one, chatting with Rin (whose status had been reinstated as Jounin by Tsunade), two, Training with his white chakra Sword, and, surprisingly, three, training Konohamaru with his Sensei's sensei. Hardly have I ever seen him reading the perverted book in public again. But I figure he had a new hobby when I saw him went out with Icha-icha paradise Life action video in his hands. Sigh…_

_Naruto._

_Upbeat, tricky, unpredictable, and now, with Kyuubi's prank jutsu in his arsenal, rather 'dangerous', in a 'good' way. Knowing his battle experience and the record of his mission I fearlessly taught him high level jutsus just after he finished repairing the Hyuuga compound. Just as Jiraiya-kun had said, he terribly sucked in Genjutsu, not that bad for Taijutsu and, not so surprisingly, he's a Ninjutsu powerhouse. I taught him several 'human' elemental jutsus. But I think he preferred Kyuusei Oni jutsus. I'm not complaining. Kyuusei's Onijutsu IS more powerful then any living human jutsu. And I had a suspicion that Kyuusei began to teach him, without the boy's knowledge or approval (which clearly not needed), some of his Oni Kenjutsus. Come to think of it, Naruto had made a blood pact with Tenrou. So I wouldn't be too surprised of that. So I suppose I can scratch Kenjutsu from his training list. However, despite his notable progress I begin to wonder that maybe ninjutsu weren't his specialty either. I mean he's good at it… but somehow I feel that Ninjutsu hadn't tapped his fullest potential yet. However, I don't really want to test my theory now since there are many people around. The last thing I wanted was some people were fell victim when they saw some fancy dangerous jutsu going on. _

_As usual, I kept counting how many times now that I stopped him from smuggling food (specifically, Ramen) time and again. Thank Seiryuu's hide that it all ended on our first month. It seems my threat that I will double his weight worked… for some time. However, I know that the building frustration will eventually explode. When that happened, which was a month ago; he pulled a massive prank on the ENTIRE village. Hence, every chimney burst out massive smoke that smelled like a dung, the street confused itself as a trampoline, Hokage reports were turned to swearwords, the whole village had to enjoy jet black Sakura flower, TV and radio singing cha-cha 24/7, the Akamichi's private food store had been replaced with nothing but diet soda, the Aburame children were chased by their own suddenly…'aroused' bugs, the Inuzuka's Ninja dogs unexplainably chased their vets up to the tree, the Nara clan were unable to sleep for few days straight after their 'weirdly tasted' lunch, the mind of the male and female of the Yamanaka were somehow switched off overnight, the Hyuuga had to re-experience their horrors as their complex garden were turned into a crocodile swamping pool, the walls of the village were colored in rainbow colors, somebody put a big huge writing of 'Tsunade is a Hag' along the walls of the Hokage tower over and over again, and the grand finale: the Hokage Mountain singing I'm a Barbie Girl at the top of its lungs. (Come to think does sculpture has lungs? Forget it.)_

_However, nobody get hurt. That was useful to lighten up his punishment. He was put on sentence to, again, fix all the damage he had done. Personally I think this was a good chance to train his sixth sense. In this case, I know that's an area which Kyuubi can't lay his paw into. I closed all his five senses, which before I forgot to mention, he had gained a full mastery over it on the second month, a few weeks after he finished repairing the Hyuuga compounds. However, he never used them all in conjunction, yet. Now he had to undergo his punishment with only his instincts. I don't know whether it's a natural talent or what, he practically turned the entire city into his playground in a matter of weeks with only his sixth sense! Heck, he even performed Yamakashi(1) every time he scoured the city! When I asked how he did this, he said: "I don't know. I simply used my instinct, like you said!" Then it came to me. He's not a very bright person to begin with (I dislike calling him idiot). Hence, he relied on his instinct, ALL time. In battle or in written test, I figure. Hence, his instinct had already been honed, naturally. Talk about unpredictability… Heh. Right now, his five senses were still sealed off. But he doesn't seem to be troubled and just get on._

_Neji._

_Bright, proud, collective and calm. As expected from a Hyuuga prodigy. He got used to his linear eyesight immediately. But unlike Naruto, he never whined or asking me to open the seal in his eyes. Well, a bit, once or twice in the initial month and that was it. The shock that his teammate had decided to leave the village for 2-3 years shocked him quite a bit. Surprisingly, he moved on in just 2 minutes time and get on with the training. Perhaps it's the prodigy's way of letting go. But I doubt he had already forgotten about the weapon mistress._

_His training using five senses went on quite well. In a matter of weeks, he's already able to threw kunai straight through 5 coins hanged 500 meters away, dead center, literally, blindfolded, relying only on his skin and ears. His nose was now even sharper then an Inuzuka, and his now linear eyes were now able to caught a speeding Kunai midair. His tongue can already differentiate what is edible and what is not. I'd say his five senses do just fine. Even though it's less advanced then Naruto's, his senses may very well surpass that of a Jounin. When we're training with sixth sense though, unlike Naruto, it took him quite a while to have it through. I guess because unlike Naruto, he's a brain type. He thought too much. 2 full months and he finally dared himself to walk in the open with only sixth sense to rely on. But I did not recommend him to do this all time like Naruto did. I told him that this was not his type. But, he's welcomed to develop it when he had the time to spare._

_These days, I've been seeing him reading books about Taijutsu. Clearly his defeat over Lee taught him to never underestimate other types of Taijutsu. And he asked me to teach him some elemental jutsus. He absorbed them all like a sponge. Surprisingly, his elemental affinity was similar with mine: he excelled in Fuuton and Raiton. Not too good on Suiton or other elemental jutsu but he done quite an admirable progress nonetheless. As opposed to Naruto, he did superbly in Genjutsu. But it doesn't mean he's a Genjutsu type. More likely, he's pretty much the most balanced out of the three. Which is good really._

_Yukiku._

_Traumatic, rather quiet, and somewhat… wounded. Just like Naruto and Neji. However unlike them, I think her wound had not been cured completely yet. Perhaps that's why her progress was… not so well out of the three. Or so I thought. I'm not saying she's a useless or anything. She's the best out of the three in terms of Suiton jutsus and also did quite well with Mokuton jutsus. But alas, the jutsus often went out of control. Her inner coil system seemed functioned like a sleeping yet unstable volcano. At one time, the chakra flow was calm and minute before explode into a raging fury of wild maelstrom when stimulated with jutsu activation, and died down after a random period. Water it seem, was the only element that she can truly master, down to the core. I'm beginning to wonder if it's truly due to her physical problem or something more psychological._

_Being an orphan children with no family left (in which I heard that Naruto indirectly had a hand in that) I can only sympathize her for being a lonely being. I was hoping that probably it will wane in time if Naruto, Neji and all other people get to know her and befriended her. It worked… or so it seems. I guess you can't just replace the hole in your heart left by family members with some non blood related friends… I knew that pain only too well. Maybe that's why I just can't be mad at her for not making much of a progress in the last 5 months. She managed to develop her five senses after the longest time (relative to Naruto and Neji), and still trying to master her sixth… alas, she can't even walk straight for more then 5 seconds._

_If only there are some ways to deal with the chaotic chakra flow of hers, she could excel in Genjutsus. Despite her unstable bloodline limit, she actually had a good chakra control if her inner coil system can give her enough time by remained stable. I spotted this when she subconsciously turned one of her ice block into a realistic ice sculpture of what she called as her mother. Sigh… I had no idea why on earth her body was like this…not to mention her past memories seemed rather chaotic… even Naruto's half human half demon inner coil system weren't as troublesome as her! I only pray that in time, we will find a way to help her…"_

Silently I put my pen down as I closed my journal. I chuckled as my wary finger tucked my glasses lightly. The time sure does fly. If you're an immortal, with a blink of an eye, 5 months had passed. It's almost time for their true test. I can only pray they will survive. 'And if they survive, a life with dangers unlike anything they've ever seen awaits them…'

Darkness reigned when I closed my eyes. How long has it been ever since I last saw my pupil 'died' and 'reborn'? The last one was Itachi… and he was reborn as a dark one. 'I still trust you Itachi… the time is soon for our meeting. I hope you had some good answers.' Sighing, I put my journal back beneath my cloak.

Kira's POV ends.

---------------

---------------

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": special case**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA: Giant creature speech **

**Chapter 19:**

**Return to Wave Country**

At dawn, Konoha forest (One that still remained)…

Neji was calmly sitting in the middle of the training field. His eyes blindfolded while his ears twitched. The wind was blowing in the middle of the forest, carrying minuscule voices of jingling bells, hanged somewhere in the middle of the forest.

Of all senses, Neji had been quite keen on developing his ears and skin. Training with Kira, where the sensei often forced him in action with sense handicap had made the Hyuuga prodigy saw his senses in a new light. Back then, when he still had Byakuugan, he had never even thought of using his other senses much less developing them. But now, with his all seeing white eye taken away, his other properly functioning senses had become his most invaluable assets. His ears and skin in fact, had been the closest thing he can get to rival the Byakuugan's 360 degree field of vision. Now he can sense someone without even seeing them with only the sound of their breathing's and footsteps. The way air move in the air can tell him if someone or something came from unforeseeable direction. Off course, his ears don't give out the radar kind of sense like Naruto did, but at least, it sufficed for him. Now, he's testing the limit of his senses once again. He had asked Kira to hang a dozen tiny bells; one that teachers used to test their teams, somewhere in the forest so he can try and catch them all.

Considering how tiny the sound of those bells in the middle of the roaring wind, it's a feat that he may consider nearly impossible without his white eyes… or at least, the previous Neji would probably think that.

Smirking as he found his targets, he dashed out into the forest. In less then 5 minutes, he had found five bells, each hanged a few miles away from another. The good thing of his 'new 360 degrees vision' that this time, there is no blind spot. All the dead angles had vanished. He lost his bloodline limit, but he had gained something even more effective in return. The thought of what it feels like if he used his new senses in conjunction with his Byakuugan made the prodigy mentally drooling on what he'll be capable of. Not a moment too long he had found another 6 bells. Only one more remained. One whose location he had already located.

'Kira-sensei hid them way too easy…' Neji was about to lay his hand on the last ring when suddenly Kira, smirking, burst out right next to him, his arm ready to attack.

"The last step to triumph is usually the most dangerous step."

"Kira-sensei?" Caught by surprise, Neji received a lightning coursed throughout his veins as a punishment. Faced by the sudden jolt of pain, the prodigy backed away. But his sensei was hot in pursuit. "You never told me that you'll intervene!"

"Will an enemy shinobi announce his attack?" Kira laughed. Lightning coursed throughout his outstretched hand ready to be shoved into the prodigy's body.

"Yeah right." Neji tossed away the bells. Surviving Kira's sudden onslaught came first to his mind.

"You know, if those bells were secret documents, you've failed your mission."

"Truly…" Neji jumped to another tree immediately. But Kira still follow with a determination to at least gave the prodigy a few more lightning jolts or so.

"Raiton, Raihougan (Thunder element: Lightning Cannon Ball)!" Electricity coursed throughout the prodigy's body before several electric plasma balls appeared around him. In unison all plasma spheres launched towards its target with coordinated precision. Kira managed to dodge them all easily, but still impressed nonetheless.

'I see, he predicted when and where I'm going to move. Not bad.'

The chase went on, and Neji managed to outrun Kira with little to no success at all. Eventually, the chase had reached a cliff. One, which neither realized, had bore witness when Naruto performed his first successful summoning jutsu. The Hyuuga prodigy, realized that there's a cliff behind him, prepared to make his stand. "Fuuton, Kaze no Yaiba!" a single vacuum blade was sent from the prodigy finger towards the Shitennou. Kira caught the wind blade with his bare hand, surprisingly with no wound at all.

Kira's palm enclosed in electricity before slammed it on Neji's stomach, throwing him off the cliff. Neji gasped as he knew had lost a place to stand. But just before he began to fall, Kira had grabbed his collar. The shook took off the leather that blindfolded him, revealing his still black eyes. "Sigh… what was that all about?"

"Heh, heh. The world is filled with unexpected and dangerous things… you'll never know what's on people's mind, Neji-kun. Underneath the underneath. Didn't Gai-san teach you that?"

"A bit…" Neji groaned.

"Anyway, I got something to give you."

"What?"

"See you down there."

"Huh?"

With that, Kira tossed him off the cliff.

"AAAAAAAH!"

Neji watched in horror as the bottom of the cliff still shrouded in darkness even at his current depths. But he knew, at the back of his horrified mind, that it's coming: the bottom of the cliff, as well as his seemingly inevitable death. The last thing he remembered before he closed his eyes as he knew he will arrive at the bottom soon was a certain weapon mistress. However, after a few seconds of falling, he felt that, like how it suddenly started, it stopped. He dared himself to open his eyes to find that Kira had caught him. With an evil grin he saluted. "Told you; I'll see you down here."

"…Kira… sensei…" Neji's heart nearly stopped. He really wished he's stronger then his sensei now so that he can beat the living legend senseless… alas it was all not meant to be… yet.

The prodigy stood up after he got over his shaking sensation. "What do you want to give me?" was the first sentence he managed to pull out.

Kira looked around, seemingly ignored him. But in truth it was as if he was looking for something. The place was downright dark, given how deep the cliff was. "Hmm… it's supposed to be around here. Neji stay there, and for your sake don't touch anything, especially the wall."

Confused, but he silently obeyed nonetheless.

His confusion was answered when Kira seemingly found what he was looking for. "Aha! Here's the little devil." Kira flipped something, and the next instance, Neji knew instantly why he shouldn't touch the walls.

What Kira had took, or flipped to be precise, was seemingly a switch. Pulsing white lines filled the surface, illuminating the walls, which, upon closer inspection weren't consisted of rocks at all. For once (and for all) Neji fully understood why Kyuusei nicknamed Kira the Emperor of Swords.

The flowing light shimmered on the lines was reflected by the gleaming surface of swords. Countless swords. All planted deep within the cliff's surface, it was as if that part of the cliff's surface was formed by the swords. Large pillars sticking out from one side of the wall to another with hundreds of swords embedded in the pillars' surface, all crisscrossing atop him. It was a wonder during his fall he didn't crash land into one of them. Then he realized. The upper part of the cliff, which he had seen earlier were natural cliffs. The lower part of it, which was the place he was standing now, was completely artificial. The sensation of cold steel proved his theory. All the swords were also planted in the metallic walls.

Every inch of the surface was filled with nothing but swords of different types and sizes. At one time he saw a small dagger planted in the middle of a group of long swords. Another turn and a massive serrated sword, whose size showed that it can cut Gamabunta's head clean, can be seen; all stood erect on the vertical metallic wall. The sword veil stretched out for miles, along the cliffs.

"Kira-sensei… what in the blazes is this place?"

"This is the place where I kept all the swords I've made. Also, it serves as my… shop's main HQ." Grinning, Kira pointed towards a small metallic gate (Neji didn't notice it earlier because he was busy counting how many swords he saw), ornamented with not so surprisingly, dragons. A small banner on the door's side showed a familiar name.

"Tetsu-Ryuu… That was the name of your destroyed workshop right?"

"Hai. This is my main workshop, or should I say, the true workshop where I truly worked as a sword-smith."

"I thought you quit doing that?"

"Old pastime I presume. Normally if I make some sword, the only thing I wish it to kill was time. Besides, if I ever intended for these swords to kill someone, I wouldn't put everything down here, right?"

Neji nodded in understanding. "So, what do you want to give me?"

"An old friend." Ignoring Neji's confused look, Kira motioned him to follow the Shitennou into the gates.

The gates suddenly opened, revealing two Onis. One is a female, all dressed in a tidy white miko robe. She's tall alright about 1.5 size of a normal woman. Neji looked in awe on her long gleaming silver white hair. The other was a complete opposite of the former. Unruly hair, dark skin, red eyes and grotesque looking spiky samurai armor donned the second male Oni's outfit.

"Junki, Zaiki. How it go?"

"**Everything just fine Kira-sama. A bit dusty but… everything just fine. And the seal had been opened as well."** Junki reported.

"**Who's the twerp?" **Zaiki growled.

"He's the one who's going to use 'that'."

Zaiki chuckled. **"He won't last more then 5 minutes."**

"Well, we'll never know if we don't try, won't we?"

Neji blinked. "Use what?"

"Why, your swords off course."

"Swords?"

Kira smiled kindly. "Follow me."

The hyuuga followed the sword smith dumbfounded. Beyond the door, the two were welcomed by another veil of swords. Not as much as the outside but still a lot. The place was downright massive and it seemed quite ancient. The floor, the pillars, and everything were composed of sturdy looking metal. Blue light flowed in the pulsing lines that decorated the place, aside from hundreds of swords plastered here and there. Neji blinked in astonishment. How come a place of such a magnitude of size could avoid anyone's detection?

After some time they arrived at what looked like a large shrine. Neji blinked. Compared to its metallic surroundings, the traditional wooden shrine seemed to be out of place.

"What is that?"

"That's my working room."

"Working room? Like that?"

"Hai. Shall we?" Kira smirked. The Shitennou motioned Neji to follow him into the shrine.

However, after a few steps Kira stopped, much to the confusion of the Hyuuga.

"You go on. Open the door and see."

Neji looked at the harmless looking shrine. Suddenly he felt something… elusive. His eye saw something flickering before rubbing his eyes to ensure whether he really saw it or not. There's a flow of silver and gold aura emanating from the building. Slowly he moved towards the shrine door, reached its handle and opened after a moment's hesitation. Bright light engulfed the prodigy for a moment. Once the light subsided, Neji finally saw what's inside the shrine. There, in the middle of the room, two swords were hanged midair air, sealed with many sealing papers. Pretty much resembled Naruto's state when he was still wounded. Neji suddenly noticed that the twin swords were awfully familiar.

Not just familiar.

He had the honor of wielding them once before.

Souryuuga: Tenryuuga and Chiryuuga. (Twin dragon Fang: Heaven Dragon Fang and Earth Dragon Fang)

The two Katana that had bore witness of his first defeat… and one of the main causes as well.

"These two…" Neji looked at Kira.

"Yes. Apparently, they're interested in you, ever since you wield them for the first time. They were my swords… until I finally used my current ones. After that, and until now, they haven't found their suitable master to replace me yet. So I keep them here most of the time."

"…but back there…"

"That was only a fraction of what these two were capable of. Their powers were still sealed at the time. If it were the previous you, you wouldn't last more then 30 seconds bearing the full extent of their power."

"And now?"

"I don't know. It's all up to you I guess. Besides, in the end, the two seem chose you, of all people."

"The sword chose me?"

"Yes. Tell me, when you came here, and saw all those swords… did you feel anything from them?"

"…well… I do think all these swords back there… they were all seem powerful alright… but somehow I feel them… empty. There's nothing… special."

"Exactly. It seems you're able to sense it. The twin dragons called you, and your soul called them as well… your soul, subconsciously, accept no other but them. Now, will you answer their call… or not? That's the question."

Neji looked at the twin swords. He took a step closer, bringing the swords into his reach. The Hyuuga eyed the twin dragon sharply. Back there, when he fought with Lee, the two seemed content on telling him what to do. The Earth Dragon prefer to be offensive, whilst the Heaven dragon defensive. The two voices seemed bicker each other a lot more rather than helping him. However, he cannot deny that the two swords were powerful. And Kira said that was only a fraction of their true capability! Neji's hand began to tremble. Not out of fear. No. It's not fear he felt. But anxiety. Being trained so hard by the Shitennou had made the Hyuuga Nin always tempted to try any challenge he could find. If he felt he had achieved something, Kira always had other ways to further the difficulty; one that will always put him on the edge until he passed the limit. Wielding these two just provide him with another challenge.

The hyuuga reached out his hands and touched the blades. Flashes of various horrific battle scenes went into his head. He saw Kira, wearing his Raijin no Yoroi, wielding the two swords rampaged in the middle of the battle field. 'I see… the two of you had passed many battle fields together with Kira-sensei…'

"**Hm, not bad. That twerp got some respect after all." **Zaiki snorted as he watched the scene.

"**Shh!" **Junki motioned her partner to stay quiet.

Neji held his hand before the two. 'Now, I humbly call out for you, great spirits that reside within these swords. I may not be as strong as Kira, or maybe as wise as he did. Yet you call me… and I'm here, answering your call.'

Just then, voices, echoing whispers reverberated in his head. It was as if two people were speaking at a time directly into his mind. **'What do you want? What would you use our power for? Why you desire power?'**

'…I desire power… for myself.'

'**What for?' **

'Because I need to get stronger. Much, much stronger so that I won't lose to anyone.'

'**Whom do you hate?'**

'Hate?'

'**When comes hate, comes desire… it is human natural desire to crave for power… whom do you hate… whom do you wish to KILL? Was it the three tailed demons… that had nearly killed you and your companions? Or was it your Taijutsu specialist teammate who drove you into the pit of humiliation of defeat? Or was it something DEEPER… the HATRED towards your own kin… for having murdered YOUR FATHER, while you, you can do nothing of IT?'**

"SILENCE!" Neji's screamed.

'…**!'**

"Hatred. Yes… I am filled with hatred… but it's a hatred I drove to no one… I hate that I can't do anything but run away like an incompetent coward when the three tailed demons nearly killed people I cared deeply about. I hate that I was defeated so soundly by Lee, whom his determination I've mocked for years. The very determination that this hateful self don't have, so much that I've stopped fighting for my own fate, and let my father being murdered in front my eyes. No, there's not a thing in this world that I hate more… then myself."

'**So be it.'**

The two Katana suddenly began to shake ferociously. The sealing papers that bound them were burnt the next instance before the two Katana jet out into the ceiling and landed in front of the Hyuuga.

'**Put your hand and seal a pact of blood. The pact will seal not only our bond but also your fate.'**

'**Vast, shall the power you'll receive.'**

'**But untold, the perils you will face.'**

'**The warning has been given.'**

'**Your fate is now your own.'**

"My fate…" Neji grabbed the blades of the twin dragon. "…has always been my own." He tightened his grip, ceremoniously slitting both his palm. Blood dripped and flowed along the sword. The engravings on the two swords glowed for a moment. After it's all over, the voices disappeared. Neji gripped the twin dragon on their handle and plucked them out. The aura of the two swords glowed before combining with Neji's and vanished. The Hyuuga then eyed his new arsenal before begin testing it.

He swung one Katana vertically followed by a horizontal cut. A series of sword stabs later, continued by a 360 degree full arc swing with both Katana. Neji tried to add electricity and wind into the swings. Flashes of blue and green were swiveling around the Hyuuga as he swung the twin dragon in a series of slashes of rapid succession. Finally he combined the two swords together, end on end and began spinning the combined weapons in the air, creating a whirlwind coupled with flows of electricity. After a few moments, the whirlwind subsided, revealing the grinning Neji. The Hyuuga looked at the two new weapons then to the former wielder. "Are you sure about this? You've shed blood and tears with them and now you gave them to me?"

Kira smiled. "Certain as ever. They were my friends and my friends still. But I do believe, that in your hands, they will serve a greater good."

Neji smiled. 'I'll need a pair of scabbards now…'

"The scabbards are on the edge of the room. Now, if you're feeling up to it, climb your way out of this cliff and after that meet me in front of the Hokage office, okay?" Kira smiled before disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Neji jaw dropped. 'A Bunshin…'

----------------

Few hours after, near a lake…

As usual, Yukiku was meditating near a lake. In the last 5 months, Kira had been trying to help her in chakra control. Alas, her mind found it difficult to concentrate. Compared to Naruto and Neji, she had to admit, she made the least amount of progress. Eventually, she only managed to learn few Suiton jutsus and develop her 5 senses a little. She found it frustrating.

Psychologically, indeed, she still found her only family member's death to be disturbing. But alas, she seemed just can't let it go easily. Furthermore, she had been experiencing troubles when she tried learning elemental jutsus. When she tried to learn fire jutsu, she had performed the needed seals and gathered the correct amount of chakra. But instead of exhaling a burst of fire, he exhaled a puff of smoke instead! Furthermore, when she added the amount of chakra, she felt an agonizing heat in her throat hence she stopped immediately. Other elemental jutsus had been tested such as Mokuton, Tetsuton, and Doton. Alas, all she managed to pull out was summoned a rusty, breakable piece of iron when she tried to cast Tetsuton, Tetsuga (Metal Element, Iron Fang) and a pile of mud pack when she cast Doton Doryuuheki (Earth Element, Earth Dragon Wall). When she cast Mokuton, Mori Hari (wood element, Forest Spike), it gets even worse. The jutsu went rampage and instead of casting a group of wooden spikes, it summoned a group of overgrown bulking trees. The fact that the tree will explode like a water balloon upon contact with anything was enough to say that the jutsu had also failed.

Knowing the problem befell on her body, Kira changed her training program and instead of Genjutsu, he taught her a bit of Taijutsu and meditation to learn and control her chakra. It worked out quite well, if she may say so herself. She managed to cast 10 mid level Suiton jutsu in succession before her chakra veil went out of control once again after 1 month. This, to her, was quite a marked improvement because for once in her life, she finally saw that her power can still be subdued, controlled. For the first time, she's not afraid of herself. The next few months, she developed her chakra control. Alas, she's still nowhere close to Naruto or Neji.

Yukiku finally sighed and stopped her meditation. She was so angry of herself.

"So… how are you doing?" Kira suddenly appeared right on her back, startling her to no end.

"Kira-sensei!"

"If you're still surprised, then I guess your senses still need to be developed further."

"Guess so…"

"Sigh… this isn't time to say 'guess so'. You really need to make some progress. I'm not saying you've done badly… But you really need to do something! Otherwise you're always being left behind!"

"I know…" Yukiku frowned.

"But don't get so down all the sudden. I do expect that, out of all three, your progress won't be as fast as Naruto and Neji. I mean… the two had an impressive speed in the way they learn. Naruto's learning from two senseis, me and Kyuubi. With Kyuubi's aid, Naruto growth had been amazingly fast. While Neji, being a genius, speedy development was just natural for him. But it doesn't mean you had to give up."

"…okay." Yukiku cheered up a bit.

"Anyway, I got something to tell to all of you, so fetch Naruto up in the Hyuuga compound and went to Hokage office kay?" Kira disappeared after that.

"…I wonder…"

----------------

Later on, in the Hyuuga dojo…

A figure was standing in the middle of the room. The figure, judging by the posture was obviously a boy. He wore a black Jounin-like vest atop black jumpsuit with orange lining and black long trousers with similar coloring style. His entire body was bandaged tight and his eyes were blindfolded with a black goggle. His face, aside from the bandages, also featured a breathing mask. Loud, raspy gasp can be heard. The only part of his face that weren't bandaged was his bright blond hair.

One sandbag fell a few meters behind the boy. Without turning, the boy swept his hand, sending a kunai straight at the sandbag. Two more landed and the boy flicked two more kunai and shoved both into the two targets. Jump up, the boy rolled counterclockwise and kicked a falling sandbag, sending it across the room into another sandbag that just fell. Injecting chakra into his kunai, he threw the kunai straight ahead, where it hit the falling sandbag midair, dead center. It went through the first target and went through the next, and the next, and the next, and finally stopped on the 5th bag.

The boy paused for a moment, observing the environment, before a bag fell a few meters from his back. Spinning his kunai, all the while injecting chakra in it, he launched the kunai the next instance and it sank deep in its target. The hit was such force that the tip of the kunai went through the bag, surprising Hyuuga Hiashi and a group of Hyuuga teenagers, who just came in. the bag landed with a thud, seemingly covering the gasping voice of the Hyuugas.

"Hiashi-san?" the boy asked.

"You know it's me, Naruto-kun?"

"I've memorized your aura pattern." Naruto answered with a big grin, behind his breathing mask. While it's true that his instinct had been used often, he never actually thought of developing them. Training with Kira and Kyuusei had brought this into his attention. His instinct can be used to sense auras. In his case, he often used this to sense the auras of his chasers (every time he managed a prank, he really had to avoid the killing auras of his chasers). However, what he didn't know was that, if you could develop it enough, he can visualize his surroundings by its auras.

Flashback…

Naruto's mind…

"Living things had unsteady and dynamic auras, depending on its emotion. Non living things had steady, unmoving aura. Living thing's auras are unique. You won't find two people with exact same aura pattern, even in twins. From that aura alone, you can even determine what kind of person he is. Take example of that Uchiha asshole. The friend of yours." Kyuusei sent his red chakra through the water. The water shape shifted into a clone of Sasuke. "On the outside he seemed cold and collected. But being a vengeful person that he is; his aura was trickling like fire and yet steady, showing that he was hell-bent on the vengeful feeling alone." From there, Sasuke's figure became distorted, and it was flicking ferociously like fire, but the flicker went on in a steady pattern.

Naruto simply watched, while Kyuusei continued his explanation.

"However, a change in person's attitude and way of thinking will change the pattern of his/her auras. Take example of the Hyuuga."

The Sasuke clone shape shifted into Neji. "When the first time you met him, his auras resemble the Uchiha brat. However, after you've 'lectured' him, his aura changed. In his case, the aura changed from ferocious trickling fire, into a calm, steady, flowing and flexible aura. A common pattern found in a true genius type." From there, Neji's figure was distorted, but only a bit. While it still somewhat maintained its figure, there's a calmly flowing pattern surging on the clone's surface.

"Sixth sense is unique that it didn't possess any organs to perform, since it relied on your intuition alone. Luckily, it can be developed. If you've developed it well enough, you can even visualize your surroundings even if your five senses taken out. The best part is that even if your enemy transformed into different shape you can still recognize them because their aura pattern remained the same, no matter what. Understood?"

For the fifth time Naruto answered: "…no."

Naruto was lucky that Kyuubi was put in the cage; otherwise the demon would've torn him apart out of frustration.

Flashback end…

It took him 10 times explanation from Kyuusei and Kira before he finally grasped the basic of aura visualization. Now thanks to that, blindfolded or not, he can still see things and know what happened around him just fine. Off course, he still can't recognize everyone's aura pattern, but he can at least differentiate friend from foe. "There were other people… are you guys need to use the room?"

The Hyuugas couldn't help but gape in awe. Hiashi smiled. "Yes, Naruto kun. Also, there's someone who request an audience with you."

"Who?"

"I believe she's Hinata's friend… what was her name…"

"Oh, Yukiku-chan you mean? Right. I'm off."

"Don't you want to know where she is?" Hyuuga Haruma asked.

"I bet she's in the front gate. That rule about guess still applies, no?"

"Ah, yes." Hiashi chuckled.

Naruto simply walked calmly towards the door. Everyone glued their eyes on the blonde. As if hoping he will trip or something. Much to their surprise, he didn't. He made it safely out of the room in one piece.

The Kyuubi host walked his way safely throughout the compound, ignoring the looks of the Hyuuga about his appearance, until he reached the gate. There, he sensed two more auras. One is Hinata, the other was Yukiku. The two seem chattering happily.

"Yukiku-chan, Hinata-chan. How are you two doing?"

"N-Naruto-kun."

"Naruto! You… look like a mummy."

"Truly… you called?" Naruto face faulted.

"Yeah. Kira called for us. He's waiting for us in the Hokage tower."

"What does he want?"

"Dunno… probably training."

"Hmm…"

Hinata looked at Naruto confusedly. She tried to use her Byakuugan to saw through the bundle of black bandages to no avail. All she saw was darkness. "N-Naruto-kun?"

"Yes, Hinata-chan?"

"A-anoo… c-can you saw someone… b-blindfolded l-like that?"

"…not really… but I can sense you just fine."

"…d-did you ever get a-any a-accident when y-you're like that?"

"One or two times… why?"

"Eh… a… Anoo… I've been learning… a thing or two a-about medical j-jutsu… m-maybe… errhh…" Hinata was bit red.

"Hmmm?" Naruto, blindfolded, didn't saw the blush. But he sense Hinata's aura turned weird.

Yukiku giggled, making Hinata even more nervous. "Erhhh i-it's just… if you're wounded…"

Naruto chuckled. "Don't worry Hinata-chan! Even if I'm wounded, my body can regenerate the wounded part immediately! So don't worry, okay? I'll be fine!"

"E-eh… okay… I guess…"

Yukiku slapped her head. 'Naruto, you really are the dumbest person in the world…'

----------------

"Why there?" Tsunade was preparing a paper in her desk.

"Because: every three months a Chuunin exam will be held in one of village in the five countries. Three months ago it was held in sand. You've given permission to your shinobis that were staying there. From what I heard, Tenten did quite well."

"That she is. She's a Chuunin now. So it's the three's turn?"

"That's right."

"You know, if you wait for another three months, you can pick another village but…"

"It will be too long. These kids can't be sedated here forever. They need to see the world, Tsunade. Besides, they can help find another friend of mine, one that can really heal you. Plus, Iwagakure (Stone Village) had once Konoha's greatest enemy during the Ninja world war, and Neji had a thing with the Kumogakure."

"Truly… but why Kirigakure (Mist Village), of all places?"

"You seem afraid of that place, Tsunade." Jiraiya entered the conversation.

"Well… our relationship with them weren't so good."

"We're not in enmity with them, are we?"

"No. But we're no friends either. But since we're not their enemy, they granted our Nins to partake in the Chuunin exam." Tsunade showed the pervert Sennin an authorization letter, saying:

**With this letter, we hereby granted permission for Konoha Nins to enter Kirigakure.**

**The conditions of your entrance to the village are as follows:**

**--No more then 10 Shinobi are allowed to enter.**

**--Once the businesses in the village are over, non Mist Nins are to leave Kirigakure in 1 day time. Lateness of comply will not be tolerated for any reason.**

**--When in Kirigakure, your Nins must abide to our rule. Any trespasser will be ruled by our laws and any incident will be reported directly to the respective Country's government.**

**Signed: Mizukage**

"Don't see anything weird there…" Jiraiya tilted his head. "…and it's not like we're going to do some invasion into Kirigakure either so what's the problem?"

"Mist Nins know only one way to deal with any Nins foolish enough to break their condition: Execution on the spot."

"Anything else?" the Sennin frowned.

"Yeah… their prestige and history, for one, rather creeps me out…" Tsunade sighed.

"You sure bringing them to Kirigakure's Chuunin Exam is a good idea?" Jiraiya gulped.

"I'm sure they'll do just fine." Kira smiled calmly.

"If you say so…" Tsunade handed out the passports.

----------------

Down there, in front of the Hokage tower…

"If I'm strong enough I swear I'm gonna kill him!" Neji, tired as hell, crept his way to the Hokage tower, where Naruto and Yukiku had been waiting for him.

"What's wrong with you?" Yukiku blinked in confusion.

"He threw me off a cliff, that's what!"

"Poor you… what's with the swords?" Naruto almost snickered… almost.

"…Kira's swords… he gave it to me."

"Swords? Aww that's unfair… I want one too!" The blond moaned.

"You don't need that." A voice suddenly answered.

The three turned towards the speaker. It was Kira.

"Why? Neji have two! Why can't I have at least one?"

"Because: you already have one."

"Eh?"

"Kyuusei, I'm surprised you haven't told him anything about that."

'Kyuusei?'

**HE'S TALKING ABOUT TENROU. ASIDE FROM BEING A CONTRACT FOR FOXES, THAT SWORD CAN ACTUALLY BE USED FOR FIGHTING AS WELL… IT'S JUST… **

'What? WHAT?'

**THAT MAD DOG IS A BIT SENSITIVE TO AMATEUR WIELDERS… IT'S AN EXTREMELY FEROCIOUS DEMON SWORD.**

'Mad dog…?' Naruto gulped.

Kira sighed. "Tenrou is a sword for demons. It was never meant for humans to wield."

"Well, in the end I don't have any sword at all… can I have one please? One that I can use that is…" Naruto grumbled.

"Who said you can't use Tenrou? I said it was not meant for human."

"Well I'm a… I'm a…" Naruto bent his head down. That's right… his body had been transformed. Now he's no longer human.

"If anything, you're a Hanyou: A half demon, half human being. Your affinity to Tenrou may be far stronger then human. You may able to master Tenrou."

"…" Naruto nodded.

"Anyway, why did you call us here?"

Kira pulled out the passports. "I just got permission from Hokage. There will be a Chuunin exam held in Kirigakure. The three of you will be there."

"Really?" Naruto's eyes glinted excitedly.

"Mist? Of all places?" Neji blinked. "Why?"

Kira looked at the Hyuuga.

"Everybody knows what kind of bloody prestige they have. Their Chuunin exam won't be easy." The Hyuuga continued.

"Now, now. Since when there's such thing as an easy exam? Besides, the three of you had been training hard for 5 months. The Chuunin exam will become a perfect opportunity to test your skills."

Yukiku frowned. Water country… That's the place where she was born. Where her brother was born. Now she had to go there… "Sensei… I…"

"Only the four of us know of your bloodline limit. As long as you can keep it under control, nobody will notice."

"…I…"

Kira smirked. "Don't worry. Remember what I said about you? You're good in chakra control. As long as you don't overdo yourself, everything will be just fine."

"…okay." Yukiku reluctantly nodded.

"We'll leave tomorrow morning!"

"Hai!" The three nodded. Naruto was excited down to the bone. 'Once I get back from the Mist, I can show off to everyone I'm a Chuunin!'

Kira, reading Naruto's mind, laughed. "Being Chuunin won't be that easy. Besides, even if you do make yourself a Chuunin, we're not going back."

The three looked at their sensei. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, from Mist, we'll be traveling around the world while training. We won't be returning to Konoha in, say 2-3 years."

The three nodded.

Kira smiled. "You don't seem too surprised?"

"Actually, we've been wondering when we will leave. We already know this will happen… we never know when though…"

"2-3 years? Won't that be too late for Sasuke?" Naruto frowned.

"Orochimaru need 3 years, starting half a year ago, before his soul can gather enough power to move to another body. Sasuke is safe, until then."

Naruto nodded.

"Good. Now, all of you pack up."

But before Naruto can run off, Kira grabbed his back.

"Hold your horses there Naruto. First we need to reopen all those senses of yours."

"Really?"

"You want to stay like that forever?"

"No!"

"Then let's go. Yukiku, Neji, I'm going to need your help too, so come with me for a minute."

"Alright."

Not so long after, in the Hyuuga dojo…

"Okay. Now, the first thing we should do is to open all the bandage, head to toe. Help me please?"

"Okay." Neji stepped forth.

Few moments later, the bandage had been unwrapped.

Naruto flexed his fingers. "…I don't feel any different…"

"That's because the seal had not been opened yet…" Kira pull something out of his cloak, which is a handful of needles. Half a meter long needles.

"…what the hell… is that?"

"Never heard of Acupuncture?" Kira showed Naruto a book: 'Acupuncture for beginners'.

"Acupuncture… I see… where are you going to puncture that thing?"

"On your behind. No pun intended."

"I see." With that, Naruto attempted to run for his dear life. Neji and Yukiku immediately grabbed hold of the blond, as if already guessing this will happen. "I'M NOT GONNA GET MY ASS STABBED BY THAT FRIGGIN' THING!"

"Don't worry Naruto. It won't be as painful as it looks. Trust me. Think like as if you're going to get a shot."

"NOOO! I HATE SHOTS! LET ME GOOOOO!"

Neji and Yukiku sweat dropped. Kira sighed. "Neji, Yukiku, hold on to this big baby until I'm ready."

"Yes sir." The two fasten their grip on the squirming Naruto.

"No! NOOO! SOMEBODY HELP ME!"

"Okay. Ready… one… two…"

Just then, two Kira's clone sneaked behind Neji and Yukiku, carrying half a dozen identical needles. The two clones held Neji and Yukiku's shoulder firmly… before shoving that half a dozen needles right into their behind.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

The scream can be heard throughout the complex.

Neji and Yukiku head were all on the floor. Six needles sank deep into their butt. Funny thing was they don't feel pain at all. Except that they're in a very embarrassing position, no problem at all. Still, they feel their bodies were paralyzed all over and they're stuck in that position.

Naruto looked and laughed. "WHAHAHAHA! Look at the two of you! This is really gonna make a good backmail!"

"Naruto, when I get up. You're dead!" Yukiku groaned.

"…three." With that, Kira stabbed **all** **12** half meter long needles right on unwary Naruto's butt.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

This time, the scream can be heard throughout the village.

Naruto's head fell on the ground with his ass still upwards and the needles jutting out. "What's the big freakin' idea?"

"The points I've just stabbed is a stimulant point in which it will rekindle your nervous system. Practically speaking it will force your brain to send a massive amount of electromagnetic surge in your nervous system. This electricity will go from the cerebral cortex all the way to all your nerve stems. Normally it will temporarily increase your sense capability. Given that your senses had been enhanced in the last five months… the surge will stimulate the forming of the enzyme and it will reactivate your 5 months half-dormant-senses, permanently."

"Of all places… why our behind?" Naruto growled.

"Can't help it. The author of this book (AN: and the author of the whole story for that matter 0) depicted that's where the entire needed acupuncture points lay."

"If I met the author I'm gonna kill him!"

"Oho, no…" Kira looked at the initial of the book's author. "…you won't."

"…how long should we stay like this?"

"Don't worry… the numbness will dissipate in 3, 2, 1… now." With that, Kira plucked out the needles from Neji and Yukiku's butt.

Just then, Neji and Yukiku can feel their body once again. Even more.

Neji got up and flexed his fingers. His senses worked with nearly superhuman sharpness. His ears can differentiate voices coming from where and who. He can felt the soft splinters of the wooden floor beneath him. His skin can feel the sensation of the flowing wind.

Yukiku too was quite shocked. She felt weird… and at the same time… refreshed. She could even feel the particles in the air every time he inhaled some air. She looked around. It was amazing… it was as if everything's clearer now.

"Amazing… this is truly my senses? Wow…" Neji was excitedly trying to get used to his new senses.

Yukiku simply grinned ear to ear.

Naruto moaned. "Oooi! How long should I stuck like this?"

"Given that your body structure is now twice as complex as a human body, it may take a while longer… be patient." Kira knelt next to Naruto.

"Who's the good subject for blackmail now eh?" Yukiku stood triumphantly, towering the glaring Naruto.

After 5 more minutes (that felt like 5 eternities for Naruto) Kira finally plucked out all 12 needles.

For Naruto, it was as if someone had just turned on the volume of the radio. It was as if he just opened his eyes for the first time like a newborn baby. 'This… this is… my senses?' It far surpassed the sensation he felt when he first used his newly acquired advanced senses.

He looked at his hand. It was as if he can feel it… no, 'see' through his arms, all the way to the bone. The depths of the skin, the contraction of the muscle strings, the stream of blood in his veins… Not just his body, he could even feel the trickle in smooth surface of the wooden floor, the slightest change in the air's temperature and the smallest shift on the wind course in the air. A 'super-sight' senses with 360 degree field of 'vision', devoid of any blank spot. He could even hear a fly flapping its minuscule wings in the air! Everything around him seemed gone much slower then usual. Heck he could even hear a Hyuuga whisper somewhere within the whole complex and pinpoint the person's location!

Neji and Yukiku eyed Naruto, who seemed to be a little bit out of place. "Naruto?" Neji called.

The said blond turned to Neji and frowned. "Neji… what's that whitish transparent thingy flickering around you?"

"What?" Neji looked at his hand. Nothing of short of thing that Naruto had described was visible.

"Yukiku, you had that too. It's somewhat… blue or something…"

"Eh?" Yukiku looked at her hand. Nothing there.

"That's Aura." Kira answered.

"Aura?"

"Yes. The result of the full use of all senses in conjunction, including your sixth sense, was now all your senses work as one. Hence, you're able to visualize your even your opponent's aura subconsciously, up to the point where you could even see the aura with your naked eye."

"Cool…!" Naruto grinned so wide it threatened to split his face.

Kira simply smiled as he took back all his needles. "Well, my business is done, get packed. We'll move tomorrow morning."

"Hai!" The three saluted.

---------------

At night, atop a roof…

Kira was meditating. His bloodline limit activated. Veins appeared around his darkened amethyst pupils. Junki and Zaiki stood next to their master, with the two eying worriedly at the frowning Shitennou. A few moments after, Kira's eyes reverted back to normal, a sign that the bloodline limit had been deactivated followed by gasps and pants, sweat poured his forehead.

"**Kira-sama!" **Junki held over her panting master.

"**Tch… chakra exhaustion again. How many times do we have to tell you…" **Zaiki scolded his master.

"(Pant) don't worry… (Pant) I still have a little bit of chakra left…"

"**But activating Satori that long is hazardous… especially to you! Satori may be the ultimate eye but the amount of chakra needed to activate the eye is hazardously massive! Lacus-sama would've…"** Junki swept some of Kira's sweat drops as Kira raised his hand.

"I'll be fine. I just need rest." Kira's panting diminished.

Zaiki looked at his master. **"You're going to do 'that' again… aren't you? That 'method'…"**

Kira smiled lightly, confirming the dark Oni's question.

Junki frowned. **"The last person I saw doing 'that' was that Uchiha Itachi when he was under your tutelage… even with his skills, he nearly died when he did the first time…"**

"Yes, I remember. Her mother went hysteric when she found what become of her son, later she chased me up to a tree with a chef knife."

Zaiki snorted. Junki however, was much more skeptic. **"Those three won't make it. The Kyuubi's host may survive… but the girl and the other boy won't… they're only human."**

"One is the prodigy of the most powerful clan in Konoha. The other possessed hidden, uncontrolled power. I'd say, there are still a few percent chances they will survive."

**STILL, IT'S LESS THEN 1 PERCENT, AIN'T IT?**

"Aaah, Seiki-sama, good timing. I haven heard your voice for 5 months straight. Where have you been?"

**WHY, INVESTIGATING YOUR REPORT, OF COURSE. I TRIED TO CONTACT THE YOUMA'OU TO NO AVAIL. SUMIKIRU, IT SEEMS, WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF SUCH MASSIVE TROUBLE… SO MUCH SHE HADN'T ANSWERED MY CALL…YET. I SENT SOME SPIES BUT… I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY WORD FROM THEM EVER SINCE.**

"Could it be some civil war?"

**THE THOUGHT CROSSED MY MIND. BUT I DARE NOT TO VENTURE THERE PERSONALLY TO FIND OUT. I'M AFRAID THAT MY CROSSING TO THE DEMON WORLD MAY STIR MORE TROUBLE.**

"So we do things as usual?"

**DEAL WITH THIS AKATSUKI FIRST. AS LONG AS THEY EXIST, THE THREAT TO THE REMAINING BIJYU STILL LINGER. WE'LL DEAL WITH MA-KAI, AFTER. REPEL ANY TRESPASSERS BACK, AS USUAL. REMEMBER, WITH THINGS THE WAY THEY ARE, STAYING HIDDEN WILL BE A LOT MORE DIFFICULT. IF YOU WERE FORCED TO MAKE APPEARANCE IN PUBLIC, DO SO. **

"Yes sir." Kira understood very well what his master asked. Shitennou were beings that should've never existed. Hence, people shouldn't know that they existed. Back there in Konoha, he asked Tsunade to list his name as a powerful veteran Jounin called back from reclusion, one that has been asked by the Godaime herself. Fake files about his identity were made by the Hokage per his instruction to strengthen the belief. Not a single soul alive knew about his other occupation as the agent of God safe his student and the elders, such as Tsunade and Jiraiya. He made them swear not to breathe a word of his true identity. His thoughts were interrupted by another of his master's message.

**AND KIRA?**

"Yeah?"

**ABOUT THE THING YOU WILL DO TO THEM, TRY NOT TO KILL THESE THREE, YOU MAY SURVIVE, THE OTHER SHITENNOU MAY SURVIVE… BUT I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THEM. SO… TAKE IT EASY FOR NOW, KAY?**

"Roger."

**AND THIS WILL GO BY YOUR SALARY.**

"NOOOO!" Kira howled.

---------------

The next morning, in a restaurant…

Naruto was eating at a rate where their instructors (Kakashi, Gai, and Iruka) felt like they'll lose their salary for the next 20 years forward. Iruka, who was invited by Naruto, could only chuckle, being used to things like this to happen. Yukiku was having one last chat with Hinata. Neji simply silent as he always did.

Kakashi turned his miserable looking face to Iruka. "Iruka… how could your wallet ever survived this?"

The Academy instructor simply shook his head.

Just then, Kira's head popped out of the door. "Oi, how long you guys gonna keep on eating? Hurry up, the Chuunin exam won't wait!"

"Okay!" Naruto dropped his chopsticks and the three took out their gear. "Iruka-sensei! Just wait, I'll become super-duper-ultra stronger! Bye!"

"Really…" Iruka simply chuckled and waved his favorite blond a goodbye.

"Gai-sensei, tell Lee, when I get back, I'm looking forward to have a rematch with him again." Neji bowed down.

"YOSH! I'll tell him right away! The Spirit of Y-fmmmmh…" Gai was about to begin his god-knows-how-long youth fire lecture when Kakashi shut his mouth.

"Hinata! You have to get stronger, okay?"

"Hai. You too, Yukiku."

The three finally began to walk away.

Naruto passed the Hokage Mountain and looked at the Yondaime's face. He shoved his hand to the stone face. "Watch me." He balled his fist, a vow to the late Hokage.

Kira watched things and smiled. "Naruto, let's go."

Hinata watched behind a wall. 'I… I must do my best too…'

A little while later, on the way…

"So, so, Kira-sensei, where should we go now?"

"Hmmm… we're going to Wave Country."

"W…Wave country?" Naruto sputtered. He remembered going there in his first A-rank mission.

"Yes. That place is the closest place to Mist. Given that the country was near the borderlines of Water Country."

Naruto excitedly nodded. Yukiku remembered what Naruto had said about the said country. It's the place where her brother died. She sulk her head a bit, frowning.

Neji remembered the country from Naruto's story. "Naruto, you've been there. What's it like?"

"It's a quiet place. Misty, and quiet. The people there were nice."

"Quiet, eh? Hmm… good. I could use to like that place."

"I bet you would. I can already imagine it: a foggy, peaceful…"

----Time jump, 2 days later----

"…village?" Naruto's jaw was on the ground.

2 days ago the blond had proposed to everyone that they used the bridge that was once built by Tazuna, the 'super' bridge builder. Now, they've just arrived at one side of the bridge, and a new surprise welcomed them… or to be exact, welcomed Naruto.

Instead of a quiet edge of the bridge, a smoky, noisy, massive, hustling and bustling city welcomed the group. Smoke puffing out from big metal chimneys of one factory and another. People were chattering around the muddy concrete streets. Shops, stores and bars filled the roads. What surprise Naruto the most was the atmosphere. It was very crowded atmosphere.

"Okay… where did we take the wrong turn?" Naruto gulped.

"How much do you think that one bridge had done to Wave country, Naruto?" Kira sighed.

"…a lot?"

"…the quiet village you once knew is no more. Thanks to that bridge, and the disappearance of Gatou's oppression, Wave had become a trading bridge of the eastern and western continents. Merchants from every region-no-continent of the world, go there because Wave was in the strategic position in the middle of the sea, merchants can get good ships and thanks to that bridge, the cost of goods transportation to the mainland can be pressed to minimum. Hence, Wave had become a major central place of world trade center. So much, the village had turned into city in just a matter of 2 short months ever since this bridge stood. Many immigrants from various countries also saw the potential Wave had… population gone up, with 40 percent of the entire population was made up of foreigners. This city you're seeing now is Wave-Block 1. Because of the main city had been overpopulated, they build another city here, at the edge of this bridge. The main city, the Wave Central, that 'village' you once went into Naruto, is on the other end of the bridges."

"Bridges?" Neji asked. "Naruto, I thought there was only one bridge?"

"I… I… I only…"

"The other bridges were built shortly after Block 1 city stood. There were 7 bridges, including this one, connecting the main island to this continent. Hence, there are 7 city blocks, one per bridge."

"…" Naruto was trying to absorb all the incoming information. The last city he saw that was so noisy was Tanzaku Street. But this one block alone had already made that street looked like kindergarten. He gulped imagining what Wave Central looked like. "…shall we go?"

The three looked at Naruto. To their surprise, Naruto was smiling cheerfully. "Village or City… Wave is still Wave."

"…this isn't the same quiet village you used to know Naruto." Kira shook his head with a smile.

"Doesn't matter! All more fun to explore this new Wave! Let's go!"

Neji simply grinned. Yukiku shook her head. That's Naruto for you.

"Okay… but before we do, there's something I need to tell you."

"What?"

"Chuunin exam in Mist, like in Leaf, are made of three people team. One must be the leader of this team."

"Me! Me!" Naruto rise his hand up.

"Neji will be the leader for now." Kira concluded.

"EEHH? Why not me?" Naruto moaned.

Kira chuckled. "One, Neji is obviously smarter then you. And two, seeing from skills, while it's true that you surpass him in term of Ninjutsu, Neji surpassed you in Genjutsu. His chakra control is somewhat below Yukiku. But generally speaking, he's the most balanced out of the three of you. So, he'll be the leader."

"…hmmm…" Naruto groaned.

"Naruto, look. I'm not saying that you can't be a good leader. But you still got a lot more to learn to be a good leader. Being a subordinate is also one step of being a good leader. Besides I just said 'for now'. Who knows what it'll be in the future?"

Naruto, seemingly satisfied, finally nodded.

"Good. Now let's go."

Few moments later, in 'Block 1'…

Neji half wished he had his white eyes back. His neck was getting rather achy after turning it time and again. It's a very lively city when you look from the outside. But it's even livelier when you're inside the city. Something always happened whenever he set his eyes on. What impressed him was the building architecture. It's like a mix between eastern and western style. "Seem foreign to me…" he muttered.

"That's because this place is a port city. There are many foreign cultures and products from different side of the world. If you wish to travel to the far reaches of the earth, this is the place."

"Hey look! Sailor's fighting at each other!" Yukiku pointed at a brawl of a group of sailors.

"Compared to other big cities, this may be the busiest and the biggest city in this part of the world. And it still will grow. However, Wave is like a child that is being forced to grow up too fast. Its people can't get accustomed so fast with the sudden radical change in the atmosphere. That's why there were plenty of hot-blooded assholes in sight. The future of the entire city, after all, had not been determined yet. Governments from the five countries had been eager to put their infestations here, seeing the prospects of this city."

"Wow… Look at this! What's this six cylinders contraption thingy?" Naruto pointed at the object in question.

"That's Gatling gun. A weapon from the west. This weapon possessed firepower equal to that of a battalion of musket troopers, used only by two people, rendering the need of manpower obsolete."

"There are so many things I've never seen before… so many kinds people that I've never thought to exist…" Yukiku was amazed. Just now she saw a man with black skin and thick lips. Another time he saw a man with yellow hair and blue eyes. She nearly mistook the person as an Oni, before Kira calmed her down, saying that person is not an Oni, but a westerner. Some westerner had blond hair and various kinds of eye color.

The group finally enjoyed their sightseeing tour in the city until the bridge was on sight.

"Ah! Guys, I almost forgot! I need to buy something first. Why don't you three go on first, I'll catch up with you later?" Kira smiled.

The group nodded a silent okay as their Sensei immediately ran off.

"Come on. The bridge is just ahead."

The group finally arrived at the entrance of the bridge. The group looked in awe at the massive gate that encircled the massive bridge. From the opened wide gate they can see people swiveling around in and out.

"Wow, I don't know the bridge was so massive."

"It wasn't like this when I came here. The bridge weren't this big either." Naruto looked in awe. The bridge was no longer the humble wooden bridge he once knew. The bridge was reinforced with metal works. The bridge road was paved with cement and if his eyes were not mistaken, there are medium sized houses and tents filling both sides of the bridge. Clearly the bridge itself had become a place of trade and living as well. Wave had truly become a fundamental city of world trade.

"Obviously they've reinforced it several times to ensure it could withstand more people." Everyone nodded at Neji's opinion. "Come on. Let's go."

Just then, two rowdy looking people stopped them.

"Why look at this Benzai! Three kids in our territory!"

"You're righ' Zenbai! What are you doin' here, twerps?"

Naruto twitched. Neji, being calm as always, explained. "We're Shinobis from Konoha. We're here to go to Kirigakure, for Chuunin exam."

"Hoo… that's why there are many shinobis around lately. Anyway, you wanna go pass this bridge now dontcha?"

"Yes?" Yukiku answered.

"Well, it's gonna cost' ya'll mates. Consider it tax deductible. A fund for your health insurance." Zenbai grinned menacingly.

"Or, we could let you for free, if you can _compensate _us." Benzai eyed Yukiku hungrily.

The girl sighed. "Oi, Naruto, was Wave like this when you came here?"

"No. Back there, this place was filled with Jackasses… not scumbags."

"You're sayin' somethin'?" Both thugs looked at Naruto, who already cracked his knuckles.

"Yes. With all due respect, Honorable assholes… we're feeling pretty healthy."

A few short moments of pain later…

Zenbai and Benzai, battered, singed, and naked, screaming their lungs out as they were thrown off to the sea.

"Healthy enough to give you a new definition of pain, that's for sure." Naruto crossed his arms.

"Can't you do things the normal way?" Neji slapped his head.

"Why? They need to know that people who dared to mess with Uzumaki Naruto are walking corpses. They were just pissing me off. They're lucky."

"Did you just say, Uzumaki Naruto?"

The three looked at the speaker. It's a Westerner. He had a brown hair with a little bit of grayish striped in his hair. There were little eye-bags below his green eyes, showing a lack of sleep. His clothing was rather ragged.

"Yes?" Naruto blinked.

"Do you know Uzumaki Naruto?" the person asked again.

"Yes. That's me."

"…wha… but you're a kid!"

"So what?"

"Impossible… so the tales was true."

"What tale?"

"The bridge! The tale of the bridge! Look at the name." The person pointed at the board on the massive bridge entrance.

The three shinobi looked at it. It says:

**GNB 1**

"GNB?" The three echoed.

"I understand the no 1, means this the first bridge… But what the hell GNB stands for?" Naruto scratched his head.

The westerner laughed. "When I first came here, I asked the same thing. The local townsfolk said GNB stands for: **G**reat **N**aruto **B**ridge."

"Great…" Yukiku jaw-dropped.

"Naruto…" Neji was completely thunderstruck.

"Bridge…?" Naruto rolled his eyes.

"I heard from townsfolk that there was once a hero that helped this place from the verge of destruction to become what it was now. They say the Hero was a boy, and still alive but… I never imagine that it to be a kid like you. Ah! I get it. Maybe you're somehow blood related to the hero, and happened to wield his name?"

"There is only one Uzumaki Naruto, and you're looking at him. And who are you?"

"Well my name is Renald Guston. You can call me Renald. I'm a journalist. I've been here to write about this city, and I'm still gathering data about this city. But I've never guessed that Uzumaki Naruto is a boy. I thought he's someone older or something." The man smiled nervously.

The two looked at Naruto. Stunned. They, from the day they first know the blond brat, had known only one Naruto and one only. The person was standing right along with them.

Yukiku was the first to recover. "Anymore prestigious record you need to tell us, Great Uzumaki Naruto?"

"Before you put us in hospital for heart attack due to your unforeseen surprises?" Neji smirked. Truly the no. 1 most unpredictable Ninja, Naruto was.

"I… I really… don't know…" Regardless, Naruto was grinning so wide that it threatens to split his face.

Just then, groans and growling sounded from the edge of the bridge. The two thugs had somehow managed to climb the bridge.

"D… Damn… you boy…" Benzai growled, his fingers aching.

"Once we're up… y… you're… gonna… pay!" Zenbai almost fell off again.

"They're persistent… aren't they?" Neji sighed as Naruto stomped his way menacingly to the still hanging thugs.

"!" Zenbai and Benzai gulped in fear.

The blond knelt down in front of the frightened duo. "…Boo."

"WAAAAA!" In their fear, the two released their grip and hugged each other. When they've realized it, they tried to swim their way back but eventually fell down.

"Heh, idiots."

"I wouldn't do that if I were you Mr. Uzumaki."

"Eh? Why?"

"Those two were Zenbai and Benzai. They were 'Zhuya the Executioner's underlings."

"Zhuya the Executioner? Who the heck is that?" Naruto rolled his eyes.

"You don't know?" the westerner looked surprise.

"We're Konoha Shinobis heading towards Kirigakure for Chuunin exam. But… only Naruto that has been here." Neji answered.

"What, you're still genins?"

"All of us, yeah." Yukiku answered. "How did you know about Nins?"

"I'm a writer, so I learned a thing or two about shinobis. But that's hardly the point. Listen, you're all seemed to be good people, so I'll say this for you: best stay away from Wave Central for now, if that's where you're going."

"Why?"

"That place is the base of many criminal activities now. It's a wild city with almost no law. It's not a place for any kids. Many gangsters filled every corner. Zhuya the Executioner was one of the most renowned gang."

"…" Naruto frowned.

"Chuunin exam will be held in Kirigakure that's true. But you can still wait for three months later; there will be another Chuunin exam somewhere else. You still have a lot future before you young ones. Be careful."

The three went silent hearing Renald's words.

Yukiku broke the silence. "So what now?"

"I'm going there." Naruto concluded.

"Naruto?" Neji looked at his teammate.

"I have friends in Wave. If that place had become so dangerous, I'm worried about what will happen to them." Naruto readied himself to walk away.

"Wait, Naruto…"

"Neji, now this isn't about Chuunin exam for me anymore. All that can go to hell if my friends in danger. I'm going; with, or without your consent."

"Talk about consent, I couldn't find any reason to say no."

The team looked at the team leader.

"Renald-san had a point that we could've waited for three more months in the next Chuunin exam. But that exam is in Kumogakure. You see… I had a thing with them."

"…okay. I'm coming." Yukiku sighed.

"Well, can I go with you guys? I wish to write about the Chuunin Exam, and back there, I dared not to go through the gate because of those two." The Journalist offered.

"Suit yourself."

"Thank you."

The group walked calmly through the gate into the grandiose bridge. Naruto gaped as he observed the bridge he once helped to establish. He never thought how crowded this bridge was until he can no longer move without hitting at least 4 people. However, these people seem took no notice. Obviously being bumped on was already a day to day experience for them. There are dozens of shops selling weird things; some that Naruto was eager to try and some that he wouldn't even think of buying.

"Renald-san how long you've been here?" Yukiku asked.

"4 months. I spent most of my time in block 1, gathering data in this block, and some sketchy ones about the other blocks. This is my chance to gather real information about Wave Central."

"Wouldn't that be dangerous?" Neji looked at the journalist.

"Nah. I've been to more dangerous places. Battlefield for instances. How bad can it be?"

Naruto frowned. He sensed one… no two auras that seemed… different with the crowd.

The crowd's auras were all neutral. They all flowed variedly, but randomly directed. None directed to him whatsoever.

However, these auras… he felt it many times now but still it sent shiver down his spine.

Killing intent.

Directed to him.

The aura was dark and deep blue.

And yet… they were familiar.

He turned his face to his back… and gasped.

Red clouds atop black cloak.

Lo and behold, Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame were following him.

Back to Block 1…

"Was that a joke or what Sir?" The butcher scratched his hair in amusement.

"I'm serious! Now, I'm not gonna repeat this again. 18 kilos of sirloin steak, 15 kilos of tenderloin, 20 kilos of minced beef, 17 chickens… and I can pay before you ask!" Kira was in the slaughterhouse, reading a 3 meter long shopping list. 'Damn the inventors of puppy dog eyes no jutsu! Now Lacus keeps forcing me on doing her chores thanks to that jutsu…'

10 minutes later he got out of the shop as he carried a massive bag, filled with meat. He read the list. 'That does the meat… now… to greengrocery…'

Back to GNB 1…

Using an excuse of finding something interesting, Naruto separated from his team. The two Akatsuki seemingly caught his drift, and both followed the blond. Finding a quiet place was obnoxiously difficult with many people linger around. Founding no place to fight, Naruto motioned to the water, and jump off.

Kisame chuckled. "Sheesh… this brat got some guts. I'm going-"

"Wait." Jus then, Itachi pulled out a purple colored Katana that stopped Kisame dead in his tracks. The katana emitted an eerie purplish black aura. It seemed evil… somehow.

"…I always hate it when you drew that sword."

"It has been quite some time… since the last time I used this sword." Itachi put down the sword. "…Kyuubi is my game. Remember that."

"Alright, alright. Don't get moody all the sudden."

Itachi jumped off and landed on the water, facing Naruto's back.

"Why did you leave your teammates?"

"We've trained extensively under Kira-sensei for 5 months. I've become far stronger since the last time we meet. Fighting my current self alone will prove too much for you, much less fighting the three of us together!" That was only a half lie. In truth, he didn't want his friend to got involved. The Akatsuki after him, and him alone. Involving the others was out of question.

"That statement could come from your boldness… or your stupidity."

"We shall see." Naruto cracked his knuckles.

Itachi pointed his finger at Naruto. "One way or another, Naruto-kun, you're coming with me."

"Be my guest." The Kyuubi host glared fiercely at the Akatsuki member.

Itachi stayed silent, as if waiting for movement from the blond. "Hmmm… you're strangely… calm. I thought you're a type that will go cursing and charging at your opponent head on."

"…"

"I see. Kira-shishou had taught you well."

Outraged was the only expression Naruto was capable of showing. Red Youki began to trickle around his figure.

Itachi had sensed the killing intent just a second before a kunai went through his head. His figure turned to water. Just then, the water on the sea turned all black and everything went discolored. Gritting his teeth, Naruto howled. "GET REAL!" The shockwave of his inhuman howl tore off the Genjutsu, revealing Itachi who was pushed back.

"That howl…"

"Onijutsu, Fukumaden Toboe (Pandemonium Howl). By the way, small fry Genjutsu don't work on me anymore."

"Onijutsu?"

"Feel the wrath of Kyuubi!" A few quick handseal later Naruto shot out a hurl of powerful burning fox head. 'Jigoku Katon, Kitsune Endan!'

Itachi answered with a raging inferno dragon. 'Katon, Karyuu Endan!'

The two attacks collided and cancel each other out with a massive explosion. The water around the explosion vaporized, and a bowl of steam burst out, obscuring the view. Naruto easily saw through the steam wall, and just then, a pack of swirling water dragons shot out through the steam.

'Suiton, Suiryuu Arashi!' Itachi had just finished his final seal before the swirling dragons burst forth.

Naruto eyed the attacks. '…he really was Kira's student…' Several dragons hit his shoulder, thigh, and waist, blood sputtered out from the cuts. Despite the injuries, Naruto was smiling. This didn't go unnoticed by the two Akatsuki.

"What's that idiot laughing at?" Kisame was confused.

His blood dripping profusely, but Naruto didn't seem to take notice. Instead, he continued to perform another jutsu. "Suiton, Shin'en Taisou! (Water Elemental, Abyss Grand Funeral)" Swirling spikes burst forth from where Itachi was standing. Spinning and twisting, the Uchiha senior dodged the spikes.

'Strange, I didn't recall Kira-shishou use this jutsu…'

Itachi dashed forward towards Naruto, who did the same. The blond swung his fist, But Itachi's eye foreseen his move and jumped out of the way, while at the same time, casting another jutsu. 'Katon, Dai Housenka no Jutsu!' 5 massive fireballs shot out from Itachi's mouth and head directly at Naruto. Rapid explosion occurred and push Naruto down the sea. The blond immediately resurfaced out of the water and swing his finger. "Fuuton, Kaze no Ryuuga! (Wind element, Wind Dragon fang)" A swirl of wind formed a razor sharp Dragon silhouette and dashed with eye blinding speed towards the Uchiha.

"Fuuton, Kaze no Ryuuga!" Copying the jutsu, Itachi launched an exact same dragon that cancelled the attack.

'Katon, Karyuu Endan!' Naruto unleashed a jet stream of fire, forming a dragon.

'Suiton, Suiryuu Arashi!' The water around Itachi turned into a swirling dragon. The dragon went through fire dragon before being welcomed by Naruto's Rasengan. The water dragon was splattered to various directions.

"ORRAAAAAAAAAAA!" Without a second thought, Naruto charged forward, attempting a close combat while bringing the still active Rasengan in his palm. The blond tried to ram the sphere to Itachi's face. The latter dodged and landed a punch on Naruto's gut. Without mercy, Itachi continued with a roundhouse kick. But the blond simply caught the kick and smirk. 6 Naruto appeared and charged.

"U!"

One kicked Itachi's shoulder.

"Zu!"

Two sent a twin roundhouse kick to both of Itachi's knee. The Uchiha jumped immediately to avoid the clone breaking his knee cap.

"Ma!"

Three Naruto gave an upward kick that sent the Uchiha even higher to the air.

"Ki!"

The original Naruto stepped on the Bunshin and summoned three more Bunshin, with a Rasengan on each of their palm.

"Naruto Kazan Rendan! (Uzumaki Naruto Volcano Combo!)" 4 Rasengan uppercuts upwards, all hit Itachi's chest full. The exploding energy sent the Uchiha up into the air before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Just then, 'Katon, Karyuu Endan!' a large fire dragon exploded right underneath Naruto's feet and burn all the clones away. Using one of his Bunshin caught the real Naruto and threw him away of the line of fire. Naruto landed with a splash as Itachi appeared in front of him.

The Akatsuki Nin looked at Naruto.

"Naruto-kun?"

"What?"

"You're not being serious."

Naruto laughed. "Do I have to?"

"You better."

"Okay." Just then, Naruto finished a set of handseal and slams the ground… sea surface. "Yami Ketsuton, Shin'en Taisou! (Dark Blood element, Abyss Grand Funeral)"

'Yami Ket-?' Itachi's train of thought was cut short immediately as a pack of swirling blood spikes burst out from his back and stabbed him in various places. 'B-blood?' Naruto began to run at him.

Kisame's eyes can't be wider then a teacup by now. '…where the fuck did that brat learn that freakish jutsu?'

Smoke arose as the blood acid began to burn. Itachi had to groan. 'He purposely got hit by that water dragon… he spill his blood in this spot. Damn I was careless!' Worse, the spikes nailed him. He could barely move. Naruto obviously had planned this as he performed a jutsu that will definitely hurt him bad if it hit.

A perfectly formed Rasengan.

Growling, Itachi tore off his Akatsuki cloak and managed to escape just before Naruto's Rasengan hit his head. The sphere of destruction caused water to burst out to every direction in a spherical explosion.

Itachi immediately regained his balance. He eyed Naruto with renewed vigilance. "I see now where you get such confidence. It wasn't only Kira-shishou who had taught you how to fight. Kyuubi had done his part as well…"

Naruto smirked.

Itachi looked at his wounds. "Hmmm… still… you have a bad aim, Naruto-kun. You've missed my vitals."

"I **AM** missing. Where's the fun if I simply kill you? I'm gonna make you regret ever trying to capture me… nice and slow."

Kisame laughed. "Har! Har! Har! Boy, if only he's not a Jinchuriki I could use to like him."

By this time, everyone atop the bridge had already noticed the abnormal commotion.

"Hey look at that! Someone's fighting atop the sea!"

"Huh? Who's that? A boy?"

"Who's the other guy?"

Ignoring the crowd, Naruto concentrated on the enemy at hand. Itachi's reflexes clearly had saved him. He was only scratched and stabbed in non vital locations. But only without his cloak that Naruto realized: Itachi looked a heck of a lot like Sasuke. He wore sleeveless dark blue ninja clothing and long black trousers. His garment was nothing but simple. But Naruto know better. The simpler the clothing, the more deceptive it can be.

"Alright! Now I'm not gonna give you even a chance to breath!" without further ado, Naruto slammed the water. 'Suiton, Tajuu Suiryuu Arashi!' 10 water dragons burst out from the water and headed straight at Itachi.

'Suiton, Sousuiryuu Heki! (Double Water dragon barrier)' a pair of water dragon emerged and spun around Itachi, negating all the attack. Just then, out of the water dragons, 10 Naruto clones marched forward. Using a kunai, the Missing Nin destroyed them all with one swoop. But just before the final Bunshin dissipate the real Naruto hop on its back and jump off. Midair, he cast another jutsu. 'Jigoku Katon, Gokushin! (Hellfire element, Hell Flash)' hundreds of small laser like red beams burst out and rained upon the Uchiha. Itachi ran off and dodged the barrage. True to his word, Naruto have not wished to give the Akatsuki Nin even a breather. Just when Itachi landed, six Naruto clone resurfaced and grabbed his back. 'Bakuhatsu Oni Bunshin! (Exploding Demon Clone)' the six clones light up before exploded full force.

When Naruto landed, Itachi resurfaced from the water and look at the blond straight in the eye. 'Mangekyou Sharingan, Tsukiyomi (Kaleidoscope Sharingan, Moonlight Hell)!' Naruto was brought into a pitch black world. There, Itachi's voice echoed: "For 72 hours you'll be stabbed in your heart again and again with 100 flaming iron rods." True to his word, 100 red hot iron rods went through his heart. Surprisingly, not even a yell escaped through his lungs. "This is…"

"Bunshin." The clone smirked. He grabbed Itachi's hand, rendering the Akatsuki immobile. Another Naruto burst out from the sea, a basket ball sized energy rested firmly on both of his hands.

"…" Itachi stayed silent, as he suddenly gripped the clone's hand.

"Kuuton: Jigoku Shinsei! (Space element: Hell Nova)" Naruto threw the energy sphere dead center on Itachi's back. The intended target spun around and shove Naruto's clone instead. The energy ball hit the clone's stomach full. But the clone smirked. Just then, a beam went through the clone straight to Itachi, and went through his chest as well. The Akatsuki disappeared in a puff. A clone. The nova continuously shot out beams to various directions until forming a black light ball, vaporizing all the water around in its wake. 'Damn! There goes a big chunk of my chakra…'

People cheered at the sight. "Wow! What a show!"

"Alright!"

"Kid, don't lose! I'm betting my house on you!"

Naruto tried to catch his breath. Just then, dozens of cuts and slashes appeared allover his body. So powerful was the attack, it thrown him off the air. He landed with a splash, his blood dripping from the wounds once again. "What was that?" The blond held his bleeding shoulder.

"I wonder how long has it been… since I used this sword." Itachi showed up, brandishing his purple katana.

A shiver went through Kisame's spine. 'Damn, that katana again…'

Naruto frowned at the new weapon.

"What the heck is going on here… wait the minute… that's… Naruto?" Neji gasped.

"What is he doing?" Yukiku gaped.

"Whoa… what's this? A fight? Wait a damn minute his opponent is a freakin' grown up!" Renald commented.

"Not just any grown up…that person…Uchiha Itachi?" the Hyuuga checked his eyes again. Indeed, it was THE Uchiha Itachi.

Naruto readied himself. 'That sword… it's no normal sword.'

**DAMN RIGHT YOU ARE.**

'You knew?'

**ICHIDAI KITETSU SHIBI'EN. (First Generation Demon Slayer, Shibi'en) ONE OF THE MOST FEARED SWORDS IN MA'KAI. **

'How on earth Itachi could have something like that?'

**SHIBI'EN WAS CRAFTED FOR HUMAN TO WIELD. A FREAKISH VAMPIRE SWORD ABLE TO SUCK A HUMAN DRY IF THE BLADE TOUCHES YOU LONG ENOUGH. JUST FEW SECONDS AND YOU'LL ALREADY ON THE OTHER SIDE. PREVIOUSLY, IT WAS USED AS HUMAN'S DEFENSE AGAINTS DEMON. CLEARLY HE SOMEHOW MANAGED TO GET THAT SWORD FROM SOMEONE.**

Itachi readied his sword.

Naruto grabbed his Kunai.

Just then, he disappeared and reappeared in front of Naruto. 'Katon, Gokyakuu no Jutsu!' a grand fireball erupted from the tip of Shibi'en, engulfing Naruto full. Abruptly Naruto's hand shot out from the flames and held Itachi's left hand. 4 Naruto clone appeared and encircled the Missing Nin.

"I told you I'm not gonna give you a breather! Jigoku Katon, Kitsune Endan! Yami Ketsuton, Shin'en Taisou! Katon, Karyuu Endan! Fuuton, Kaze no Ryuuga!"

4 elemental jutsu were done at point bank range. The Akatsuki Nin managed to parry the Oni jutsu with his sword, but the fire dragon scored a hit on his stomach and the wind dragon cut through his left shoulder.

"Onijutsu, Roar of Pandemonium!" all five Naruto yelled at point blank range, Itachi grunted as his body was under the pressure of the sound shockwave. Just when the target was still stunned by the jutsu, Naruto grabbed Itachi's face. Several hellish red sparks appeared around Itachi.

"Jigoku Katon, Tajuu Makai no Hikari! (Hellfire element, Multiple Light of Netherworld!)" Itachi's head and body parts were blown to bits as hellish laser beams went through from various directions. Unfortunately, what's left of his remains immediately turned to a pile of water.

Kisame inwardly sighed in relief. That was nuts. After all the fighting, the brat can still cast 6 high level jutsu all at once. Paired with Kage Bunshin at that. 'What a stamina monster. Even an Akatsuki would find some trouble subduing the boy…'

But Naruto didn't seem too surprised. Nevertheless, he was DOWNRIGHT tired. His canine began to grow and his eyes turned to blue slit. Just another straw and Kyuubi's power will truly be unleashed.

Itachi reappeared behind Naruto, completely unscratched. "That was… surprising…" With that, Itachi stabbed Naruto's side.

"Uhagh…!"

Mustering all the strength he can get, Naruto slid the katana out.

"Hmmm…" Itachi cast another jutsu. 'Suiton, Suigadan! (Water Element, Water Fang Bullet)'

A pack of water fang welcomed him. "Guack!" The pain, blood loss, chakra exhaustion… He finally fell with a splash. With little chakra he had left, he still managed to cast a jutsu. "Jigoku Katon: Kyuukagan! (Sudden Flame Eyes!)" A burning eyeball appeared right in front of Itachi's face. A flame sphere enclosed him before it exploded full force.

Naruto pants and gasps. His once massive chakra reserve was getting lower.

"What persistence. You gave out a worthy resistance till the very end… if only my little brother was more like you…" Amidst the smoke, Itachi appeared, unharmed. But several parts of his clothing were singed here and there.

"NARUTO!" Neji yelled.

"That was… somewhat fun. Good sleep, Naruto-kun." 'Suiton, Suihebi Kenbu! (Water element, Water snake sword dance)'

A horde of razor sharp water cobras dashed towards Naruto. Barely conscious due to the initial water attack, the blond was ready to faint… until he caught sight of the snakes. 'Gomenne… Sakura… Sasu… Snakes? Oro… Orochimaru!' the image of the Sannin flashed in his mind and a new emotion entered the fray:

Bloodlust.

"**RrrrrRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"** Naruto roared. An image of Kyuubi dispelled all jutsu in vicinity. The waves of the sea were pushed backwards by the wind generated by the aura's pressure. The Aura shrunk back to Naruto as veins popping out on Naruto's body and his wounds regenerated at inhuman pace. By the time it's all over, red Youki engulfed Naruto's body forming the face of the Kyuubi. The red chakra then formed a beast like humanoid shape, with one long tail swishing, chakra fangs and claws at the ready, and one furious Naruto within the Youki.

Yukiku was trembling from head to toe. "W… What w-was…t-that?"

Renald was speechless, but still terrified.

Neji, who had seen Naruto's state before stayed calm. But beads of cold sweat poured down nonetheless. "…Kyuusei no Kyuubi."

Itachi's eyes widen slightly. "And so it appears…"

"**GYRAAAAAGH!"** The Kyuubi Naruto slams the water, and hundreds of swirling water spikes rose up and head straight towards Itachi.

'Doton, DoryuuHeki! (Earth Element, Mudslide Wall!)' A mudpack burst out from Itachi's mouth, forming a wall underneath him, blocking all the water spikes once it hardened. Abruptly Naruto appeared on top of him, a Rasengan at the ready. Without further ado, the berserk Nin slammed the sphere of destruction at the Akatsuki Nin.

It hit the earthen wall instead. Itachi immediately landed on the water, regaining his composure almost instantaneously. His 'game' dashed towards him on all four like a ferocious beast. Naruto's arm outstretched forming a massive crimson Youki claw. Without further ado, the enraged Jinchuriki slammed it to Itachi once the Nin was in range. Itachi's Shibi'en managed to block the non-existent Youki, much to Naruto's surprise.

Itachi grunted a bit under the pressure. 'Shibi'en is the sword to ward off demons. It's not so surprising that it can block demon's Youki.' "…Hyoton, Tsurara Kyu. (Icicle Coffin)" the water around Naruto turned to icicle and enclosed the blond in a spherical ice prison, freezing his body.

The missing Nin backed down a bit, observing his hand work. Naruto's Youki was frozen as well.

All the sudden, the ice began to melt at an alarming pace. Within seconds, the enraged blond already broke through the ice and instantaneously appeared right in front of Itachi. A punch landed on his face, sending him a couple of meters away.

Kisame gaped. 'That's the first time I saw him get punched…'

Itachi managed to recover his balance midair. Naruto's gone. He materialized right on his back, sending a roundhouse kick on his head. Hit it the leg did, splattering his head into a pile of water in the process. Not wanting to become the blonde's future punching back, Itachi reappeared behind Naruto and performed the only course of defensive action available: to be offensive. 'Konoha Ryuu, Mikazuchi no Mai!' (Konoha Style, Dance of the Crescent moon.) Three Itachi appeared and dashed towards Naruto in a complex sword dance formation.

"**URAAAAAAAAAAARGH!" **Naruto screamed, dispersing two clones away and it's still enough to push the original Itachi backwards.

The original one inwardly gasped. A handful of flames appeared on Naruto's right hand. The flame enclosed Naruto's hand and it transform into the head of Kyuubi. The fox head opened its mouth, and shot out lines of inferno.

Itachi immediately ran to the side, attempting to dodge the flames. Steams arise as the lines of flames vaporized the sea surface. Itachi quickly cast another jutsu. 'Suiton, Suigadan!'

'**Kuuton, Yami Suisei! (Space Element, Dark Comet)' **a single black comet appeared and encircled Naruto at high speed, dispersing the water fang bullets. **'Suiton, Shin'en Taisou!'**

Although there's no blood, the spikes that were formed from sea water can still devastating damage. Itachi dodged the attack and jumped towards the bridge foothold. He stuck on one of the bridge pillars. Relentless, Naruto chased his target.

'Mokuton, Mokuryuudan! (Wood element, Wood Dragon Bullet)' The woods that constructed the masses grew and turned into a giant wooden dragon made of wooden vines. The wood dragon charged upon Naruto at high speed. The blond didn't have time to dodge… or to be precise… he doesn't need to. The wooden dragon stopped upon contact.

Itachi blinked.

Naruto's chakra formed a massive claw that caught the dragon's head. After giving the surprised Uchiha a sadistic grin, the wooden dragon's head grow darker and darker. Toxic green fumes began to spring up from the dragon's head. **'Naimokuton, Shoten Yari! (Deadwood, death spear!)' **The dragon's head exploded and shot out hundreds of large thorny vines, with pointy ends, all heading towards Itachi.

"Grgh!" Jumping and twisting from one pillar to another, the Itachi managed to avoid all the vines. The wooden pillars, as Itachi noticed, were rotting the moment the vines went through them. 'How terrifying… if I get hit by one of those… I will rot like these trees do…'

Riding one of the vines, Naruto dashed towards the Akatsuki Nin with blinding speed. Itachi noticed the attack. Just a few seconds before the death spear hit the Uchiha; Naruto jumped and aimed the Kyuubi head at Itachi.

In his Sharingan eye, for Itachi it was as if everything in slow motion. As he jumped to the side to avoid the spear from impaling his stomach, Naruto shot a barrage of Kitsune Endan from the Kyuubi's head, point blank range. The Uchiha managed to dodge the flames in paper thin margin, but his clothes were torn asunder by the devilish purple aura that comes with it. The heat and the shockwaves from the following explosions caught him off guard and throw him up into the air forward. Using the momentum, he dashed towards the still mid-air Naruto and scored a pack of slashes that sent the blond flying. Summoning a few Bunshin, Naruto's clone grabbed hold of one of the horizontal wooden mass, forming a human ladder. The last clone grabbed the original one's leg and swung it towards the Uchiha in a 180 degree arc. Kyuubi's Youki enforced the coming uppercut, making it extra strong.

Itachi haven't caught his footing yet when Naruto's fist connected with his jaw. The uppercut sent him upwards, straight to the top of the bridge. Using Shibi'en, Itachi cut his way out.

Atop the bridge, people ran away as a chunk of the bridge was slashed off and Itachi appeared. The Uchiha slayer landed immediately. A loud explosion later, Naruto followed suit. The two now stood, facing each other.

Itachi's breathing still steady, but his red eye didn't let go from Naruto not even a second.

Naruto was growling like beast, but it was obvious he was panting. Worse, his skin began to corrode. The Youki didn't do much damage on Naruto's inner body like before, but his external body still suffered damages.

'…Kira-shishou's teaching combined with Kyuubi's… I'm not fighting one, but a combination of two most powerful beings in this earth… that attack before… I'll be long dead had not for these eyes…'

"**So… how do you like things so far?"**

"You can talk, Naruto-kun. I thought I was fighting a mindless beast."

"**I can't. During the initial period when Kyuusei took over, I'm like what you said: a mindless beast or maybe… well… maybe not so mindless at all."**

"Pardon?"

"**Can mindless beast cast jutsus?"**

"Hm. Point taken. Still, you realized that, I'm the hunter, and you're the hunted. Is it safe for you to tell me such detrimental, for you, information?"

"**Just who is the hunted one here? I'm giving you that information because you will die here."** A crimson Rasengan appeared.

"…" Itachi performed a set of seals. The next second an awfully familiar chirping sound, as if there were a thousand birds chirping, filled the sky. Naruto blinked.

"**That jutsu…"**

"Please… I've saw this jutsu twice already. I'm Sasuke's brother, if you recall." Itachi showed Naruto his right hand. A blue Chidori enclosed the said hand.

"**Piss off!" **Naruto jumped.

"Hmph." Itachi dashed.

Neji, Yukiku, and Renald ran immediately to the scene.

The two attacks were about to collide…

Suddenly, out of nowhere, two surges of electricity appeared between the two and hit their stomach full. The electricity threw them away. Naruto's Rasengan pulverized a building's wall, and Itachi's Chidori tore out the street's pavements.

The two surges united into one and turned to Kira, who landed on his feet with a thud between the two Nin.

"Enough."

------------------

------------------

------------------

TBC

DONE! Read and Review! As usual!

BTW… anybody knew what Shibi'en means? I took it from Samurai Deeper Kyo but…

Omake:

I've never watched Telletubies… and never will. Only heard it from some stupid ads…

Deidara's days in Interrogation:

Minichapter 2:

Now let's go see some films

Sunagakure…

"…so what did we learn yesterday?"

"To transmute something, you must present something of equal mass and size. Also, the power to begin the transmutation depends on the strength of the transmutation circle." Kankurou answered.

"Correct." Athrun nodded. He touched his chin for a second, as if trying to remember something. "…hold on one minute."

Athrun moved towards a hatch on the ground. He opened it and held a TV remote and press PAUSE.

"So, ready to confess?"

"I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU! GRRRAAAAGH!" Deidara's angry yell answered.

"Okay." Athrun pressed the PLAY button.

"_Telletubies… Telletubies…"_ A childish toned song flowed once again.

"AAARRGH! WHAT KIND OF HUMAN ARE YOU?" Deidara's voice died out along with the song as Athrun closed the hatch again.

Inside…

"GRRUUGH! GRRRAAAAGGGH! PRETEND! PRETEND YOU DIDN'T SEE THIS! ARRRGAHH" Deidara closed his eyes and ears shut as if his life depended on it.

"_Huuuggiiiing!"_

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRGGH! HUMANITY!" Deidara yelled… as he was imprisoned underground in a cell amidst hundreds of theater TVs and super sound stereos…

…broadcasting the Telletubies Show, 24/7.


	21. Bloody Hero

This is the Unedited version. Enjoy.

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": special case**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA: Giant creature speech **

"_Special in This chapter only": Renald's writing_

**Chapter 20:**

**Bloody Hero**

It was a bad day for one Hoshigaki Kisame. Surprisingly, it didn't start out so awful, but it ended with a disaster. It all began with his partner, drawing Shibi'en, a vampire sword that always gave him the creeps ever since he laid eyes upon the first time. Next, Itachi began to fight IN PUBLIC! It started with a simple Genjutsu and apparently, it ended with a grand-scale jutsu brawl the last time he saw the fight. What about him? No, he didn't worry about his partner, not even a bit. He was getting bored when his partner began fighting the Kyuubified Jinchuriki. So what did he do? When everything seemed grown too long, he decided to do what every bored people will do: doing something. And the most productive thing Kisame could think of… is sleeping soundly.

How can it be not productive? When one sleeping, one rested his brain. One regained all his energy back! One is freed from every problem that befell on earth for that precious moment! All for the sake of waking up and ready to face the world once more with renewed fitness! A soldier that has been fighting for a week will be ready to fight again for another week after a single nap! What can be more productive then that?

Of course one, Kisame in this case, must include waking up in a healthy and proper way in order to gain the energy. The most natural way of waking up is, of course, waking up on your own, or, if you don't want to be sleeping for too long, you can set up an alarm or ask someone to wake you up.

And naturally, getting shoved by a missing Youki induced Rasengan was definitely not a healthy way of waking up.

Sadly to Kisame he received the honor of being the first person to be woken up in that manner. He was sleeping peacefully inside a room of a building, resting his back on the wall; the very same wall that, luckily (or unluckily) got hit by Naruto's Rasengan when he was thrown off by Kira.

Better yet, the energy unleashed by the swirling sphere was directly on the spot where his back lay.

That's the reason why he woke up, a few kilometers away from his previous spot, with a painful back and behind, and layers of broken walls plastered on his frontal body part; coupled with a broken rib, and a broken nose, and a broken front tooth, and a broken dignity.

"Ah, sorry for disturbing your meal." Kisame bowed down in forgiveness when some confused dining family looked at him. There were at least 5 houses that got holes on their wall.

"I'm gonna kill the bastard who did this to me. I'm gonna chop his leg, clip off his fingers and-YEEEAAAOOOUUCH!" Kisame touched his aching back. "…my… back…"

Several moments later, he arrived at the spot.

One side, Naruto was panting heavily.

The other side, Itachi, simply okay, but his clothes were torn apart.

In the middle, the man who had humiliated him flawlessly stood.

"YOU! YOU DARE TO SHOW YOUR FACE BEFORE ME AGAIN? NOW you're really in for it!"

"Hold on Kisame-san. It was your fault you tried to raid Naruto's Frozen Throne before." Kira smirked.

"HE tried to attack me BEFORE?" Naruto deathglared at the fuming Akatsuki Nin.

"When you're in coma, yes."

"It was his idea in the first place…" Itachi murmured clearly enough.

"Wait the minute! Itachi you were coming along with me remember?"

"Luckily your temper gets the better of you when we fight."

"That's why you got owned." The Uchiha still mumbled.

"Itachi, who's side you're on?"

"YO! People! Kira, you got some explaining to do! Itachi, you shut your mouth and wait your beating! And Shark-head! You're in trouble!"

"Who're you callin' shark-head, tiny?"

Everyone looked at Kisame.

"EXCUSE ME! Somebody better give this guy a mirror he can't even see his own face!"

Then they turned to Naruto.

"Alright, one more word brat; and I'm having a Kitsune Jinchuriki Udon tonight!"

Then to Kisame.

"Good. And the appetizer will be a human shark fin soup!"

Fro.

The two readied themselves for battle once again when Kira stepped in.

"Stop it. When I say enough is enough. Naruto, stand down. Kisame-san, you will not touch Naruto right underneath my nose."

"I'd like to see you try and stop me!"

"Samehada."

All the sudden, Kisame fell down, exhausted. The sword on his back had drained his chakra dry. "What in the bloody hell…"

"What kind of Swordsmith that can't use his own creations? Now calm yourself. You're way too hot-blooded for a Kiri-nin."

"Let me at him! Let me at him!" A clone of Kira was holding the growling Naruto.

"Naruto, STOP!" Kira raised his hand in front of the blond boy. It was some short of instinct, Naruto stopped squirming.

Kira turned to Itachi. "Now you understand this: I didn't ask you to come here so that you can capture Naruto!"

"YOU ASKED HIM TO COME HERE?"

"That I did. Let's be scarce." Kira, holding the squirming Naruto, motioned the group and the other two missing Nin to move away from the crowd. People were looking at them with confusion.

Somewhere not too far away from the scene, a shinobi bearing a symbol of Mist puffed out from existence.

----------------

"You… You're still in liaison with him, weren't you?" Naruto growled as he was finally let go when the two had finally reached a quiet corridor atop the bridge.

Kira sighed. "With all the honesty Naruto, I really have not suspected that he will engage you in public."

"You told him to come here nonetheless!"

"Because I want to talk to him. Plus, even if he came here without my consent, do you really think that you won't fight him?"

"I…"

"For a moment please think with your head. You know what this man had done. You know what things he had done to your friend Sasuke. Your hatred towards him seemed had sunk deep all the way to your bone. Won't you fight him if you ran into him, accidentally?"

"…you could've told me." The blond calmed down a bit.

"I was hoping I could just talk with him without you knowing."

"You didn't trust me did you?"

"Look who's talking. You ran off from your friend, without telling them what you're up to. What's that different with me didn't tell you anything?"

"…"

"They've known about Kyuubi, right? Clearly they deserve to know about Akatsuki. This is important, Naruto. They may need to know what they're going to face."

"…okay. But… why did you call Itachi here?"

"No matter what kind of person he had become to, he's still my student. As a master, I need to talk to him. That is all. Now come, we have much to do."

"Right."

----------------

"_Renald Guston, Journal entry no. 27 month 5_

_The first time I came to Wave Block 1, I've been welcomed by the hustling bustling environment of a business city. Well, I guess the stories were true of the new giant trading city. Naturally, in such a big city, rumors and issues often ran amok. Some were true, some were utter lies, and some were based on local folklores… but of all stories I've heard, the most often foretold folklore is the story of one Uzumaki Naruto. The story of how one boy saved the whole village from destruction. The first time I've heard it, I thought it was some short of self made story with over exaggeration. _

_In those stories, it is said that this Naruto, could travel distance in an instant. He can emanate infernal fires of Hell itself. Defeating a devil and instead of killing it, he subjugate the devil, using the devil to fight the evildoers. Hmph. Of course, seeing how this story carried out, I wouldn't believe the first time I've heard it. Furthermore, people said that Uzumaki Naruto was a boy! I mean… I would probably half believe the story if all acts was done by a grown up, but… a boy? Please…_

_Even though the fact was that… the local people here seem to put telling the stories of Uzumaki Naruto in their culture. I never believed it… until today. I had to write this… because today… I stand corrected._

_Today, I've met him. The living breathing Uzumaki Naruto himself. I thought it was a coincidence. I mean, for goodness sake, he's a 13 years old! And still a GENIN for the love of Mary! But… again like I said…I stand corrected. The first impression we may get from this child is probably a bit loud… and stubborn too. But today, I get to see him fight… _

_Throughout my whole carrier, I've risked my life time and again in the frontlines of the battlefield in the warring country from whence I came. I've seen knights fight and die. I've seen them torn apart in the most intolerable way… and I stood. I thought I've seen anything… until I saw this Naruto fight… In that single moment…NOW I truly believe that Uzumaki Naruto had done what those local people had told me… When he fought, it was as if he was possessed by the devil, NO, HE'S the devil incarnate itself! He fought with a perfect combination of savagery and a surprising cunningness you won't find anywhere. And he's not just fighting some person! From the stories I've heard, the man who fought him was a convicted missing Nin who had massacred his own clan… I think it was Uchiha or something… but judging by the reaction of Hyuuga Neji, the Genin that goes with Naruto, I can say this Missing Nin means business._

_Their fight however, was interrupted by a man… a teenager or so it seems. I get a serious premonition this guy was made from electricity. But to be able to stop a fight of that scale with one blow… well that was still something. Anyway Naruto's team said his name was Kira Yamato… it seems this guy is their sensei. Hmm, interesting. Anyway, as luck would have it, I've been searching a way to get to Mist and write about the so called Chuunin Exam. But I've been too afraid of traveling to Wave Central alone… luckily, these four are heading there. So maybe I'll just tag along with them._

_Hopefully, I'll be back in one piece to finish this story._

----------------

Inside one of the motel atop the bridge…

"Itachi?" Kisame turn his head several times. "Where the Hell is he?"

"What is it?" Come Itachi's voice from the bathroom.

"Aha, what are you doing in the bath-…? Itachi, you're wounded?"

Blood dripping profusely from Itachi's forehead. Red blood color decorated the sink as the Nin clearly had washed away his blood there. Itachi simply nodded silently as he washed the blood away with water and tore some of his Akatsuki cloak and close the wound in his head with the cloth.

Kisame gulped.

"Uzumaki Naruto… if Kira-shishou didn't stop us… there's still some chance he might win, though it's little." Itachi mopped his blood away with the back of his hand. Then he noticed something else: his arm trembling.

"…are you okay?"

"…I've only been afraid of two people in my life Kisame. One is my own Mother, second, Kira-shishou… he's the third person who can force me to experience fear again."

Kisame gulped. "He became ridiculously strong… isn't he? That Jinchuriki?"

"…miscalculation. I've no idea that Kyuubi will also have a hand in this. No wonder his growth is also… abnormal."

"Still, what do you think?" Kira entered the room. Kisame perked up. Itachi held out his hand.

"Kira-shishou… you knew that Kyuubi had been teaching his techniques to the boy?"

"Yes. Still, everything proceeding as I've foreseen. Now you know what you're up against. The extraction jutsu require 2 years to prepare. With, or without my tutelage, Naruto will go even stronger. He may become 10 times stronger then he was right now; probably more. Did you really think you could stand a chance against Naruto after two years have passed?"

"…I have my duty to do sensei."

"Even up to the point where you have to kill yourself? Impressively, your mind seem didn't even know where are Akatsuki's base of operation. They didn't tell you… or…"

"None of us know. We're guerillas. Our base is where we are. Our meeting place and alike is determined randomly by the leader."

"I see… and his name was Ajira… and that's it."

"You already made your point that we can't hide any information for you. Now what are you going to do to us? I know no more then what's already on my mind, which you've read."

"Right. This is a Bunshin, by the way. The original one is coming back. Stay in the living room… and for god's sake, stay out of trouble." The Bunshin addressed this to the fuming Kisame before it puff out of existence.

Truth to be told, not so long after, Naruto and Kira came to the room. There, Neji, Yukiku, and Renald stood on one edge of the room, Itachi and Kisame on another.

The two eyed both groups. Kira was the first to break the silence. "Hey, you three, loosen up a bit."

The Genin team gave their sensei an I-can't-believe-you-could-be-such-an-unwary-jerk glare.

"Kira-sensei, you're asking the impossible. They have to stand with members of Akatsuki in one room? I'll be afraid if they don't even shiver." Naruto groaned.

"Truly. So people, let's move. Wave Central shouldn't be too far from here."

The group walked out and continued their postponed trip. However, they were divided into two:

One group was the Genin team at the back.

At the front, Kira and the two Akatsuki Nin took the lead.

Obviously the Genins were afraid they will be attacked from behind by the two Akatsuki Nin. Their worries unproven, as both Missing Nins were too afraid to do something offensive-related right underneath Kira's nose.

Renald, being the neutral of the group, chose to stick with the three Genin team.

Naruto, decided to tell his teammates about Akatsuki. "Akatsuki is an organization consisted of S-rank Missing Nins. Guy like that Itachi… that shark-head too, they were both members. They were distinguishable in the manner that one: they always wear a black cloak, with red clouds atop it. Two, they always wear rings. And three, I noticed this just now, their fingers, both hands and feet, are manicured."

"Why did they attack you?" Neji asked.

"They want me… or more likely, the other me."

"You mean Kyuub-" Neji closed Yukiku's mouth immediately. He motioned towards Renald, who perked up.

"Kyuubi? Kyuubi the Demon Fox?" Renald blurted.

Naruto looked at the western writer. "You knew?"

"Folklores. What is it about the demon?"

"He's… he's sealed here. But I'm not Kyuubi." Naruto pointed his stomach. Naruto proceeded by explaining the entire tale that befell on him and the village.

"…I see…" The journalist nodded.

"There were nine demons. They were called Youma'ou and their hierarchy beset accordingly to the number of their tails. The more tail they have, the stronger they are. You've been acquainted with two of them, Neji."

"…One-tail raccoon… and three-tails Hellhound."

"They were others: Two-tailed cat, Four-tailed Lion, Five-tailed Ape, Six-tailed Bear, Seven-tailed Wolf, Eight-tail-eight-head Snake… and finally the nine-tailed big-boss in my stomach. They were also called Bijyu."

"Bijyu… tailed beast."

"Exactly. Akatsuki were hunting these creatures. In the past wars, governments sought to use the unfathomable power these creatures possess with little to no success. I don't know what they want from these demons…" Naruto looked at the two Akatsuki Nin's back.

The three listeners nodded.

Meanwhile, Kira began a conversation with the two Akatsuki.

"So how did it go with the Samegiri, Kisame-san?"

"Why should I answer?"

"Oh I see. You still have problem because Samegiri kept using chakra indiscriminately. It used both the stored chakra and your chakra as well. Worse, you still can't seem to focus its energy eh?"

"Gah! How did you… Cursed Satori power…"

"No. Not Satori. This is my natural ability. Besides, when it comes to you, there's nothing psychic about it. You're easy." Kira smirked. "As for Samegiri, you might want to consider of meditating. It'll help you control your killing intent a lot."

"Meditating? I hate meditating."

"Then how on earth you could ever become a Mist Nin? One of Mist Seven Devil Swordsman at that?"

"Mist Genins are recognized if they can kill their teammate. There's nothing about meditating in it."

"As far as I concern, that system is gone a long time ago."

"But as you can see, the byproducts still linger around."

"Do you regret it?"

"What?" Kisame stopped. The Genin group also pause their pace.

"Do you regret it, Kisame-san? Killing people who had eat, sleep, and bleed together with you. Does it hurt when you kill them?"

"…hey, we're Shinobis. We're killing machines by nature. We could kill our parents if the order states so."

"…We're still only humans. Shinobis or not, even the most evil person will have regret when they did their evil-deeds. That's what set us apart with beasts." Kira seemed address this not only to Kisame, but to Itachi as well.

"…" Both Akatsuki were silent.

"Ah, we're here." Kira broke the uneasiness. They've arrived at a large metal Gate. Atop the gate there were some huge writings: Wave Central.

Two mean looking big guards looked at the group.

"What do you want?"

"We're Shinobis. These four and I are here for Chuunin Exam. The other two is with me as well."

"Hm." The guards say no more and pushed the giant Iron Gate open. "Normally we test people strength before they can enter here. But we've seen you fight, to be more specific the little one here…" One of them pointed at Naruto. "…so we'll let you in. Welcome to Wave Central, lads and lasses."

"One advice shinobis: stay out of trouble." The other guard spoke out.

"We'll keep that in mind."

----------------

"_Some rumors may not be true. While some does. However, there are some, that weren't exactly like what people say… it could be better… or it could be even worse. At least, the latter is what I get when I stepped my foot for the first time at Wave Central._

_Even by the look on the outside, I can already tell this place is truly dangerous. When I saw the city, it seem it was separated into three parts: The relatively small center of the city was filled with sky scraping office buildings, chimneys from factories that surrounded the city puffed black smoke that blackens the sky filled the second layer of the city. The outer layer filled with average residences. This part was the worst: houses were burned, exploded, and decimated as we look upon them. You could even see and hear people shouting, fighting, and killing each other out in the open without the slightest mercy._

_It gets even worse when we entered that part of the city. Prices went skyrocketed, the city was chaotic, unlawful, and an earthly pandemonium. Jungle rule applies: the strong survives. Men become no different with Beast here. Crimes such as murder or robbery were performed out in the open. The wind carried a stench of corpses everywhere. Prostitutes shamelessly linger in the streets and some were even raped in public. Corpses were left lingering in the muddy soil of the ground. Wave Central has become a sin city. A dark and wild city with no rule… I was right to stick with this group. _

_No journalist can survive in this place, alone._

_Uzumaki Naruto seemed shocked. Terribly shocked. Clearly this Wave was entirely different with what he used to remember." _

----------------

Naruto's eyes were wide all the time. This the once quiet and peaceful village he used to know?

The blond frowned. 'Inari, Tsunami-san, Tazuna-jii-san… I hope you three okay…"

The group walked for some time when Kira concluded. "We need to find a place to stay for… a week or so."

"We're not going straight to Mist?"

"No. The Chuunin exam won't be started until 3 weeks from now. We'll use our time here to re-supply, and prepare ourselves, mentally and physically."

"Okay. So… where we supposed to stay?"

"Well…" The group looked around. There seem to be no hotel without at least a fight in each floor. Heck, they could even saw a riderless HORSE JUMPED OUT of the window!

"We'll pick the least chaotic one… err…" Kira scratched his head nervously.

"…I got an idea, why don't we go to the major's office… maybe they'll have some information… whatsoever…" Neji suggested.

"Good idea… but where should we go?" Naruto asked.

Just then…

"QUICK! Spika's Girls gang is raiding the Town Hall!" a group of people ran excitedly to the center of the town.

"We should go THAT way." Everyone concluded.

----------------

"_Quickly enough, we passed the industrial layer and headed straight to the center of the city. The deeper we go, the worse the condition that we saw. The crimes get even more and more severe with each passing moment, with none that escaped our attention. I saw Naruto grew more and more depressed as well. Poor boy. It must be hard for him to see the village he once saved become like this…_

_We finally arrived at the center part of the tow. As I've mentioned before, it was filled with tall office buildings. However, one building stood out from the rest. It's not as tall as the others, but the place is so wide, it was quite distinguishable… plus, it seems it's the only place that somewhat… a lot cleaner, compared to the other part of the city. In fact, it is the ONLY decent place in the city. Surprisingly, it's the place we seek… the Wave Central town-hall."_

----------------

On the town hall, a girl… or so it seems, was yelling. "YO! Mayor! Get your wimpy butt! We want to talk with ya, you old fart!"

Behind the girl, there were a few dozen girls as well… they all dressed up in a miniskirts and all the girly accessories. But if one looked at their legs, they'll soon know they were simply man dressed up like a girl. They were wearing some fancy wigs and alike to match up their dress. Worse, many carry blades, clubs, and alike. Clearly they intended to make some terrible ruckus.

Naruto and the group fought their way through the crowd of people. The fox host looked at the commotion.

"We want to make demands! Aren't mayors supposed to hear and deliver what the people want?" The she-male, supposedly the leader, yelled out louder.

"Damn it, damn it! I'm super late! What's with the super commotion?"

Naruto blinked. "Super?"

A few moments after, an old man with a pair of circular glasses walked out of the building. He wear some raggy hakama, but still tidy and decent, compared with the citizen. Obviously he's the mayor in question. "You Spika? What do you want?"

"Finally you came. Listen super old fart. We're here to take over this place."

"On what grounds?"

"What grounds? You live in such a good place while the rest of the city crumbles! We want justice!"

"Justice? Hmph!" Tazuna snorted. "This place is decent because I've cleaned it and fixed all the super damage you people caused to this super place. You want me to leave, fine, I'll leave. But I will only leave if you can prove to me that once I left, you can do the super things that I do here. Can you?"

"You listen here, old man. We're taking this place one way or another." Spika growled.

"Obviously it means no. If I just give you this place, you'll just crush this house just like you did to the other part of the city! I will not give this place to you." Tazuna glared back.

The Okama pulled out a blade and was about to swing it to Tazuna's head when a Shuriken sank deep on his hand, earning a fresh painful howl from the she-male. "AAAAAAH! WHO DARE-" he was cut off soon when Naruto's foot get acquainted with his lips.

The blond glared at the Okama. Tazuna eyes went wide. He rubbed his eyes several times to make sure he wasn't just dreaming. "N… Naruto? Is that you? The super loud blond brat?"

"Still love to speak super a lot didn't you, Tazuna-jii-san?"

A tear fell on Tazuna's weary eye. "Naruto! You're back!" He yelled happily.

The whole crowd seemed stunned in that short one second. They eyed disbelievingly at boy. Whispers began to arise as some people's head rose up to get a better look.

The Okama gang seemed surprised as well. But their leader recovered first hand. "This brat… is the legendary hero of Wave? I get it. It seems the mayor has gone mad after all."

Naruto glared fiercely and cracked his neck, ready to fight.

"Go! Show him the strength of Spika's Girls!"

"OOOSH!" The 30 Okama squad charged forward.

Naruto cast his favorite seal. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" 20 Naruto appeared. "YEAAAAAH!"

The first victim fell as one Okama was kicked to the side right on his face by a clone. Another fell as 2 Naruto grabbed the she-male's leg while 3 more kick him straight in the chest, causing the plastic breast blasted off.

28 Okama remaining.

"AAAAAH! It took me 300 bucks to get those breast implants!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever!" One Naruto slammed a half charged Rasengan that sent the Okama flying, flattening the surgical breast along the way.

27 Okama remaining

"My tooth! He took my friggin' tooth!"

"What? This tooth is a friggin' implant!" 2 Naruto immediately dispose the moaning Okama.

"NOOO! HELP ME! HE WANTED TO STRIP ME OUT!"

"YOU'RE A MAN, FOR BLOODY GOD'S SAKE!"

25 Okama remaining.

Two Okama managed to broke through the 20 Naruto encirclement and head straight to Tazuna.

"Tazuna-jii-san!"

"Without that brat you're nothing!"

Just then, one Okama was punched to the side and the other was nailed to the wall with 12 senbon stuck on his clothes.

Neji and Yukiku appeared.

23 Okama remaining.

"You just can't stay put can you Naruto?" Neji quickly punched two more people with both of his fist.

"What a wild city…" Yukiku threw another pack of Senbon that knocked some of the She-male's wigs off. The three okama was confused without their wigs before being finished by Naruto and Neji. "And weird too."

18 Okama Remaining.

Just then, one Okama held a grenade and threw it at Naruto, who kicked it back to the thrower. The explosion caught several Okama all together.

10 OKama Remaining.

The explosion damaged the stairs badly.

"AAAAAAAAAAARRGH! IT TOOK ME 5 FRIGGIN SUPER BUSY WEEKS TO FIX THE DAMN STAIRS! AND YOU GANGSTER BROKE IT AGAIN! WATCH IT GANGSTERS! THE SUPER MAYOR TAZUNA ATTACK!" Wielding his hammer, Tazuna mercilessly knocked some Okama off their senses.

7 Okama Remaining.

"AAAAAHHH! DIDN'T YOUR MOTHER TEACH YOU NOT TO PUNCH A GIRL?"

"One, you're not a girl!" 2 Naruto swung another to form an ultra strong uppercut.

"And two: if I can't punch, then I'll KICK!" 4 Naruto kicked one Okama to the air.

5 Okama remaining.

"Auch… that was hurt…"

"Oh, You're awake?" Neji looked at the Okama, who gulped and smiled nervously.

"Hey there sweetie…"

6… no, 5 Okama remaining as Neji beat the living day out of the said Okama mercilessly.

"RASENGAN!" Naruto shove another half charged Rasengan that threw one Okama to another, knocking them off air.

3 Okama Remaining.

One Okama managed to get up again.

4 Okama…

Just then, the Okama was forced to sleep again as he unluckily enough stood on Naruto's latest Rasengan burst.

So, back to 3 Okama remaining…

Tazuna slammed his hammer on one Okama's head, nearly breaking his skull.

2 Okama and now… about 1 and a half…

"WAIT, GET BACK HERE, I'M NOT DONE WITH YOU!"

One Okama was running for his dear life as he was chased down by 5 Naruto.

And finally… 1 Okama left…

Spika looked around in fear. All 20 Naruto surrounded him.

"Okay, she-male. It's game over. Get lost."

The okama gritted his teeth angrily and ran off.

Naruto eyed the gasping crowd. Spika's Girls gang was one of the renowned gang. This boy single handedly, well not so single handedly because there were 20 of him, drove the gang back!

"What are you looking at? Show's over! Get lost! Scram!" The blond glared. The crowd dismissed immediately leaving the three senior Nin who looked at the juniors with indefinite expressions.

"Naruto!" Tazuna ran to Naruto.

"Tazuna-jii-san! I'm glad you're-"

"BAKA! LOOK AT THIS! THIS WHOLE PLACE IS NOW IN RUIN! HOW MANY MONTHS DID IT TAKE FOR ME TO FIX THE WHOLE GOD DAMN THING!" Tazuna knocked Naruto's head.

"ITAI! WHY YOU… UNGRATEFULL OLD FART! I'VE SAVED YOU AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY ME?"

"BAKA! WHERE HAVE YOU… Where have you…" Tazuna was shaking.

"BESIDES! You're the mayor in here! What is the meaning of this? I expect Wave to be prospered, but this? What have you…"

"Naruto!" Kira grabbed the blonde's shoulder to stop him. Naruto demanded explanation. "Naruto, look. Can't you see? He's crying."

"W…What?" Naruto turned to Tazuna. Then he noticed. The old man looked unhealthily thinner then the last time he looked at him. He seemed so old… The muscle that once bundle his arm were almost gone and the energy that once been seen coursing through him was no more. Worse, there were countless cuts and other bandaged wounds that covered his skin. His head too was bandaged with red blood marks showing out, a sign some wound shad been opened. Above all… he was crying. "T… Tazuna-jii-san…"

"…I… I'm so sorry… Naruto… I really wish I could show you the prospering city of Wave… instead you've come into this living Hell… I'm so… sorry…"

"Now, now don't cry! A super bridge builder like you shouldn't cry! Get up! ON YOUR FEET!" Naruto raised the bridge builder.

Tazuna slowly got up and finally gained composure. "I'm sorry… the stress of working as a mayor in this now insane city is just… unbearable… I really need someone to let out…"

"We all do that."

"Hmm. Anyway, who are these people you're traveling with? They're different with your last company."

"Ah, yeah. Tazuna-san. This is Yamato Kira sensei, this one is the journalist Renald Guston, this one Hyuuga Neji my teammate, and this is Yukiku she's also my team."

'Wait the minute… weren't he the boy who was with…' "Hmm… what were you guys doing here?"

"We're here for Chuunin exam." Naruto answered.

"The one that will be on the Mist right? Obviously you'll need a place to stay. Have you found one?"

"Err… actually not yet…"

"I presume as much… come in. You can stay in this place. We got plenty of rooms. My officers and house-maids ran off because they were afraid… I wouldn't force you but…"

"No problem. If we stay here, we can make sure those bastards didn't return." Naruto growled.

"I couldn't agree more. I doubt we've seen the last of them." Yukiku nodded.

"Well, how bout it, Kira sensei?" Naruto asked.

"Everywhere is fine with me."

The group finally went in the building.

----------------

"_Of all places… we were received in the town hall instead… heh, I guess it's all thank Naruto's lucky star for such luck… anyway, we rested our aching legs in our quarter… and that night, Naruto finally dared himself to approach the former-bridge-builder-now-mayor for questioning…"_

----------------

"So… Tazuna-jii-san…care to tell me how come Wave become like this?"

"…it all started a few weeks after we first reopened the trade… you should've been there Naruto. For once, Wave become exactly what I've depicted in my dreams… a super great country… one that will not be looked down anymore… they chose me to become a mayor. At first I refused. I only wanted to do what I think I do best to the village…city… But they insist, so I just follow and become a mayor. Everything went well… trade gone up, life, has never been better." Tazuna paused and took a deep breath, as if telling this story was something demanded great strength for him.

"…in short 2 months, our city developed from a super humble village, into a large super busy city. I too become super busy… I barely able to manage my own family… " Tazuna looked at his daughter, Tsunami, whom Naruto noticed, was grim looking.

"However, the city had gone out such tremendous change… criminals also began to spawn without my able-ness to notice immediately. By the time I realized it, it's too late. Wave had become houses of not only Missing Nins… but crime lords from various places. They too, like the most businessmen see the super potential of this super city. Death Merchants even worse then Gatou emerged… I tried to fix things up, but it's too late… With little power I have left, I sent my trusted men to build the other city, Wave Blocks. The function of the seven city changed, Naruto. It was no longer for holding up populations, it work more as… an isolator. To prevent more people from coming to the already chaotic Wave Central. I wish that I could fix this city but… now… as you can see for yourself. They didn't even listen to what I'm saying; they had no respect for me anymore." The old man sighed.

"…you see… when I get here, some punk that look like a gangster was trying to pick on us. I don't think the isolation strategy worked well."

The former bridge builder gave out a bitter laugh. "So I noticed. Slowly but sure, they seem managed to give out their influence out of the town. Considering their power it's not very surprising."

"They?" Naruto perked up.

"Actually… Well you see I'm a mayor in name only. But the ruler of this city is not me. There are three most powerful gangs, led by three people. A triad. They are: Sea Slayer gang led by Shu the Stingray, Metalmaster gang led by Kazu the Iron Face, and Royal Skull gang led by Zhuya the Executioner."

"Zhuya the Executioner…"

"Yes. At first, the three battle each other for dominance in this city. But lately, they seem managed to gain their own turf in this city. With little resistance from minor gangs."

"What about that stupid okama group?"

"They were also minor gangs. However, they were Zhuya the Executioner's underling, that's why they were feared. Amongst the three gangsters, Zhuya is the most aggressive one. He owns a casino ship on the port and made millions from gambling and blackmailing. He used that money to fund all his illegal doings and to have an army of lawyers to ensure his slate is clean."

"Hmm… Hey, I've just noticed… where's… Inari? Didn't he stay with you?"

At this Tsunami who was silent all the time began to weep. Naruto and Tazuna looked at her. She left immediately with tears in her eyes. Tazuna bent his head down.

"…Tazuna-jii-san? What happened?"

"…when the first time I realized that I had little power over this city, I took a slower, much more peaceful approach. I attempted to negotiate things out with Shu and Kazu, since the two seem to be most respected one. I took a slow approach, but Inari dislike my slow pace… time and again he told me that I'm wasting time. After an incident he decided to run off from home, trying to think of things himself… that was… 4 months ago… we haven't heard of him since."

"What incident?"

"…"

"Tazuna-jii-san?"

"…when he and Tsunami went to shopping, they were kidnapped by some of Zhuya the Executioner's underling… Tsunami was… raped… right in front of Inari. The boy tried to fight… but he was beaten instead. When I went to the court to sue Zhuya, his lawyer save his ass, and put the blame on Tsunami. Ever since, Tsunami was disowned by the society. Inari blamed me, and the rest is history."

Naruto was silent. However, deep inside, he was fuming. His fist clenched and his nail sank so deep, it bleeds. Reacting with his anger, Kyuubi's chakra began to boil deep inside.

----------------

That same night…

A huge steam ship was bailed on the edge of the harbor. The ship was five storeys high with colorful fancy windows decorating the ship. A short wide bridge outstretched from the ship, connecting it with the port, where many people can gain entry. Music continued to play non-stop. A large flashy board name with neon bulbs decorated the entrance saying:

Royal Skull Floating Casino, Make a Haul While You Sail

Abruptly a figure entered the casino. The two elegant looking guards opened the door for the person.

A receptionist welcomed the person. "Welcome Mr-ack!"

"It's miss… MISS Spika! You got a death-wish to call me Mr.?"

"Obviously not." Suddenly, a man with fancy blue hair and a orange visor glasses on his face walked in. He wore a leather coat and long blue jeans, covering a black body suit. "If Zhuya found out his receptionist dead you had to pay the bills."

"Back off Sakito."

"Hey I mean it. This receptionist is his favorite. He won't be pleased. Besides, you didn't come here to pick a fight are you?"

"…where's my dear Zhuya?" Spika finally let go the poor receptionist. His made up voice sounded more like a failed attempt to sound like a lady, which made Sakito sick.

"Sigh… he's in his office."

"OH my dear Zhuya… your baby's coming!" Spika ran off.

"…he's sick… definitely sick." The glassed man shook his head in disgust.

The Okama ran off the stairs, earning him a look from the gamblers around. Not so long after, he reached the fifth floor. There, a single room can be seen. It was wide and open. The floor was made of one way see through window, so that people above can see what's under them, without the people below noticing.

There, on the end of the room, a man sat on a sofa, accompanied by 2 girls with revealing dresses. Spika twitched. The man wore a white coat over his shoulder. Underneath he donned a T-Shirt that revealed his well toned chest. A crest that looked like a skull with eyes of diamonds was plastered on the back of his coat. He too wore a ring with the same emblem on his forefinger. He had dark brown hair with stripes of black and his face appeared to be in his thirties.

The Okama stomped his way to the man before plucked the two girls away from the gang leader. Instantly she cracked their neck, killing them instantly.

"Damn… those two were my favorite whore… what's with the long face Spica?" The man seemed so calm, ignorant that two girls were killed just like that in front of him.

"They maybe your favorite, but I'm your favorite amongst your favorite… aren't I, Zhuya dear?"

"Sigh… Why are you here? I thought you're moving to mayor's house?"

"That's the problem honey… there's this scum that troubled me greatly… I need your help."

"Hmph… a new kid huh? How many?"

"Three. One was a blond brat with loud attitude, then a guy with long hair and a girl with needles."

"Three brats? You were beaten by three brats?"

"The blond can multiply himself into 20 people and he claimed to be Uzumaki Naruto."

"Uzumaki Naruto… that's the umpteenth time I heard that name spoken out loud… I wonder what kind of bastard he is… 30 okama, you included, beaten down by three brats… hmm… they'll make a fine addition to my gang…"

"No! I want them dead!"

"And waste such good man? The thing I hate the most is a waste of good human resources. That's how I built this business. I gathered the best, of the best to join the club, and left the losers with the washed out."

"NO WAY! I'M your right hand and I strictly disapprove! That brat had humiliated me. I want him dead! Let me borrow a few men and-!"

The Okama couldn't finish his sentence as Zhuya slammed a bottle of liquor on his head, bathing him in alcohol. Before Spika could react, the gang leader gutted him with the broken bottle.

"RIGHT HAND? A trash like you? Such thing will only happen when I'm as insane as you are. I said I hate a waste of human resource. But if one had become a washed out, the only thing I can do… is fire him. And Spika, beaten by three brats… was quite a proof that you're a washed out." An insane glint appeared on Zhuya's green eyes.

"Z… Zhuya…" The Okama choked out some blood.

The gang leader raised the person with the liquor still stuck on his stomach. He dropped him right in front of the window. Spika stood up, but barely. Zhuya opened up the crest of his ring, showing a red hot stamp of his crest. "So, Spika… You fired."

The gang leader punched the okama in an incredibly strong punch, pushing him through, shattering the window. The red hot stamp triggered the alcohol, and the she-male was set ablaze while he plummeted down to the harbor stone floor, breaking his skull.

Zhuya sat down on his sofa. Few moments later, Sakito came to his office. "I see you finally killed him."

"You don't approve?" Zhuya smirked insanely.

"Quite the contrary. I was wondering when you're going to get rid of that sicko'. He made a mockery of the gang."

"Hmph." The gang leader snorted. "He said he was beaten down by three brats… one claimed to be Uzumaki Naruto. Sound familiar?"

"More then familiar. Have you read Fire Times?"

"What? The newspaper?"

"Yeah. Here, read it out."

Sakito threw the newspaper to his boss.

"_Konoha's Savior, a Boy_

_Following the failed raid of Fire Country's shinobi village, Konohagakure, by the Otogakure, our reporters are still busy of trying to confirm the truth about Konoha's mysterious savior, who said single handedly repelled a force amassing to tens of thousands. Several attempts of trying to find the so called savior all landed on a boy. Mind you that this news had checked, rechecked and redo things allover again to confirm the truth. It took quite a while, for apparently Konoha kept their mouth shut about the boy, whom we finally know the name was Uzumaki Naruto. We managed to get a short interview with the Godaime Hokage, Tsunade. _

_The Hokage had said that Uzumaki Naruto was indeed the one who had saved the village, single handedly. When we asked how a boy could do such thing, the Hokage simply answered that Uzumaki Naruto possessed a special and a rare breed of Kekkei Genkai, resembling that of Inuzuka, but far, far more powerful than any people could imagine. The Hokage refused to give out more information about the said bloodline limit, saying that's a top confidential matter. She only gave this statement which she marked as a goodwill advice:_

"_It's not only Naruto's bloodline lineage that makes him so terrifying. He's one of Konoha's best, in a way. For those of you who value your lives… don't ever get to his bad-side."_

Zhuya read no more as he began to laugh, hard and insane. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA! Yeah right! Our boy here not only saved a town, he saved a village too! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! Interesting! He's worth more than I thought."

"You're going to make him join us eh? Interesting idea… but what if he refuses?"

"Hmph… He's only brat… killing him will be a child's play."

----------------

Meanwhile, back to the Town Hall, Yukiku was walking around when something caught her eye. A memorial with a large sword hanged on the wall stood out in the middle of the room. 'A memorial? For who?'

"Yukiku?"

The girl immediately turned around. Naruto and Tazuna looked at her with concern.

"Naruto… you surprised me."

"Sorry."

"Don't worry. Whose memorial was that?"

"…it was a memorial for people who taught me the meaning of true power. I was about to give my prayer to them."

"Oh… I see."

"You should pray too, Yukiku… this is… your brother's grave."

Yukiku's eyes widen in disbelief. Tear began to well up at the corner of his eye. She looked at the memorial stone. Slowly she closed in on the memorial. There she saw the writing of her brother's name and another man she doesn't know. "Nii… san…" She dropped on her knees. Naruto held her shoulder.

"I'm sorry."

Yukiku cried her eyes out. She touched the memorial stone, letting her tears to bathe her brother's name.

Naruto knelt down. "I'm so sorry… Go ahead… cry it out."

After several minutes, Yukiku's cry finally ceased to sobs. She eyed the memorial stone again.

Tazuna also mourned. "Your brother was a brave good man, young miss. You should be proud of him."

The Haku twin nodded. "Naruto… who's the other man?"

"…He's Momochi Zabuza. He's… he's the only person; ever consider your brother something. We get on some bad terms before… but in the end, I can see he actually cared and consider your brother human. He's actually a good man… in a manner."

Yukiku nodded. She touched Zabuza's name and muttered. "Thank you… Zabuza-san."

"Yukiku, let's pray for them okay?"

The girl nodded. And the three prayed; unaware of a pair of shark-like eyes who observed them.

Several moments later, they left the room after finishing their prayer. Abruptly, the Nin with a slashed Kiri headband appeared. He looked at the head cleaver sword and then to the memorial. "I've been looking for you, and word has it you were already dead… Guess that was true…"

"…'we're going to ran off together, go our separate ways and then return to create a better village' you said… and now you're dead and broke your own word…absurd." The Nin spoke out grimly. Sighing, he shifted his black and red cloak, took out a big bottle of sake and poured it all out atop the memorial. "…I guess it's all up to me now… rest well in Hell buddy. If I'm lucky, you might have to wait for me for a few more decades." Once the bottle emptied, carrying his bandaged spiky sword, he dematerialized just like the way he came.

----------------

The next day, Naruto was up early, and he began walking amidst the town.

"Naruto! Wait!" Neji, Yukiku, and Renald ran after him.

"Guys?"

"Where were you going in such a hurry?"

"I want to search the city for Inari. He's my friend… I have to ensure his okay."

"Be careful. This place is dangerous, even for a shinobi."

"I'm not your average shinobi. Let them try disturbing me."

"I don't know if that's a good idea Naruto. Best stay calm for now. Hopefully we can get through this day without any problem."

"…" Naruto dropped his head, inwardly agreed with Neji.

"If you're going to look for your friend, I suggest we do this… quietly." The Hyuuga continued.

"Okay." The blond nodded.

And so the group walked around the town.

----------------

Somewhere a bit far-off from the Town Hall…

"It's still 4 O'clock in the morning and still the city was so god-damn noisy." Kisame grunted.

"Well, the city is noisy 24/7. Luckily Tazuna-san installed a sound proof wall on his rooms, otherwise we might won't be able to sleep." Kira smiled.

"I think it doesn't matter whether it was noisy or not. How can you sleep when you feared that you go to bed tonight and wake up in the after life?" Itachi spoke out.

"Exactly." The dragon Shitennou continued his work.

"So… what EXACTLY you're doing to our swords?" Kisame growled.

"I'm giving them a long due check-up."

"What, you've been eying them for 30 minutes straight already, and you call that check up?"

"Patience… this'll take all day! Even more if you keep on whining."

"Ergh…" Kisame could only groan.

"Kisame let's just be patient. With those two in Kira-shishou's hand, no harm will come to them. They're in good hands."

"I'm doing something pretty boring to you guys. Why don't you two take walk, sightseeing, or something? 'The five', I bet, used their people pretty harsh."

"The Brain Thrust. You know them."

"Yes. Which is quite pathetic to see how Akatsuki was reduced to this."

"Off course… you should know the most… after all… you were the founder of the very first Akatsuki… weren't you Shishou?"

"What?" Kisame gaped.

"That wasn't me. That was Cagalli my sister. She founded the first Akatsuki. I'm just a member."

"Nevertheless… you were, one of the founding main members."

"That I was… but it was dismantled a long time ago… and that Akatsuki was far different with YOUR version of Akatsuki."

"Hold on one minute! Then why our leader named our organization Akatsuki? It might be coincidence no?"

"No it's not Kisame. Ajira-sama formed this Akatsuki when he went through some old files. An ancient organization called Akatsuki had existed before." Itachi answered.

"Yes. Anyway, before I bore you two to death, I suggest you took a casual walk into town. Living a life a missing Nin is hard, I know. You might want to… rekindle a life a normal people for once. No need to put a henge. People won't even look at your face and you can easily disappear amongst the crowd. Here, take this. Just in case you had to fight." Kira throw them two a pair of swords. One is a broad sword; the other was a simple Katana.

"I don't know… I don't think I need that." Itachi answered nonchalantly.

"Have you read the newspaper? Tsunade put up a good excuse… good, since it covered the fact that Naruto had a demon king sealed on his stomach. Bad; because now, shinobi from other villages will set their eyes upon him, knowing what power he possess. I thought Kyuubi was your game?"

Bingo. That was all the two Akatsuki Nin needed to dematerialize with a puff.

Kira smirked as he checked the Samehada carefully, thorn per thorn.

----------------

They've walked for hours but looking for a boy in such chaotic city was like looking a needle in an ocean. Not to mention there's a possibility that the boy in question may not even be in Wave Central. Finally, when the clock strikes 12, the group sat down, thinking their next move.

"So… what should we do now? We've searched dozens of corridors; we've searched all the way to trash bin… no sign of the boy you're looking for Naruto." Neji sighed. It is in times like this he sometimes wished he could use his Byakuugan.

"…if only there's a clue… something… anything!" Naruto growled.

Yukiku sat down. Just then, her stomach growled. Blushing, she gulped nervously as the other three looked at her. "It's nothing! Really."

Just then, her companions' stomach also growled loud.

"We didn't get any breakfast to begin with…" Naruto chuckled.

"Let's go find somewhere to eat." Neji suggested.

"Hear, hear." Renald agreed.

The four looked around for a restaurant or short. In all the likelihood, they finally got one that least… chaotic.

"Diablo's Kitchen… not exactly a good name for a restaurant no?" The Hyuuga commented.

"Hmm, who knows? Maybe Enma waits inside." Naruto joked. They finally went in.

The place was two storeys high with dim lighting. Adults eat and chat loudly. Some were gambling or playing cards. The place was quite a mess with swear words and the sound of stuff breaking can be heard every now and then.

The four found it a bit difficult to find a place to sit. Finally they found some empty seats, right in front of the bartender. The middle aged man looked at them questioningly. "…well, what it'll be kids? Rum, whisky… sake?"

"…you sell alcohol… to kids?" Neji gaped.

"As long as they can pay. Kids these days. They can drink anything."

Neji gulped. "Then… can you give us… some tea? Or plain water? We don't drink."

"And give us the menu, ossan." Naruto smiled.

The bartender nodded and gave them the menu.

Naruto read it excitedly. Soon, his smile faded. "…Soufflé, Steak, Rib Eye, Mashed Potato, Pizza, Spaghetti, Bolognaise, Ravioli… hey, no ramen?"

"No. Don't like it, don't eat it."

"…Guys, look at the prices… it's all crazy." Naruto whispered.

"At this rate we won't have enough money to even last a day… let's see what we can afford." Yukiku whispered back.

"I only see one food… sandwich." Neji muttered.

"Sandwich… sigh… 4 sandwiches please." Naruto ordered as politely as he could.

"Please? Now I haven't heard that word for ages." The bartender seemed surprised.

"Is it weird to be polite?" Yukiku asked.

"No. But kids these days barely even mention that word. Anyway, four sandwiches right? And if I heard correctly tea, correct? Okay. Wait up a minute."

The four sighed and went silent. Renald tried to break the silence. "Oi, Naruto, how was Wave, before it become like this?"

"It was very quiet. Mostly because of that ass Gatou messed up the whole thing. But even that, was much better then this one…"

"…"

Just then, the restaurant doors opened. A group of mean looking people walked in. Naruto, with his aura seeing senses, know immediately who they are. 'Gangsters. Then again, this place was filled with them.'

It was Zhuya. He looked at the blond. Sakito whispered. "That's him. Benzai and Zenbai described him so."

"Hmmm." The gang leader smirked.

He walked in and sat on an empty seat right next to Naruto. Everyone, except Naruto, looked at him. "Oi, Bartender!"

The middle aged man ran immediately. "Y… yes, Zhuya-sama?"

Naruto blinked. 'Zhuya?' Against his will, he pretended to stay quiet.

"Bring me your most expensive food… and give this poor boy anything he ordered."

"Ah… yes… at once."

Naruto looked at the man. "…what's with the uncharacteristic generosity?"

"Oh, I just want to treat the savior of Wave. Isn't that what you are, Uzumaki Naruto?"

Every eye in the restaurant shifted to Naruto in disbelief.

"Flattery will get you nowhere. I didn't safe this city to be overrun by bandits."

"Hey!" One of Zhuya's underlings stepped forward before Sakito stopped him.

"Ha, ha, ha… So… you think we're bandits?"

"I didn't say so. But you responded. Does this mean you practically testify that you're a bandit?"

People in the restaurant inwardly asked themselves whether this kid actually have a deathwish.

"Ha! I like you."

"Yeah well I don't. So fuck off."

Just then, the Bartender returned and brought out the food. He gave an elegant plate with fanciful meal and a bottle of wine atop it to Zhuya, while a humble plate with a single sandwich and a cup of tea to Naruto. He did so with trembling hands.

"Itadakimasu." Naruto grabbed his sandwich. But before he could took a bite, a bottle of wine smashed to the back of his head, courtesy to Zhuya. His face hit the plate with a loud thud.

"Naruto!" Neji rose up. He and Yukiku immediately helped the fox host while glaring at the gang leader.

"HAH! HAHAHA! So much for a savior eh?"

Naruto stayed quiet.

"A brat like you talk like that to me… you got guts."

Neji growled. "What the Hell you think you're-" he stopped abruptly when Naruto's hand rose. The blond let go and stood up on his own.

"…" Naruto touched his face, then the back of his head. "Look at all this food. There goes my meal." He smirked.

"Hooo… you're hungry?" Zhuya grabbed his food, and smashed it to Naruto's face, sending him falling.

That was it, Neji was about to charge forward when Naruto yelled. "NEJI!"

The Hyuuga looked at Naruto questioningly. "Neji, whatever you do, don't be the first to draw the sword."

"Naruto?"

"…I always wondered what kind of asshole he is… but I guess… they're just a bunch of idiots."

"Hoo?" A vein popped on Zhuya's face.

----------------

Kisame and Itachi, in henge, walked around the city, looking for their game.

However, instead of catching their prey, they sense something else.

"How many?" Itachi sighed.

"7-8 tops." Kisame chuckled.

"We were this close to your village. It's not surprising their hunter Nins are here."

"Heh… guess so. Should we fight now?"

"No. Too much people around. No doubt they came here because of my fight with Naruto-kun. I will not repeat that same mistake again."

"Then let's bring them somewhere that is quiet."

The two Nin hurried their pace. The Hunter Nin also followed.

Few moments later, they finally arrived at a quiet corridor. It was a dead end, but the two Akatsuki Nin seem took no notice. They unraveled their henge as their pursuer revealed theirs.

"Hoshigaki Kisame."

"Uchiha Itachi."

"The two of you are wanted, dead or alive." The 8 hunter Nin surrounded them all.

"Yeah, yeah whatever." Kisame chuckled. He cracked his knuckles.

Itachi readied his weapon just as the Shark Nin readied his.

"By the way, Hunter nins… it'll be troublesome if you come in one on one. So come here, all of you." The shark Nin grinned sadistically.

The Hunter Nin's growls were muffled by their mask. With a snap, dozens of senbons and fin shaped kunai rained the two Akatsuki.

Just when the projectiles nearly hit…

"They're easily provoked. I thought Mist Nins were supposed to excel in silent attack. Weren't that required patience?"

"Obviously they're rookies." With a single roundhouse swing, all the attacks were cut to pieces. "Well then. Shall we?"

----------------

In 'Diablo's Kitchen'…

Yukiku and Renald stared in horror as Naruto and Neji was beaten around without any of them attack back. Zhuya's gang laughed as one of them slammed a chair to Naruto's back. Neji just stood up when another shattered a plate on his head. However, despite their injuries, none of them groaned or even scream in pain. They kept standing up, again and again. This caught attention of two figures.

"Tch. Enough. They still won't scream or anything. This is getting boring."

"Then what must be done with these punks?" Sakito grinned.

"…bring the kerosene." Zhuya smirked.

"Yeah!" The gang crew cheered. One of them immediately carried in a barrel.

Yukiku was horrified. Even an idiot would know what's going to happen. "Neji, Naruto! For god's sake, get up! They're going to burn you!"

The two, surprisingly, even Naruto, looked as calm as ever, much to Yukiku's distress. Sakito laughed. "Aw… look at this. They got good stuff among their groupie too! Why don't you come with me miss? How much you want?"

Yukiku gave one furious look at the blue haired man. "Sorry. A bastard like you won't be able to afford my price."

Sakito grinned. "Hey boss. Once you've baked the other two brats, can you leave the girl to me?"

"Sure. Just make sure you gave her a pleasant company."

The next second, the Kerosene was splashed to the Shinobi. They still won't budge.

"Tough guy eh?" Zhuya grinned. He opened his ring again. He showed the red hot stamp to Naruto. "Feel like wanting to beg for your life?"

Naruto simply sneered, but said nothing.

"That's it." The enraged Zhuya prepared to punch the Nin again. All the sudden, a large red broad sword came crashing right between them.

The Casino Owner backed away before his arm was cut. He looked up, where the owner of the said sword stood up.

"Zhuya, knock it off."

"Shu? Why did you disturb me?"

The man in question had a dark brown hair with a long ponytail on its end. He wore a not so tight black body suit with brown jeans, a blue scarf and a goggle resting on his forehead. He seemed to be in his twenties. He also donned a pair of gloves and crossed both arms on his chest. "I said…" He took a step forward. "Knock. It. Off."

Naruto looked at him.

"Who are you to order me?"

Shu the Stingray glared at Zhuya. "Diablo's Kitchen, if you recall, is still in my turf. And you dare to make such a mess right underneath my nose?"

"He started it."

"Don't be childish, Zhuya." A more gruff voice answered. A relatively large man wear a faceless black iron mask walked in. He donned a dirty brown long trench coat with chains hanging in front of his chest that dons a black suit. His long navy purple hair was braided and let loose on his back. Large grey shoulder pads enclosed his shoulders and both of his large hands were put in white gloves. Smoke mysteriously kept puffing out from his back. He wore a pair of black gothic trousers. "Even a brat knows what kind of bastard you are."

"Don't start with me Kazu! And what are you doing in Shu's turf anyway?"

Kazu the Iron Face snorted behind his mask.

Shu answered. "Don't pretend you care now. I invited him here to have a little friendly chat. Everything was fun until you came."

"You got a death wish fish boy?"

Just then, the sound of guns clicking and swords unsheathed filled the air. Naruto and Neji gasped. Every person in the restaurant suddenly pulled their weapons out, be it guns or conventional daggers. Even the bartender pulled out a rifle. The majority of the restaurant aimed their weapons at Zhuya's gang. The so called The Executioner gritted his teeth. He was at disadvantage since his men was outnumbered ten to one.

"Zhuya, I'm gonna say this only once: get out of here, and back to those whores of yours. You're not welcome here. If I see you or your men here again, your neck and my sword will have an appointment."

Zhuya growled before ordered his men to drop their weapons. He took one last look at Naruto. "This isn't over yet, _hero_."

Naruto answered with a glare.

The gang left the restaurant.

Everyone pulled back their weapons. Shu sighed. He looked at Naruto. "…Why didn't you fight back? Your friend was about to fight back but…"

"Because… They're just a bunch of assholes that doesn't worth a punch." Naruto lied. Neji caught his point. Zhuya was Spika's boss. Obviously he knew where they stayed. If either of him or Naruto had resisted back there, the gang might took revenge on Tazuna and things will get even more dangerous for the old man.

Kazu snorted again. Shu also grinned. "Oi, Jeff! Their meal will be my treat. Give them everything they want, I'll pay." The bartender, Jeff, nodded.

Naruto looked at the man. "I didn't get you anything. And I doubt you care of who I am."

"I'm not. I just like you. That is all. Well I don't need you to like me either. Consider it… an apology."

"Apology?"

"Yeah. Diablo's kitchen is my turf. I shouldn't have let something like that happened. I stayed quiet because I thought it'll end soon but… tch. So, sorry."

"You're apologizing eh? Don't worry. I could use to like someone like you." Naruto grinned.

Shu smiled. Then he spoke out to everyone. "Sorry for the inconvenience guys. Jeff, Beer for everyone! Except the kids." He quickly added.

"YEAH!" Everyone cheered.

Naruto stumbled as he went back to his seat. Yukiku looked worriedly at her two injured teammates. Jeff immediately gave them a cup of tea. "Here. This is herbal tea. All those pain will go away in a flash."

The two took a sip. And Jeff was right. The warmth of the tea washed the pain away. Renald who were speechless all the time, also took a sip hurriedly. Few moments later, he was much calmer. "Men… if my book is done, people will hardly believe that the event was real and it had happened."

Naruto and Neji laughed. Yukiku was still pouting, but she was much more relaxed, nonetheless.

The once tense atmosphere was suddenly replaced by a cheerful one. Jeff the Bartender smiled at Naruto. "You're amazing kid. I give you that. Nobody ever dared to speak like that to Zhuya and lived to tell the tale. So what do you want?"

"…honestly you really don't have ramen?" Naruto was back to his usual attitude.

"You mean like noodle? I got Spaghetti if you want."

"Spege… whatshits? I'll take that then if you say that's ramen."

"And the other brave people here?" The bartender addressed this to Neji, Yukiku, and Renald.

Neji simply sighed and smiled. He looked at the menu. "I'll take… what's this? Soufflé? And mashed potato please."

"Errhh… Prawn Salad please." Neji and Naruto looked at the blushing girl. "I've been gaining weight."

"Gaining weight?" The four males, the Bartender included, spoke in unison as they looked at the unbelievably slim girl. For a minute, a same thought going through their head. 'Girls are weird…'

----------------

Zhuya couldn't stop growling. "Those bastards…"

"But it's odd. Spika was beaten down by those brats? I bet they don't even know how to swing a fist." Sakito grinned meaningfully to Zhuya.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" The Executioner smirked.

"Maybe…"

Zhuya snorted. "Right. Guys, let's go visit our dear mayor…"

----------------

Few moments after, not so far from there…

"Hmm… these are hunter Nins from your village eh? Interesting people. They're not as boring as my village."

"Nah, don't bet on it. They were only arrogant fools." Kisame rested his blood-bathed sword on his shoulder. "Should we go back?"

"No. Let's look for Naruto-kun first." Only a handle remained from Itachi's sword. Black smoke rose up from the hilt where the blade once lay.

"Kay. By the way… won't your master get angry of that? You've just destroyed his sword."

"He had destroyed countless sword of his own creation in the past." Itachi threw the useless weapon away. "Knowing him, he must've known that I will destroy this sword. That's why…"

Itachi showed Kisame another sword on his belt.

"Oh, a spare katana. Clever."

"Anyway, let's go."

The two walked out, leaving the disarrayed corridor behind them and the singed corpses of the hunter Nins. None of them were in one piece.

----------------

Meanwhile, with Kira…

"Sigh… it's quite hard to find a quiet place around here…" The sword smith carried Samehada on his back and Shibi'en on his right hand. He unsheathed the purple sword and placed it in front of him. "Junki, Zaiki, watch over my back, kay?"

"**Yes."**

"**Gotcha."**

Kira crossed his leg before the purple sword. He bit his own thumb and drew an array of seals around the sword. Upon contact with his blood, the sword emanated an aura of killing intent. "Now or never." 'Kinjutsu, Blood God Chain Seal!' Blood chains emerged from the blood seal array and chained the suddenly burst out purple sword. The red chain tied the katana tightly. The said weapon trembled greatly, trying to break free. However, more and more of the blood chains arise, crisscrossing each other, binding the sword even tighter.

"Junki, now!"

The white Oni turned into the white holy sword. Kira grabbed the sword; slit his palm with it, and splat a batch of blood on the trembling weapon. The blood reformed itself into a red blood padlock with the face of an Oni that entrenched itself to the bundle of the chains near the hilt. Shibi'en went silent soon after.

"**Kira-sama, was there no other way to calm Shibi'en aside from using your own blood?"** Junki, still in her holy sword form, grunted.

"This is the only way. Shibi'en is, after all, created to be Tenrou's equal." Kira looked somewhat paler.

----------------

"Man, I'm full." Naruto grinned from ear to ear.

"Should we continue searching?" Neji looked at Naruto.

"Yeah, let's."

"And what are you searching, Naruto-kun, that you become battered like this?" Itachi's voice suddenly sounded. The four turned their head immediately. Itachi and Kisame stood behind them.

Naruto glared at the Uchiha slayer. "Why do you care?"

"You're my prey. So off course I should care. Best don't do anything reckless that might gonna get yourself killed." Naruto's kick almost landed on Itachi's cheek when the Uchiha blocked it with his fist.

"You only want to get Kyuubi! If you want to get him, you had to get past me first!"

"…" Itachi went silent. A thought suddenly came cross his mind. All the sudden, an explosion occurred.

"What the…" Naruto gasped.

"That came from the Town Hall!" Yukiku looked at the direction of the said building. Naruto saw smoke rising from the place.

'Oh no… Tazuna-jii-san!' Ignoring the two Akatsuki, Naruto dashed out to the place, followed by the others.

Few moments later, at the Town Hall…

Half of the building was in ruin. Smoke rising from the rubbles.

Naruto gasped when he saw all the destruction. "What… what had happened here?" He frantically ran to the midst of destruction, looking for survivors. "TAZUNA-JII-SAN! TSUNAMI-SAN! WHERE ARE YOU?"

He was downright worried. He raise peddle after peddle. Just then, he heard a groan. He turned around and saw Tsunami struggling to get up from the ruins. "Tsunami-san! What happened?"

"Naruto… Kun… Thank goodness. They say they've taken care of you…"

"What? Who? Who did this? Where's Tazuna-jii-san?"

"Tou-san… went back inside… memorial… sword…"

"What happened? Naruto?"

"Neji, take care of Tsunami-san." Naruto made his favorite seal. 'Tajuu Kage Bunshin no jutsu!' hundreds of Naruto appeared. "FIND TAZUNA-JII-SAN!"

"OOSH!" All the Naruto began searching the area. Yukiku, Neji, and Renald helped as well. Some raise a big fragment of buildings and all.

After several minutes, a yell from a clone alerted everyone.

Naruto and the others ran off to the spot. When he arrived, the sight sent Naruto to drop. Tazuna lying wounded with his back on the broken memorial and a pool of blood beneath him. Blood flowing down from his chest profusely. Zabuza's shattered sword lying limbless on his hand.

"TAZUNA-JII-SAN!" Naruto ran at him.

"N… Naruto… kun…"

"Tazuna-jii-san! Oi, old fart! Are you okay?"

"Sorry… N… Naruto… I thought I'm still strong… I tried to use this sword to fend them off… but I could barely swing it…"

"What happened? Who did this?" Yukiku was also worried at the old man's situation.

"Uurgh… don't worry… those assholes can't kill me… I can't believe I've become so old…" Tazuna forcibly managed a smile. Neji observed the man and spotted a mark on the back of his neck.

"Naruto."

"?" Naruto looked at the spot where Neji had pointed.

A stamp of the Royal Skull gang crest plastered on the back of Tazuna's neck.

Unbelievable rage surged through Naruto's body. Yukiku tried the best she could to stop Tazuna's bleeding.

"I'm sorry… young miss… I… I can't guard… your brother's… grave… I… am… so… sorry…" The former bridge builder spoke out weakly.

"Jii-san… Don't worry… you'll be alright. You'll be okay! You can fix this again! You're a super major!"

"He… he… I guess… I'm not so… super… at all…" He lost consciousness soon after.

"Jii-san…? JII-SAN? TAZUNA-JII-SAN!" He shook Tazuna several times. No reaction. Naruto snapped. He was trembling.

"Naruto! He just fainted. But we have to bring him to hospital… Naruto?"

The blond didn't give any reaction to Neji's words.

"Naruto? Are you alright?"

Yukiku now turned to Naruto. "Naruto…?"

Just then, red Youki began to flow out once again.

Deep inside Naruto…

Kyuusei groaned as he felt his power suddenly sipping out of the cage without control. "GRRFRH! What… what is going on…? I didn't plan to give the brat this much Youki… what the… hell…" He looked to the front. He saw Naruto stood… or was it?

His body was all pitch black like a shadow. His eyes glared at him.

"Kit… what… do you want…? No… wait… you're not him… you!"

Naruto's form shift shaped into Gintsume the silver fox. "L… Lord… Kyuusei…"

"Gintsume? What…"

"Ten… Tenrou…. GYARAGHHHG!" With a flash, the silver fox turned to Tenrou. Red blood writings appeared on the blade as black aura continuously flowed out. The shade of black began entering the cage, enveloping the red haired demon lord.

"Tenrou… You… what do you think you're… Argh… ARGHH…" The aura nearly enclosed Kyuusei's figure. "No… I AM NOT YOUR… GRH… GRRRHH!"

"GRUUUUUUUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHH!" Naruto roared. But that was not a roar of a human. It was a roar of a beast. A typhoon of red Youki emerged from Naruto just as the same happened to Kyuusei within.

The roar sent killing intent to every direction. Even birds fell over and some died out of fear.

In Diablo's Kitchen…

Shu break his glass when the roar sounded. Everyone in the Kitchen stopped dead.

Kazu was shocked as well, but he didn't show it.

In Kira's spot…

Kira gasped. He looked at the town. "…Naruto?"

Neji looked in horror at Naruto.

Yukiku and Renald were still paralyzed by the roar.

Itachi unconsciously cold sweated behind his neck, while Kisame nearly fell.

The red Youki enclosed Naruto's figure, forming a form of a fox. After several moments, the typhoon shrank and formed a 3 tailed fox. The blond stood and flexed his fingers.

Neji managed to recover first. "N… Naruto? Are you alright?"

The blond didn't respond. Instead, he began to undo the weight clothes Kira gave him. Smoke began to arise when the heavy weight fell down. Naruto moved his fist several times, trying to get a feel.

"Naruto?" Neji look confused.

"…**oi, Hyuuga. Was that old man still alive?"**

"Hyuuga? Naruto why did you call me…"

"**I'm asking you… Was he still alive?"**

There's a tone in his words that Neji knew, if he ask again, the reply won't be nice. "Yes. He's still alive. But we need to bring him to hospital-"

"**Then what are you doing here, looking at me like an idiot? Move your Hyuuga ass and bring him to the hospital!"**

Yukiku was equally surprised. Why did Naruto talk like this? "Naruto… are you really alright?"

"**He's alright, woman. But he won't be if you keep spending your time asking me questions while we got his dying friend here…"**

Neji was confused. Why did he talk in third person? Just then, Itachi touched his shoulder. "Hyuuga. Better do what Kyuubi said, for now."

It was as if someone just splashed cold hard water at his face. "K… KYUUBI?"

Itachi looked at Kyuubi. Naruto turned around, showing his red slit demon eyes. Kyuubi's eyes. **"Uchiha… Hmph. If your teacher asks you tell him that the Kit's in here, angry as hell."** Kyuubi pointed on his chest. **"Right now, I'm in control of 80 percent of his brain. And I won't be able to change back to his self before his fury quenched. Why don't you come with me… and I'll show you the difference in our level."**

Itachi stayed quiet.

The Kyuubified Naruto walked away calmly. Each of his footsteps melted the rocks and burned the ground. Neji, Yukiku, and Renald were mesmerized. That was the demon that had destroyed Konoha, 13 years back and now… it's free… or so it seems.

"He's not free yet." Itachi spoke, breaking everyone from trance.

"What?" Yukiku looked at their sensei.

"Naruto-kun's rage, seemingly, was so great this time… quite a fraction of Kyuubi's chakra was forced out. Though it's small for a demon, for a human, it's worth the strength of more then hundreds of thousands of men… or maybe even millions of men. The thing is… along with the Youki, it seems, a bit of Kyuusei's consciousness was pulled out as well."

Renald looked worriedly. "I'll go see things out."

"Just keep your distance Mr. Guston. Naruto-kun's state knows neither friend nor foe right now. Kisame, let's go!" Itachi hopped out of the rubble.

"Come on Yukiku, we got to bring him to the Hospital!" Neji pull Tazuna's body and put him over his shoulder.

"Hai!"

----------------

By nightfall, in the Hospital…

Renald sighed as he put his book on a small table. What a day! He began to write another journal again.

"_Renald Guston, Journal entry no. 28 month 5_

_If you think back of what exactly happened in Wave… you might gonna think I'm just joking, writing something like this… but I really had to write this, if not I'll go crazy._

_We of the western people know the legend of a demon fox with nine-tail. We only heard them in stories… folklores… today… I get to see the demon fox… with my own eyes…_

_That afternoon, I witness the demon's power first hand… even I nearly fell victim._

----------------

That afternoon…

Kyuubi walked sinisterly in the middle of the streets. Everyone who was already terrified by the roar was scared stiff. None dared to move an inch. The demon's march to the casino ship went undisturbed.

After several moments, he arrived in front of the casino ship. **"Kit, if you're watching this… I hope you watch it well. Because it'll be long before you get a show like this again. THIS is how you use Tenrou."**

Kyuusei made a couple of handseal, and summoned Gintsume.

"Lord Kyuubi… Forgive me."

"**There's nothing to forgive. These humans had just ordered death after all."**

"Yes… my lord." The silver fox turned into Tenrou. Devilish aura rose up from the blade.

"**Okay mad-dog… you'll get your share, but you better shut up this time."**

Kyuusei plucked out Tenrou and marched forward. The two guards immediately stopped him.

"Kids are not allowed here." Off course… since to them, Kyuusei was still in Naruto's body. Big mistake.

"**I don't receive orders from dead man."**

Just then, the two headless guards fell down, their bodies burnt to ash before it even touch the ground.

The receptionist, unaware of the event, simply welcomed Kyuubi when he opened the door.

"Can I take your… oh my god!" He made attempt to take out his weapon, but Tenrou had gone through his brain. The customers obviously didn't know of Kyuubi's initial roar beforehand due to the loud music played in the ship. They didn't even put a slightest care when Kyuusei twirled his sword and sliced the receptionist head to oblivion.

"**Ignorant human fool…" **He looked at the disco lamp right atop the bartender and smirked. Kyuusei swung the Nodachi with eye blinding speed. It was so fast, as if the arm was gone for a second. A red crescent light burst out and the next second, the exquisite disco lamp fell down, turning the bartender below to bloody pulp. Everyone gasped and the music stopped. They looked at Kyuusei, who was smirking sadistically.

"**What? The party is just getting started."**

----------------

"_Yes. I was just arrived when he said that. And he was right. The party was just getting started. A party of blood fest and slaughter._

_Royal Skull Casino, from what I've heard… was a Casino opened for only the rich. Most of the Rich here are mostly drug lords and mafia leaders. So you can be sure that they go there… with their private security detail the best their money can buy… and whole casino was fully loaded with them…_

…_he cut them all literally… like lawnmower through a hapless grass field."_

----------------

"AAAAHHH! HELP! NOOOO! AAAAAAAAAHHH!" A man was cut clean in a half.

"AAAAARHH! AAAAARHHH!" another guy shoot frantically at Kyuubi, only to have the target appeared on his back and shred his upper body to pieces.

"HOLY SHIT!" A man tried to ran away to find his leg cut off. "AAARHH!" The man didn't have another chance to scream as Kyuubi cut his head to two.

"SON OF A… Somebody shoot that-AAAAAAAAARGGH!" The man's head was removed from his body soon after.

"READY! FIRE!" A group of men fired their rifles in unison. Kyuusei smirked as he disappeared; cutting all the bullets midair in the process, before reappearing behind the group of the now headless muskets.

"**Hahaha… HAHAHAHAHHAHA!" **Kyuusei laughed. He had not kill anything but time in the last 13 years. Finally he can gorge himself in a human blood again. He saw a piano across the room. He walked there slowly, burning everyone and everything that tried to stop him… slowly… and painfully…

Once he reached the piano, he pressed one key. A tone played out. **"Hmmm… then again… what is a party… without music?"** Then he began playing a fast paced music with his left hand. His right hand swing Tenrou every now and then. Red beams burst out, cutting scores of hapless people in its wake. Screams of terror erupted every now and then. Kyuusei closed his eyes as if he was hearing a serene voice. **"Aaaaaahhhh… what a wonderful tone… and harmony… Hehehehe…"**

Few more slashes, and the place had already resembled Hell.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHH!" a dozen guards were cut in a half just before they can shoot.

"OOHHH GOOOOD!" a tanned woman didn't have time to run when a red beam had gone through her chest.

"WAAAAAAHHH!" A middle aged man was begging for his life when the red beam cut him right between his eyes.

----------------

"_I watched everything like a silent statue._

_At first, I thought Kyuubi was intent on avenging Naruto's fury… but now… it looks like the demon took his chance to enjoy himself… _

_I'm like looking a two utterly different personality. When I see Naruto fight, there's still some limit of leniency in his actions. Kyuubi simply used Naruto's body I know. But he made it so; it was as if I'm looking at an extremely different person._

_Naruto fight for a reason. But Kyuubi… There is no reason in this slaughter. Nothing at all… the demon kill… because he purely enjoys it… there is no reason… only a pure lust of blood that fuel this… massacre… I was so stunned… I didn't realize one of those beams headed straight at me."_

----------------

Itachi grabbed Renald just before the red beams cut the journalist to separate pieces. He immediately brought him out of the Casino.

"Stay out of that ship. It's a bloodbath now. These people are doomed."

"Y…y… yes."

The bystanders also watched in horror and dared not to move even a step closer. The sound of the piano playing was still going, accompanied with terrified howl and screams.

Inside, truth to be told, the massacre continued.

Everyone who tried to escape was now cut down to pieces. And Kyuusei showed no sign of getting bored.

Just then, Sakito and some of the Casino guards came down.

"What the fuck with the… holy…" Sakito gasped.

"Sakito-sama! HELP US! HE'S A DE-" The horrified guard's head was cut to four pieces, with everything inside went out.

Kyuusei still played the now bloodstained piano now with both hands, seemingly ignoring the newly arrived people. His Tenrou, washed in blood, rested calmly at the piano's side.

Sakito gasped. "YOU!"

Kyuusei was quiet. His play went faster and louder.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

Still ignorance.

"GRRHHH." Sakito pulled out a big shotgun and shoot the piano just when the play reached climax. The strings jumped out as the bullet landed.

"**Aaah… Good timing. I just finished the score anyway."**

"What the fuck are you doing here?"

"**Aha! Found a perfect title. 'The Symphony of the Bloody Hall.' What do you think?"**

BANG! Another shot crushed the keyboard.

Kyuusei smirked. **"Hey, don't shoot the poor piano if you don't like the song. It didn't play on its own."**

A couple more shots and the piano was no more. "I'm asking you, what the FUCK are you doing here?"

Kyuusei sighed. He looked at the piano. **"Sorry buddy. You're a good piano. Your owner didn't like you, that all."**

"GRRRHH. KILL HIM!"

The casino guards readied their guns only to find they aimed at empty air.

Kyuusei appeared on their back, grinning sadistically.

----------------

"_I dare not to enter anymore. Partly because I may fell victim to his rampage… partly because I'm afraid what kind of view I'll get, considering it's already like Hell the last time I look._

_But the screams and gunshots… and the silence that follows… it speaks clearer then a thousand pictures put together: _

_The demon massacred them all… and he's enjoying every moment of it."_

----------------

Zhuya was having good time with his whores when his men appeared.

"S…Sir… I think you should see this…"

"See what?"

The man was deathly pale.

Zhuya, groaning, finally left his whores and followed.

The man led him to the surveillance room. There, TV displays plastered on the wall.

"Why are all the cameras in floor one were… painted red allover?"

"…that's… not paint sir… that's blood."

"Sir I had protests from our customers in floor four, they say their bodyguards on floor one didn't respond."

"Hold it, hold it… there's one camera working… what the fuck is going on?"

Everyone looked at the camera.

Just then, Sakito's face came to view.

Zhuya grabbed a mike. "Sakito what the fuck is going on? Sakito!"

"H… He's… he's… a… a de… demon…!"

More gunshots and screams can be heard.

Down there, in floor one…

Kyuusei had just cut a man's arm to pieces before he proceed chopping down his head. He looked around looking for more fun.

Sakito's right leg had been ripped out brutally. Holding his pain, he filled his shotgun and aimed at Kyuusei's back. Shoot he did. Without even looking, Kyuusei hand flickered to a fist. He turned to the terrified Sakito and opened up his palm… showing a pack of the steaming hot bullets. He grinned before shoved the hot pellets on the open wound.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRHHH!"

Kyuusei laughed. **"DAMN! Why don't you come sooner? You make a helluva tenor!"**

"AARRH! AAAAHH!" He tried to slam the shotgun to Kyuusei's head, but the demon caught the said hand… before ripping it apart like a wet tissue. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRHH!"

Kyuusei observed the right hand. There were hearts tattooed on the said hand. **"…Jessica, Ayumi, Elina, Tsunami? What is this?"**

"…haa… haa… that's…"

"**That's right, talk. The longer you talk… the longer you live. Now TALK!"**

"That's… (Pant) that's (pant) the name… (pant) of all the bitches… (pant) I've fucked with… (pant) I… I can share one with you."

"**Rapist huh? You know, the last rapist I knew, I burned him down, I kept his ashes. Now what should I do with you?"**

Terrified, the rapist tried to ran off. Just then, Naruto's hand went through his heart… practically plucked his still beating heart out of his chest.

Kyuusei grinned evilly. **"Hurt?"**

Sakito's eyes widen as he saw his own heart bursting out from his own chest.

Zhuya who looked everything from the video had his mouth opened aghast. Some of his men vomited.

The rapist tried to find his shotgun. He grabbed the gun and attempted to aim it on his own head. But the Kyuubi didn't like having his 'toy' die… yet. He ripped Sakito's left arm as well. **"Oh nonononono… we're not done yet… sonny!" **

He took out his arm along with the rapist's heart. The mutilated man stared in horror as life seeping out of him. He looked at his own heart.

And Kyuusei took a chunk out of it.

That was too much. Even Zhuya the executioner finally throw out.

The demon possessed boy took a few chomps… before he spat it back out. **"BAH! Even Oni Fodders heart tasted better… Oh well. This is for you then." **

Kyuusei mercilessly, and forcibly, shove the severed heart back… through Sakito's mouth. The force was such; it stuck on the rapist's windpipe. Kyuusei looked at the camera, caring no more to Sakito's fate. **"Oi… you there? _The Executioner? _Well, did you miss me? Guess not."**

Zhuya was trembling from head to toe.

"**Well, I hope you can provide me with more… fun then these small fries of yours."**

At that time, the Executioner had already freaked out. He remembered the last line in the newspaper: _"It's not only Naruto's bloodline lineage that makes him so terrifying. He's one of Konoha's best, in a way. For those of you who value your lives… don't ever get to his bad-side."_

In his fear, he tried to run. But down below, Kyuusei simply chuckled at the futile attempt. There's only one entrance. Unless the gang leader can fly, he had to get pass him first. However, he's not one to wait… so he sheathed Tenrou and looked up. The demon slashed his sword to the ceilings…

----------------

"_And just when I thought it finally over, the long silence… was nothing but the calm before the storm. Just when people contemplated of entering the casino, waves of massive red beams burst out from the ship, cutting it down to size. One big beam split all five storey of the ship to two, while other slightly smaller ones shred other parts of the ships to oblivion. _

_The two iron steam pipes were cut down to pieces. The pieces of the said pipes fell down to the sea and some landed on the port. The rowers were turned to firewood in an instant. Fire broke out as, if I'm not mistaken, the red beams not only cut things out it also burns them out! My opinion, it had hit the engine. Screams of hundreds of poor souls can be heard as blood splattered across the once colorful window. Gunshots can be heard, but it never goes on long as it was ended with a scream. Some fortunate souls, either still in one piece or already losing a limb or two, broke the window and jumped out, disregarding the fact whether it'll be concrete floor or ocean bottom that will welcome them. Clearly they prefer to fell and had a broken bone or two rather then facing the demon that intent to kill every living soul in each floor as he went up._

_The screams seem continued on for eternity… I thought they will never end…"_

----------------

Not so long after, fifth floor, Zhuya was sitting in his chair, cold sweat bathing his back.

"SIR! HE'S-" the guard was cut to 4 pieces. The Kyuubified Naruto figure walked in.

"**Hi there."**

"…" Zhuya still trembling.

"**Heh… your men were no fun. I tell you that. I gave them a nice requiem, and they blamed the poor piano instead. Ah! I've forgotten the notes already."**

"Then… then how bout if you be my men? I… I can pay you handsomely… they… they were trashes after all…" the gang leader nervously proposed.

Kyuusei laughed sadistically. **"Money? Heheheh… human riches means nothing to me… but… why not? Let me see the color of your money first."**

"Sure!" Feeling he found a way out, Zhuya excitedly opened a painting. Behind it, a massive fault lay. "Now the combination…"

"**Move."**

"What…"

Without further ado, Kyuusei cut the vault clean. Their, piles of paper money stocked up in there.

Zhuya hurriedly offered. "There… cashes… my money… go ahead… take as much as you want."

"**Hmm… this can't be all right? I mean… aren't you supposed to have a… bank account or something?"**

"Oh? You want it in checks? Wow, demons these days… they're so advanced aren't they?"

A failed attempt to make a joke, that's for sure, as Kyuusei answered with a death glare. **"Forget about checks. I want it in written statement."** A burst of flame appeared and a paper with writing show up. **"Here, sign it here. And don't try to fake it." **

A man who already had death at his nose won't dare to cheat. Zhuya hurriedly signed the contract. Kyuusei took the contract paper and laughed. **"You're even more of an idiot then I thought. In this letter you agree to give all your assets, including your bank account… to Tazuna. WITHOUT any condition. You didn't even bother read this thing. Human stupidity never fails to make me laugh."**

"WHAT? I WON'T GIVE MY MONEY TO THAT OLD FART-"

Kyuusei's fist met his jaw, crushing all the teeth on the frontal part. The demon snorted. **"You know why this kit didn't even bother punching you in the bar? Because you're just a piece of worthless trash didn't even worth a punch. Scratch that. You're not even worthy to be called trash. The kit was right… killing you will make a mockery to Tenrou."**

He looked at the fault. Something was off… he smirked as he immediately figured it out. He showed his palm, and a burst of Hellfire burned all the money inside.

"NOOOOOOOO!" Zhuya screamed in horror as his money was burnt down.

Before long, the blaze disappeared. It melted the vault's back part… to reveal another vault, slightly smaller, but sturdier. The gang leader gasped, realizing what it was. Kyuusei laughed. **"Now what's this?" **

The demon simply cut the vault open. It revealed stockpiles of files and documents.

"NO! NOT THAT-" This time, both of his arms were cut off. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"

"**I hate being interrupted." **Kyuusei opened one folder and read the content. **"File 1: Attack on the National Wave Bank… Hulo… File 2: Areas for Drug Market… Hahaha… well, well… not so clean after all are we?" **

"ARARRRAAHHHH!" The now armless, literally, Zhuya charged forward, trying to bit Kyuusei. This time, the demon cut both of his knees out, leaving only his thighs. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!"

"**HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Yes! That's what you are. Armless, legless… now you'll live like a worm you are."**

Just then, an angry growl sounded. "Having fun?"

"**I was wondering when you will show up."**

Kira, donning his Raijin no Yoroi stood on Kyuusei's back. Both of his weapons stretched out, ready to fight.

"**What's with the lateness?"**

"Other errands. You got me to answer now, Kyuusei."

"**Always another errands. Aren't you a bit too busy?"** Kyuusei kicked Zhuya on his stomach. **"You didn't even have time to deal with these maggots. But I've done the dirty work for you. Thanks to you, now this kit's body is more powerful then it ever was… NOW he's worthy of being my host."**

"That should be enough of you. You've had enough blood today. Now you'll leave that poor man alone!"

"**Poor man? HAH! Look at these papers and see if you can still thinks this man…'Poor'."** Kyuusei handed Kira the files.

The Shitennou frowned as he read all the criminal databases. He closed his eyes. "Still, the blood is on you."

"**I know… I know… demons are always been the bad guy anyway. Right. Just let me finish one more little chore, okay?"**

"You will not take another soul today. I'm warning you!"

"**No. I won't."** Kyuusei took Zhuya's limbless body and the whole vault, containing all the crime documents. **"I'm going to… errh… what was it, oh yes, 'doing my part as a (Yuck!) _good_ citizen'."**

Kyuusei jumped out of the window and landed softly on the ground despite the excess weight he's carrying. He then dragged the mutilated Zhuya on the ground, earning vomits and throw outs from the onlookers.

He dragged the man all the way on the streets of Wave. The residents of the nearby police station was terrified when they saw Kyuusei closing in. Their captain hid behind the doors, with his men hiding behind their desk. "P…Please good sir… we're… we're only 20 men… can't… Can't you please wait until reinforcements arrive?"

Kyuusei sighed. **"Easy now. Here, I'm bringing you an asshole who had escaped your so called justice several times. In here you'll find enough proof to put this guy on death sentence… or millions of years of imprisonment… or whatever your human law may decide."**

The captain looked at the vault and read some of its files. He smiled and saluted. "Thank you sir!"

"**Yeah… yeah… whate…" **Kyuusei fell down with a thud. **'Damn… I forgot… this is not my body… this is the KIT's body… I forgot what it's like to get tired…'** Darkness consumed him.

----------------

"_That very moment… that very second… I know… Wave will always remember this day…_

_Each minute of it… each second of it…_

_Zhuya, the Executioner, finally fell from the top of the world… into the lowliest being, almost equal to worms…_

_None will forget the demon that had played his part that day… Uzumaki Naruto… the harbinger of Kyuusei the Ninetails' wrath…"_

Renald sighed. He put his pen down. He looked at Naruto. The boy was still sleeping soundly. The doctor said that, there was no serious wounds… he was just so damn exhausted. 'Like me…'

"Renald-san?"

"Ah, Kira-san?"

"Are you alright?"

"Short off. I'm still okay. What about you?"

"You should not worry yourself about me. I'm not worth it. How is he?"

The Journalist sighed. "Still sleeping like a rock."

"Good."

Renald looked at Naruto's sleeping face. "…it's hard to imagine this face once showed nothing but madness and bloodlust…"

"It's hard to imagine a boy like him could contain the most powerful demon in existence… isn't that what you're trying to say?"

"…I never felt so terrified before… he said… the demon was sealed in him on purpose when he was a baby… what kind of human would do such thing to a boy?"

"…Hero."

"Pardon?"

"Yondaime Hokage, former leader of the Konohagakure, sacrificed his life to seal Kyuubi in Naruto… it was intended that Naruto to be treated as hero… alas… it was all not meant to be."

"Off course not! I mean how could they be? With the fear of a demon of such?"

"All the more reason. You've seen with your own eyes… what kind of power Kyuubi commands… Naruto, alone, imprisoned a demon like that in his stomach for 13 long years. During those years, he was outcasted, hated, and nearly murdered several times… don't you feel awe on his spirit to be able to withstand all that?"

Renald's eyes widen. That's right. Kyuubi's power WAS terrifying… but the boy lived with a demon like that imprisoned in his belly for 13 years… he's probably even MORE amazing… He's the last defense of the village… the whole world had against the demon. And the whole village hated him, when the whole world was supposedly owed him their lives… "Oh dear… I've spoken ill to him… I'm sorry."

"Tell that to Naruto himself when he woke up. I'm sure he'll be pleased."

"…yes."

Kira smiled. "Well, I'll take my leave for now. Take care."

"Hmm." Renald nodded. He looked at his Journal. He sighed and ripped the pages of the most recent journal he wrote that night (Journal no. 28), crumpled them, before tossing them to the fireplace.

Kira blinked. "What are you doing?"

"…the best decision I've ever made in my life." Renald smiled.

Kira chuckled. "Okay. Good night."

Renald looked at Naruto. 'No, Naruto, I will not gonna tell this only to you… I will tell the whole world… with pride.' He took out his pen again and wrote a new journal.

"_Renald Guston, Journal entry no. 28 month 5_

…_Wave Central._

_From the outside, it may seem to be a sin city. However, look back to the history and you'll find you're gravely mistaken._

_Today one criminal lord was brought to justice. _

_In just one afternoon, I know that Wave will never be the same again._

_It had changed before… and it will change again… both by the hands of their heroes._

_Criminals… you can all come here… but I must tell you this._

_Wave is a city born from heroes._

_Heroes that will continue to watch over the city they gave birth to._

_Heroes that will not stand by when their city in peril._

_One man can make a difference between hope and despair._

_And it all started with a bridge of hope and a boy…_

_The boy, Uzumaki Naruto… Proud Hero of Konoha."_

----------------

----------------

----------------

TBC

PHEW! Done! NEXT! Chuunin Exam!

It's quite a gore in Kyuusei's part, don't you think? I was planning to have him appeared during the Chuunin exam but… I rescheduled things up. Hope you enjoy it.

By the way, I've decided. The time setting in which Naruto's story take place, is… somewhat a more modernized world. At least this world had known electricity. So please forgive me if you dislike seeing some modern day things like cars, airplanes, machine guns, or even tanks! (Off course this is an alternate world, so some things clearly different with our world.) But they will only serve as supporting stuffs. The main character will always be human.

Anyway… here's a temporary replacement for the Omake…

Encyclopedia:

Nodachi: Horse killer katana. In Japan, it first appeared as a countermeasure against cavalry because it was said to be able to cut a horse to two. Length about 1.5 meters, its weight made the weapon difficult to wield with one hand (Unless the user was powerful enough to do so). Later, with the appearance of the easier to use Naginata, the now obsolete long katana only served as decorations in Shrines.


	22. The Heart of the Problem

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": special case**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA: Giant creature speech **

**Chapter 21:**

**The Heart of the Problem**

Naruto laid his back on the grass field, reminisce all the events that had transpired during the short one week.

Flashback…

One week earlier…

After the Royal Skull massacre, crime rate dropped exponentially. It dropped even more when the news of the massacre went world wide. Criminal lords were terrified to no end hearing that, in just one afternoon, one of the leading triad was taken down. When being told the cause of the event was because the attack on Tazuna, none dared to disturb the mayor any more, fearing of incurring 'Naruto's wrath'.

Tazuna was nursed back to health almost pretty soon. When he's out of the hospital, he found his bank account was full to the shelves. When being told where the money had come from, he immediately put it to good use by firstly rebuilding the town hall. Next, he immediately made truce with Shu and Kazu, an act he had failed before due to Zhuya's interference. Without much of a problem, the truce was made. Shu and Kazu will make sure their gangs are in check, while Tazuna will help them should they ever need anything. Also, despite the fact that it was Naruto who had killed Zhuya, the power of the latter was transferred to Tazuna according to the contract (one that is made by Kyuusei). So legally, Tazuna owned one third of the city. However, junkies in the district feared Tazuna's blond friend a lot more then the mayor himself.

Naruto wouldn't care less. Heck, he didn't even remember what exactly how it had happened, except he's being terribly angry!

One time, he walked on the road. Even the scariest mean looking people ran away at the sight of him.

"WAAAH! THERE HE IS!!"

"RUUUN!"

"IF ONLY YOU SAW HOW HE CUT A SHIP!"

Naruto seem took no heed. He was often being treated like a demon… and considering what had happened yesterday, no wonder they will act that way. However, the new thing he got was that, now, he only felt fear directed to him. Clearly they were too afraid of him to even consider hating him. He felt a little ache in his chest. 'So this is how Gaara felt.'

He sighed. Kira had told him it wasn't his fault. But he couldn't help that, Kyuubi had done his slaughter with his hands. If only he can control his temper a bit…

"Hey there."

Naruto turned around. It was Shu and Kazu.

"What do you want?"

"Hey, hey, hey, what's with the long face? For someone who had destroyed a famous gang on his own, you don't look too good." The Stingray smiled.

"…that wasn't… heh… okay that was my fault."

"No. It wasn't you. It was Zhuya's fault."

"What do you mean?"

"He reaps what he had sown." Kazu spoke this time. He showed the Fire Times to Naruto, showing him the headline which talked about him.

Naruto read the news and smirked. Inwardly, he congratulate Tsunade's idea on her made up story of his unique 'bloodline limit.'

"Although we were called triad, we're responsible for our own actions. He has beaten you senseless in the Kitchen, and that Tazuna the Mayor… he was your friend wasn't he?" Shu looked at the town Hall.

"Yeah." Naruto returned the newspaper to Kazu.

The large man looked at Naruto. "You don't seem pretty happy."

"…kind of…"

"Can we inquire why? By defeating Zhuya, you actually owned one third of this city." Shu looked in concern.

"Leadership over Wave was never my aim to begin with… You see… originally, I was looking for a boy. Another friend of mine."

"A boy?"

"His name is Inari. He's Tazuna's grandson. Because of that bastard, his mother was raped, and he ran off from home. Right now I'm looking for him."

"Hmmm… a boy huh? Ah! You mean that little boy beaten by Zhuya's man? I know him alright." Shu pointed a finger.

"WHAT? Where is he!?"

"I offered him a place in my gang. He refused, because he said he didn't want to be involved in criminal. He lived with me for 2 weeks… and then he's gone…"

Naruto slumped. "Damn… still nothing…"

"…hey, if you're looking for him, you might want to try in Kirigakure."

"What? How can he be on Kirigakure?"

"Because only the strong can survive here. Those who can't… either they ran off from the city to another block… or they can go there. Kiri is pretty close to this city, only half a day journey from here. A kid like him could do so in a day." Kazu explained.

"However… I don't want to make any promises." Shu finished.

"…" Naruto thought it out for a while.

End of Flashback.

He looked at Tenrou, who was now sheathed quietly in its iron ornate scabbard, and rested on his waist. Yes. Even the scabbard was made of heavy iron. Still, compared to the weight suit Kira had given him, this was nothing. Inside, dozens of seals encrypted, and the hilt was chained with a black demon padlock. After the brutal massacre, the sword still remained existent even though the Kyuusei's Youki disappeared. Kira used another Kinjutsu Fuuin and sealed off the sword in the iron scabbard.

"Naruto?" Kira suddenly appeared.

"Kira? What is it?"

"Look. It's not your fault."

"…Kyuusei was released because of me. You know that."

"It wasn't you. I too would be angry if the same happens to my friends. Back in the old days, I used to have a lot of friends… when one of them get hurt; I get all frenzy and go on a killing spree. And I do it with my own free will. Not exactly my better days but… to kill someone with your own free will is a lot more worse then killing someone without it. You shouldn't take all the blame."

"Kyuusei's Youki and personality leaked out because of my fury. Had I could control my temper a lot more I wouldn't have…"

"But you can't. And it's not your fault. It's just that's how you are, Naruto. With, or without Kyuusei help, you still possess power to wipe them off. And talking about controlling your temper, I've heard of what happened in the Diablo's Kitchen. That was amazing, Naruto. For someone like you, you can still think calm and put your friend above your own pride. They've passed the line when they attacked Tazuna-san."

"In truth… deep inside, I was frustrated. I was looking for Inari… and I couldn't find him anywhere…"

"Then it is natural, Naruto. Anger is a natural human nature. In some they can be subdued, controlled. A week ago, you've shown an extraordinary control over your anger, which is above all my expectation. Knowing your history of temper tantrums." Kira chuckled.

Naruto snorted.

The Shitennou smiled. "Now… it's time for you to meet my Boss."

"Boss?"

"Yep. Although the accident wasn't your fault, that was quite a body count back there. When something of that scale occurred, normally us Shitennou are sufficed. However, the cause of Kyuusei breaking is… in the demon's way of saying… inevitable and sensible. Seiryuu-sama wonders how… sensible that is."

"I see." Naruto nodded. Finally he got to see this Seiryuu guy. His excitement pictured on his face.

"You're pretty excited eh? Good. Let's get to it then." Kira unrolled a large scroll. He took out a brush and began drawing up a circular array of seals. Naruto observed the work.

"What are you doing?"

"Opening up a small portal. Aside from being a representative of our master, Shitennou could also summon the Gods we respectively serve. However, summoning the god itself to Ningen Kai is only done if the world is in extreme danger. Like… massive demon incursion… or someone trying to gripped a domination of the three worlds and alike… It's a very rare occasion, and involves a long process."

"How long?"

"Last time I did it, it took me half a year. And usually they never showed up more then 30 minutes. But that was enough to consider all the jobs done. Don't worry you don't have to wait for six months. The seal I made will only open a small 'hole' that will allow a minuscule of Lord Seiryuu's power to seep through. But that was enough to project his body."

Kira finished drawing and began performing a set of seals. Several moments later, Kira finished a dragon seal. "Here we go. Ura Satori, Kami no Angouka: Kinjutsu: Kuchiyose Yuutai Tenmon! (Ethereal Gates of Heaven)"

Kira slammed his palm to the array. Just then, a burst of light that looked like woven by millions of stars shot out from the scroll. The light engulfed Naruto and Kira.

In his surprise, Naruto closed his eyes. After a while, he dared himself a peek… and gasped. It was as if he was standing in the middle of the space. Hundreds of stars decorated the place. Yet he was standing. "Where are we?"

"We're in Kira's Kami no Angouka realm." Kyuusei's voice answered.

Naruto looked to his side. Kyuusei was standing there.

"Kyuusei? You're free?"

"No. Kami no Angouka is a realm of over-reality. In here, only our anthology life form (a life consist of consciousness only) matters. Although we're in the same body our minds are still separate. You are what you are. I am what I am. That's why, in Kami no Angouka; I could be a separate existence with you if I wanted to."

"Then why don't you show yourself during our bout in Konoha back there? (AN: Chapter 9)" Kira suddenly appeared.

"I was afraid I would ruin your show. Everything will be at disadvantage when you acted as the dominator." Kyuusei smirked.

"Hey, I'm not that dirty."

"Yeah, yeah, make up your excuses. Besides, whenever you fight, there will always be excess damage."

Suddenly, a blue wave burst out from nowhere, followed with a voice. "Still, it's nothing compared to YOUR excess damage." A voice clear and filled with dignity echoed throughout the space. Naruto gasped when he saw the sky was swirling. From the center of the swirl, a massive current of blue electricity went down. Naruto could feel exorbitant amount of energy, one that even surpassed Kira, packed within.

The electricity landed and formed a man. He has a somewhat disarrayed dark blue hair. His expressionless face was somewhere around 30s, wear a long simple dark blue Kimono, with light blue clouds decorating the edges of the clothing. His left hand was hanged inside the clothing (AN: In case of you wondering, it's in the same manner with Auron from FF-X), while another, carrying a glaive, was donned in armor; with dragon design ornamented the said armor. A bottle is hanged on his waist. His eyes were the most unique feature. The right one is deep blue Human eye. The other is yellow dragon slit eye. Despite his humble appearance, an aura of energy and dignity flow out from the Dragon God. Even Naruto felt an obligation to bow upon the appearance of the said person. Only Kyuusei who seemed to be unaffected.

"Get up. So you're Uzumaki Naruto…Kyuusei's Jinchuriki yes?"

Naruto nodded. But still dare not to get up. Kira chuckled lightly and helped him rise.

"The massacre that had occurred was not your fault. A force far greater then any human can match had forced you to succumb."

"The way you talk… it was as if he's innocent." Kyuusei smirked.

"He is. I don't know how you do it, but you've broke through. Hence forcing your tenant to-" Kira was cut off by Kyuusei.

"Before you go on blaming at me, Kira, allow me to voice out my opinion."

Seiki the Seiryuu looked at Kyuusei and nodded. "Speak."

"I believe it's because of Tenrou."

"Tenrou?"

"Yondai Kitetsu, Tenrou (Fourth Generation Devil Slayer, Heaven Wolf). The Opposite of Shibi'en. You presume this was because of it?" Kira frowned.

"Yes. The nature of that sword is evil. It will respond to all negative feeling. During the accident, it was obvious that the Kit was filled with it. Anger, sorrow, bloodlust, despair… you name it. He got all Tenrou's favorite feelings on the silver platter."

"…but why did you help Tenrou by unleashing your Youki?" Seiki replied.

"Tch… no. Tenrou forced me to do so. Kira, you should know this better. It was you who sealed Tenrou in Gintsume. Clearly, all the negative feelings produced by the kit were 'eaten' by that mad dog. In all the likelihood, Tenrou become somewhat more powerful, that Gintsume could no longer sustain its bloodlust nature. Naturally, its spirit affected me as well, forcing me to shove out that crazy amount of Youki to break free, unintentionally affecting the kit. Later, I had no choice but to sate Tenrou's hunger for blood. That shit can't be sheathed back unless it's been bathed in blood. Besides, I enjoyed the process too." Kyuusei smirked.

"You still have done that on purpose." Seiki no Seiryuu growled.

"Don't lecture me, Lizard! Those wretches deserved death! Besides… even if I didn't go on rampage back there… the breaking of the seal… is inevitable. You sure realize that too, Kira… the seal left by that Yondaime brat is in the process of weakening."

Naruto was somewhat horrified. He looked at Kira, who sensed his fear.

"Yes. As much as I dislike it, Kyuusei was right, Naruto. It all began… during your fight with Uchiha Sasuke."

"How did it go?"

"With every time you used Kyuusei's Youki, the seal began to deteriorate. With the recent change in your body, the seal was… in shreds. I realized that when I've fought you. It grows weaker and weaker with each battle where Kyuusei's Youki involved. When you fought with Itachi, the seal had finally reached its limit. One big blow of Youki and it may well be damaged permanently. And so it has."

"So… Kyuusei was actually free?"

"Thankfully… not yet. If you see his cage… it'll be quite a hole. Still, only Tenrou managed to break through." Kira answered.

"Break through… or set loose." Kyuusei corrected.

"What?" Kira and Seiki looked at the demon.

"Don't think it's just a small bent, Lizard. After that day, I realized that Gintsume can no longer serve as the container for Tenrou. Left with no choice, I've separated him and Tenrou. That's why Tenrou didn't disappear when my Youki gone. Now he's no longer bound to Gintsume as I've thrust it out of the cage. During the process of the severing though (chuckle), I 'accidentally' blasted that 'quite a hole' in my cage."

The two immortals deathglared at the demon. Kyuusei simply laughed.

"Besides, Kira, you think this boy is innocent? Your naivety makes me sick. Tell them then, kit. Who was it the first time that came begging at me for power? Who was it the first time who thought himself so useless that he had to rely on my power to do things right? Hmm? Well? Tell them!"

A realization hit Naruto like hammer through a nail. The demon was nothing if not being brutally honest. It was him who first blackmailed the demon for power. But in truth he believed, the demon would never have any intention on lending him any if it doesn't benefit him in short of way. Their agreement was purely out of mutual need of survival for both him and Kyuusei. If he dies, so will Kyuusei. His first time experience with the demon was purely out of rage. Theoretically, Kyuusei channeled his Youki via emotion such as anger. Later, he began to be dependant on the demon's power and asked them at his own will. Worse, it mostly accompanied with rage, making the amount of Youki he received increased twofold or more. Kyuusei was right. **HE** started the chain of events that led him to this point of time. Naruto's head dropped in guilt.

Kira looked at Naruto with concern. While Kyuusei snorted in victory. "You see? The kit is the one who lit the fuse. I'm just the supplier of the cannon ball."

"Knowing that, you didn't even think of stopping?" Seiki glared at Kyuusei. "I thought I've warned you enough back there."

"What do you expect, Lizard? If I hadn't intervened all the time, this brat, and countless of his friends, may well be dead by now! You should've thanked me. Wasn't it you who once said: 'Even the life of one soul has a meaning?'"

"That is your perversion of truth." Kira rebuked.

"Hmph, was it? Fine. But if I don't help him, I'll die as well. Isn't it demon's nature to think of its own survival? Was it wrong to defend yourself?"

"And no heed to the cost? During the process how many people killed in your wake? Hmm? Hundreds? Thousands? Not to mention the damage you've inflicted on the boy!" Seiki replied fiercely.

"So far, a couple of males, a bit of females, somewhere about 60,000 walking dead, 2000 living one, and coupled with that nasty massacre… tch… But does it matter? This kit has been taught how to kill even before he knew how to write. He's a born killer. Everyone in his village is. They kill for living. And you talk about the destruction of the brat's body? Given his personality, he didn't even mind my Youki burns his inner organs so long as he can help his so called friend. You know that already! And if you want to blame, blame the bastard who sealed my soul in this brat! I never want to be stuck in that forsaken cage to begin with!"

"No Kyuusei. No self egoistical massacre can be just. Knowing of what will happen to Naruto, you purposefully fulfilled his demand for Youki. The sin is still yours."

"Yes, go on, blame on me. Isn't that what you Gods always do? Ask yourself and you'll see who's at fault here."

Kira was about to reply when Naruto suddenly spoke out loudly. "It was me. No, Kira don't try to protect me anymore. This was my fault and you know it always been. Yes… It was me who first blackmailed him for power. And after that, I began to be dependant in his power… I was… enticed… by the prospect of surpassing everyone… and thought I could use Kyuusei's power to defeat everyone… I… I'm the one to blame after all."

The three looked at the blond. Silent for a few moments, Seiki finally sighed. He frowned for a while before making a statement which more of a sentence. He looked at Kyuusei. "Fine Kyuusei. But you did kill all those people in that ship. Considering they all deserved to die, I will, lighten up the punishment. Kira, see to it that you sealed him off this time just as you've planned to do. Now… go. Kira you stay. You too Naruto."

Kira nodded. Kyuusei disappeared immediately.

Seiki then turned to Naruto. "…Uzumaki Naruto. For your actions… you too… had actually performed a crime. While it's true in the initial period you had not known of our laws… nevertheless, the recent events were done, when you've gained knowledge of the said rule. At such… you actually can never be forgiven. Even though you didn't realize your actions, it is your uncontrolled temper that leads to the disaster. While it seems natural, we can't afford you, as the host of Kyuubi, to get on a mood swing such as this."

Naruto readied himself for inevitable punishment.

"…Uzumaki Naruto, I've heard from Kira about your relationship with Uchiha Sasuke."

Naruto blinked. He looked at Seiki. He's still eying at him sharply, but there's little softness in his voice.

"That kind of relationship of rivalry… Kira knows that kind of relationship only too well."

"…"

"…when you gorged yourself in the strength of Kyuubi's Youki, you may well have a bigger chance to safe Sasuke. However, relying on Kyuubi's strength is not your true capability. Slowly but sure, you should realize it by now… not only your mind went feral… there's a possibility you will hurt the one you cared the most. Your true power lies in your strength to withstand Kyuubi's Youki all this time."

Seiki turned to his agent. "Kira, see to it that you create seal that will completely restraint Kyuubi's power, so that he can't rely on its power again. I believe you've been waiting for the right time where the initial seal was in its weakest state, so that you can replace it without endangering his life… yes?"

Kira answered with a nod. Seiki looked at Naruto again.

"Don't think you'll go weaker when Kyuubi's chakra taken out. No Naruto… what you think will become your greatest weapon will become your greatest weakness and vice versa. Now… try to see things… not in Kyuubi's eyes… but in yours. One day, I'm sure, that you will be able to do things you've wanted to do."

Naruto looked at his palm. "…yeah…"

Seiki nodded. "Now as for your punishment, I hereby forbid you from using any of Kyuusei's skills. Yes, that includes other Onijutsu as well. Of course this excludes training activities so long it's under Kira's supervision. But you must not use it when fighting humans. The reason is because although it's powerful, a bit of Youki is extracted every time you cast one jutsu. Since the Youki will be cut off, maybe I should say: You won't be able to use it anymore. THAT is your punishment. Do you accept?"

Naruto nodded.

"…you will become powerful. I don't need Kira's Satori to foresee this." Seiki finally smiled lightly.

The blond smiled.

"Alright. Now you can go."

Naruto frowned. "Go? How?"

As if answering his question, Naruto instantly disappeared. Kira was about to leave when his master called.

"Kira?"

"Yes, My Lord?"

"How long?"

"Pardon?"

"How long have you been in my service?"

"Errhh…about… err…"

"That is… 70,000 years, 10 months, 1 week, 1 day, 10 hours, 35 minutes, 15 seconds, 97 microseconds, and counting, if you recall."

Kira chuckled. "What's your point, my Lord?"

"Are you never getting tired?"

"My Lord."

"I mean… I don't recall any Shitennou work as long as you do…"

"My Lord."

"Imagine how much salary I had to pay you…"

"My Loord."

"And all the danger you've faced…"

"My lord, that's the 1,546th time you asked me that question. And I've told you for the 1,546th time, it's because I like this job. Why are you so upset about me working for you for so long?"

Seiki chuckled. "70,000 years… and still often you used your heart to make judgment. Perhaps you and your little sister had something in common after all."

"What do you expect? We are twins."

"Can't say I'm upset or anything. But in truth… I rarely see you put so much… care for a student like they way you did to Naruto… you… you remembered about 'him' right?"

"…Naruto reminded me of him… in a way: temper, resourcefulness, tendency to be rebellious, ambition to go forward… The difference is he's not fallen like 'him' yet. And Naruto may have a greater resolve then he did."

"Kira…"

"…just this once. I want to try to put faith on somebody one more time… just this last once."

"…sigh… okay. Just don't go on crying at me again if something happens."

"What? Get out!"

Seiki disappeared soon after a chuckle.

-------------

Neji swung his twin swords several times. He tried to get himself used to the two before the exam. So far, he had not heard voices in his head like before. However, he did remembered what Kira had said.

Flashback…

"I see you're getting used to them quite well." One day, Kira observed Neji's training with his twin swords. A few days after the massacre.

"Yeah… at first, it felt heavy but… I could get used to it pretty quick."

"Just as I've thought."

"You know?"

"Well not exactly. In truth, all Hyuuga should be proficient in weapons wielded by two hands."

"Pardon?"

"Do you know why I gave you the twin sword, of all weapons? The secret lies… in Hyuuga's famous close quarter attack, Hakke, Rokujuu Yonshou."

"Rokujuu Yonshou? But how?"

"64 consecutive attacks in less then 5 seconds. Even though you can no longer use it to a devastating effect without the Byakuugan, change the light taps into strong punches, and you'll get a devastating set of 64 hit combos. Change it with stabs and slashes of a sword… well, you guess it. Given all the training the Hyuuga had undergone, both of their arm muscles are far stronger then natural human. When using twin katana, it is prudent to have balanced power on both sides. That's why, Hyuuga's are much better when they're using weapons wielded with both hands, like pole axe, spear, or double swords."

"How bout you? You're a two sword style."

"Me? Well… that's fruition of experience. Originally I was a one sword user… many events happened… and the two swords style stuck."

"Really… and Kyuusei is a one sword style… That Tenrou was downright terrifying."

"Eh?"

"I mean… it can cut a giant ship to pieces… what kind of power that sword possessed?"

"No… that's not Tenrou's power. That was Kyuusei's."

"What?"

"You're referring to the red light beams you saw, yes? Well, to explain that… do you know the basic of Iaijutsu?"

"Iaijutsu? You mean a move where we channeled all our power into a single blow… we sheathe and unsheathe our sword in a one swift motion, attacking right when the enemy's defense at the weakest?"

"Yes. The point in Iaijutsu is to unleash a sure kill attack. Unblockable and unavoidable. It's not just about power and speed… it's also about timing. The key here is patience. However, there's a stage in Iaijutsu… which is called YokoIchimonji. When a swordsman had developed and completely mastered his Iaijutsu skills, he can create a vacuum space… a Kamaitachi (Vacuum Sword) one that could even cut down enemies outside the sword range."

"Kyuusei… used that to cut down an entire ship? But if that's a human skill… how?"

"That's why it's terrifying. The farthest that a regular master swordsman can do… was only about 4-5 meters off their sword range. What Kyuusei had done… it outranged 1 km easily. That red light you saw was the result of the rising heat, caused by the friction between the vacuum blade and the air around it. Such is the speed of the attack it could even burn the air, resulting in those red lights."

"…" Neji gulped. Kyuubi's power terrifyingly surpassed reality.

Flashback ends…

Neji, out of curiosity, tried to use the Iai technique. However, he couldn't even cut a training log to two. Kira had said that, Iaijutsu is mastered if he can cut the log to two with one stroke. Yeah right, the log has a diameter of about 1 meter! 'But Kyuubi, using Naruto's body, could cut a ship to two…'

Neji looked at his hand. '…so I have to focus every single bit of energy in my body to my arm…'

He looked at the log again. 'Right.' He sheathed Chiryuuga back. 'Maybe I'm still far from Yoko Ichimonji… but for now, Iaijutsu is the target!'

Then, the Hyuuga prodigy continued his training.

-------------

'This is really a new version of weight training.' That thought crossed Yukiku's mind as she tried to raise the re-forged Zabuza's Zanbatou over her shoulder. The large sword was immensely heavy! She thought back when she asked Kira to re-forged the broken sword.

Flashback…

Three days after the royal Skull massacre…

"Nee, nee, Tzuna-jii-san… whose sword was this? You seemed cherish it so…"

"Ah… oh this… well… this is Zabuza's head cleaver. Named so because he preferred decapitation to end his foes."

"Head cleaver huh… was he your friend?"

Tazuna let out a bitter snort. "Quite the contrary. He's a missing Nin. Hired to kill me. But, ironically, it's all thanks to him we're finally free from Gatou's oppression."

"Oh yes, now I remember. He's the one my brother had saved…"

"I'm sorry…"

"Don't worry… I'll get over it… So what will you do with it?"

"Maybe… fix it somehow…"

Yukiku looked at the fragment sword. A thought suddenly came cross her mind. "Jii-san… can I have it?"

"Huh?"

"Can I… have the sword that… No. Forget it. Forget what I said. What am I thinking; this is a precious sword… I shouldn't…"

Much to the girl's surprise, Tazuna smiled understandingly and gave the fragments to her. "Take it. This is the sword of the man your brother had protected. Maybe it's fate. And I don't know why, somehow it is only proper that I give this to you. Take it… it may become rusty from not being used for so long. You might wanna find a blacksmith to fix it."

"Somebody call for a blacksmith?" Kira walked in with a cup of tea in his hand, a book in another.

"Kira-sensei? What are you doing here?"

"Just passing by. What's need to be fixed?"

Yukiku smiled. He handed the Zanbatou fragments to Kira. "This was once a big sword… Can you fix it?"

"Is strawberry jam color red?"

Flashback ends…

The next day after that, Kira gave her the new Zanbatou. This one, according to Tazuna, looked a little bit different with Zabuza's. The Zanbatou was reinforced with some metal frames. Kira had said: _"This one is reinforced with these frames to make it a lot more durable. Consequently… it's a bit heavier. Consider this training."_

'A bit heavier… yeah right… this sword weighs a ton…' Yukiku tried to raise the sword again. So far, thanks to the weight training, she managed 3 swings. But after that, she had to rest 5 minutes before she could execute another. Yukiku pants as she saw the sword again. 'Nii-san…'

She strengthens her resolve again before raising the Zanbatou. 'Nii-san. Watch me!'

The Haku Twin swung the blade again, but the weight caused her to fell flat on her back, accidentally knock her out.

-------------

The next day…

"Well, we'll be going now." Naruto had already packed up, and so does his teammate.

"The Chuunin exam, eh? Well, I wish you good luck Naruto."

"Thanks… but are you sure you'll be okay… alone? I mean… what if…"

"Don't worry. I've arranged that with Shu and Kazu. They may not be as feared as you do… but people will always thinks twice when trying to fight them. I'll do my job as a mayor… and they will give me protection."

"Those two are good man. Shu in particular. I will try to find Inari."

"If you find him Naruto… please just say I'm sorry. But don't force him to return here… let it be his choice."

"…okay. Well, I guess we should be on the way."

"Yeah, let's."

The group began their walk.

"Nee, nee, Kira-sensei. What Mist looks like?"

"Hmmm… it's a water village, just like it's jutsu specialty… and the most interesting part is-"

"HELP!" A scream suddenly erupted from the woods.

A girl with glasses ran towards them. Behind them, several people was chasing after her. She looked scared stiff. "HELP!"

"She's escaping! Don't let her get away!"

Naruto was about to act, but he sensed something.

The girl ran to him and immediately hid behind Naruto. "PLEASE! HELP ME!"

"Eh? What?"

The group who chased the girl stood in front of them. "Heh. Give her to us if you want to live."

"Now, where have I heard that cliché thing before…?" Yukiku rubbed her chin.

Few moments later, the group of man was beaten down flawlessly. The band didn't even break a sweat.

"Arigato! Arigato Gozaimasu!! Those thugs nearly get me! Arigato!!"

"Hei, miss. Why did they chase you?" Neji asked.

"Heee? You ask my name? My name is Kyoko! Pleased to meet you all!!"

Naruto frowned. "We asked why those people after you?"

"Because I'm cute!" Kyoko posed as she touched her chin. Everyone sweat dropped. But indeed, she IS cute. Her long ocean blue hair was let loose, with some of them bundled up in two buns. Her eyes were green colored, and her body was quite slender. She wore a short skirt, a red blouse, and some high heel shoes.

"Really…"

"Thank you very much for saving my life! I'll be forever grateful! It was SOOO nice of you to save a damsel in distress." Kyoko took Naruto's arm and swing it up and own like ragged doll.

"Really? Despite the fact that… that you can actually take them down by yourself?" Itachi commented. The other didn't seem as surprised as Kyoko at the statement.

"How could I beat them?"

"Enough the façade. Who are you?" Neji took a step forward.

"Nani? I'm just a lost-"

"Enough already. You've been found! Confess!" Naruto glared at the girl.

Kyoko sighed and smiled. "Okay. How did you find out?"

"…you blew things out quite a bit. First of all… your shoes and clothes."

"What about it?"

"Have you not notice the speed when you ran towards us back there? With that high heels? In the WOODS at that. It so surprising you didn't break any of the heels and clothes are surprisingly intact… for someone who had been running away in panic… that is." Yukiku explained.

"Your expression off course… deserves a credit. It looks as if only pure fear. Good. If only you put some sweat on it." Neji continued.

"Sweat?"

"Running at that speed. And you didn't even sweat. But do you want to know where you blew up the most? It's when you violently shake hands with Naruto."

"What so weird about?"

Neji chuckled. "This black hand guards… that was actually weight."

"What?"

"It's a special weight that will grow heavier as the user's chakra increases. Amongst us, Naruto's possess the greatest amount of chakra; hence, it should've been the heaviest. But I see the weight means nothing for you. That's where you blew it." Kira explained with a grin.

Kyoko chuckled. "Well… Well… clearly you're not just some rookie group after all…"

"You've been exposed. What do you want? And get these people out! It's useless for them to hide!" Naruto glared.

"Oh? You knew that as well?" Kyoko snapped her fingers. A dozen men appeared.

"I've sensed their aura just when you start running. Judging by the looks of things… and your own aura… I already knew from the beginning this is a ruse."

"Well, well. Konoha really sent their best this time!" Kyoko smiled. She made a seal and undid her Henge. Her clothes changed from the casual civilian dress to a blue Jounin vest and long trousers. She no longer wore the glasses but a headband. A long but thin sword rested on her waist.

Kisame gasped. "You! Now I remember you! Fetaru Kyoko? Right?"

"Why hello there, Kisame-san."

"Sheesh… last time I saw you, you're still a brat…"

"Well, well. To be remembered by a traitor, what honor." The girl smiled.

The other twelve people also undid their Henge and appeared to be Mist Jounins.

"What a welcoming party." Itachi commented.

"Uchiha Itachi. Chuunin at 8, Jounin at 9, Anbu leader at the age of 13, massacred the Uchiha clan shortly after. S-rank criminal. We are 'honored' by your arrival."

"Hmph." The man in question simply grunted at the sarcasm.

"So… you're here to kill us?"

"Actually… we came… for this boy." Kyoko pointed at Naruto. "Mizukage-sama had been interested in seeing you. We were simply his… welcoming party."

The three Genin drew out their weapon. Naruto pulled out a Kunai.

"Wait, wait there… What does Mizukage wanted from Naruto?" Kira tried to talk.

"He wants to talk with them. Nothing more."

"Talk… yeah right. You think we'll fall easily?" Naruto growled.

"Our Mizukage is a man of his word, Uzumaki-san. He only wishes to talk… and he insists. Now you can come with us peacefully… or we'll have to force you."

Naruto grunted. Just when he's about to reply, Kira suddenly spoke. "If your Mizukage really need to see Naruto… we need you to guarantee that they will survive. You have any?"

"Pretty sharp aren't you? Well, I'm afraid I can't give you any warranty…"

"Then how bout this. You can bring those three, and the three of us will wait here. If they don't return by Sundown, the three of us we'll make our way through your village and find them, forcibly." Kira stated. "Also, these three are the shinobis of Leaf… anything happen to them; you have to reply to our government."

"You are?"

"I'm their sensei. I'm responsible for their lives. So you do well not to hurt them." Kira glared menacingly. Something in his glare sent a chilling shiver down to Kyoko's spine.

"O…okay… and what about this man here?" Kyoko refers to Renald, who gulped nervously.

"Wait, he's not with us. He's only a journalist we just met in Wave. He tagged along to write about the Chuunin exam. He's not a shinobi."

"Really?" Kyoko eyed the journalist. She disappeared and reappeared in front of Renald, her Kunai pointed on his throat. Renald gasped and stood still. But fear was clearly evident in his eyes. Kyoko sighed. "Okay. He's not a shinobi." The Kunoichi walked away.

Naruto, Neji and Yukiku looked at the other shinobi. All were armed to teeth, ready for all kinds of fight. The blond looked at Kira. "Oi Kira-sensei, why don't you just tag along with us if you're worried?" Naruto whispered.

"I am worried… but I'm a lot more worried on what these two will do in my absence. Remember, they're hunting your tail." Kira whispered back. He clearly refers to Itachi and Kisame. "Facing the Mizukage for a talk is an easier hassle than these two."

"…hmm… you're right… Just keep an eye on them okay."

"Two eyes." Kira smiled reassuringly.

"Let's go Naruto." Neji called.

"Right."

The three Genin group along with the Mist Nins left the four adults. Few moments later, they were out of sight.

--------------

Tsunade was filling another paper when Jiraiya appeared.

"Yo, how is everybody's favorite hag doing?"

"Shut up. If I can walk, I'll punch you to North Pole! Now shut up!"

"You're in bad mood are you?"

Tsunade sighed. "Yeah… I'm dead worried about Naruto and the others."

"Relax. Even if Naruto do mess up, we got Neji and that girl to cover it for him."

"It's not them I'm worried about. It's the Mizukage."

"Mist's Mizukage? What about him/her?"

"HE… is not a very nice person to deal with. I just hope Naruto didn't do anything that might arouse his attention…"

--------------

"Hmm… if things were like this, maybe Kira and Renald should've come with us… I mean… what's with now we're heading to your village…" Naruto thought out loud.

"Oh no. We're not heading to my village. We're heading to another spot, away from the village. It's the place where our Mizukage awaits you."

"Really… Nee, Kyoko-san. Why did the Mizukage wish to talk with us?"

"I'm not in liberty to discuss that… all will be made clear… once you meet him yourself."

Naruto pouted. The group walked in regular pace. A moment later, they arrived at a gate. Kyoko nodded. Just then, the Genin felt they were unable to move a muscle. "W… What?" Neji attempted to draw his sword, alas, it's too late.

"This is… Kanashibari?" Yukiku gasped.

"Oi! What do you think you're doing?" Naruto barked angrily.

"I'm sorry guys. But this is Mizukage's orders." Kyoko waved her hand. The Jounin that came with them immediately restrain them and removed all the weaponry they have.

Not so long after, they were brought through the gate. It's a humble complex, with one big house and 5 smaller ones encircling it. Mist Shinobis stand guard in every spot. The three were brought into the main house, where a man with long dark beard and fierce eyebrows, wearing a white Kimono sat still on the veranda. His eyes were fierce yellow. Next to him stood a man with grayish disarrayed hair and he wore some protective armor on both shoulders and a white cape atop his blue Jounin vest.

"Mizukage-sama, here they are."

The Mizukage eyed the three sharply. Neji tried to be humble as was Yukiku. Naruto, being a rebellious as he is, returned the fierce gaze with equalized intensity.

"I was told that there are 4 set out from Konoha. Where is the other one?" Despite his apparent old age, his voice was clear and strict.

"That will be their sensei, Mizukage-sama. Right now, he stayed in the forest, alongside with Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame. I've ordered my men to watch over them."

"Hm." The old Mizukage nodded. "And this insolent boy must be the Famed Uzumaki Naruto."

"…and you are?"

The Mist Jounins gulped. The grey haired man next to the Mizukage glared at Naruto.

"Enshin Kirimaru."

Naruto stayed silent.

"Tsunade sent you here. She truly sent her best."

"I was told you called us. Why?"

"Good question. However, the answer is obvious. My men reported to me that two days ago, a boy single handedly faced the famed Uchiha Itachi and managed to withstand him up to the point of standing still. Then, as if the first news is not surprising enough, the next news came saying that the next day, in one afternoon, you brought down one of the strongest criminal lord in Wave. Two feats that are impossibly done by an average Genin leveled Shinobi."

"Cut the crap and straight to the point. What do you want?"

Enshin nodded again. "Then I will ask you this. Tsunade sent you, one of the strongest Leaf possess, to a Chuunin exam, which of all places, here. I don't know whether she had a hidden agenda or what… but I will ask you this question: Is Konoha friend or foe of Kiri? Your answer will determine…" All the sudden, Naruto felt a cold sensation on his neck. Enshin placed his Katana right next to his neck. "…whether your heads stays or moves."

Neji and Yukiku looked worriedly at Naruto then to Enshin. The aged Mizukage was serious.

Naruto thought up for a second before answering: "I don't know."

"What?" Neji, Yukiku and Enshin responded in unison.

"I don't know. Maybe friend, maybe foe. I don't know how Tsunade-baa-san thinks. As for me being so strong, it is only obvious for a village to send their best. But your name…Enshin Kirimaru… this is the first time in my life I've heard about it. That's my answer."

Enshin eyed Naruto fiercely before suddenly swung his sword in one swift motion. Naruto gritted his teeth in preparation. The next instance, the rope that binds him was cut off. Naruto looked at himself. He's perfectly fine.

"Good answer. If you had answered foe, I would certainly kill you. But even if you had answered friend, only for your own survival, I would still kill you."

Neji cold sweated on his back. 'What a terrifying person… he'll kill us no matter what we answer…'

"Release them."

The Jounins undo the rope. Naruto glared at the Mizukage. "What's with you being so paranoid?"

"Wherever I walk in this wretched country, your name echoed as if you're a god. However, rather then hearing those empty stories I didn't trust at all, I prefer to see things myself."

"And you think tying us like some bandits and all will make me like you?"

"In don't need your liking. And I don't really like you either. Leave this country. If you ever set foot here again I will order my men to kill you."

"Why you…" Neji immediately grab hold of the fuming Naruto. "You can't do this to us! We're here for the Chuunin exam!"

"Such temper. You think with that kind of temper you will succeed? Chuunin exam is more then just brain and brawl. You don't have what it takes to survive the exam. So help yourself and your team, and be gone."

Naruto gritted his teeth. He let go of Neji and walked away, followed by his teammates. Just when they were about to leave, Kyoko intercept them. "Here, your weapons."

They took their gear back. Just then, they heard coughs and gasps from their back. They turned around and saw the old Mizukage held his heart while occasionally escaping a cough or two.

"Mizukage-sama… your heart again right? Gonzo! Dr. Gonzo! Mizukage sama's heart is acting up again!" The grey haired Shinobi took hold of the aged Mizukage.

A short and fat doctor, that apparently in his 50s, ran hurriedly at the coughing Mizukage. "Enshin-sama! Enshin-sama! Here. Please drink this medicine."

"Heart disease?" Yukiku commented.

"Sorry for the rough treatment guys. But… I'm afraid I have to ask you three to leave. You see, our Mizukage are not in the best condition, both physically and mentally." Kyoko whispered.

Naruto was still fuming and growled in reply. Neji bowed down before took his leave, while Yukiku took one last look at the coughing Mizukage.

--------------

"I responsible for their lives… Shishou, why did you lie?"

"I didn't. If they did kill Naruto and the others they really gonna pay."

"But they won't, aren't they? They won't… because you've seen it."

Kira chuckled. "Nee… Itachi."

"Yes, shishou?"

"…what have you been doing, after you killed off your clan, that is? You haven't killed much with Shibi'en… have you?"

"…not really…"

"…"

"…I went astray for a few short years. No address, no Id, beating down and stealing jutsus from any hunter Nins I ran across into. Not so long after, I joined Akatsuki."

"Uh-hum…"

"There, I met my first partner, Orochimaru. One mission after another, I made it clear that he can claim my Sharingan once he's on the other side. He ran from the organization and I was partnered with Kisame. After that we were given order to look and confirm the location of the Bijyuus…"

"Well, okay… but that's not what I want to hear from you. Your mind surprisingly, doesn't show things I want to know."

"Eh?"

"Forget about Akatsuki for a moment, I'm talking about you."

"Me?"

"Yes, you. Let's talk a little bit more private… say… like Shisui?"

"…I've forgotten."

"What?"

"I've… I've forgotten about the past. I've swear that I will let go of my past when I joined Akatsuki."

"Careful with your words, Itachi. There's a fine line of difference between 'forget' and 'let go'. If you forgotten something, then you can still get it back and remember. If you let go something, then it will forever lost. Memories are something that you just can't let go. You can only forget them, but they will always come back to haunt you, until you do something about it. Believe me; I've lived long enough already to learn it the hard way."

"So you have…" Itachi frowned. "But I had let it go."

"Let me say it again. You can't let go of your past memories. Not even if you do it forcibly with Tsukiyomi or anything."

"…"

"So you still refuse to talk?"

"Why don't we do this the usual way?" Itachi readied his Shibi'en.

"I thought you knew: I hate resolving to violence."

"Consider this a spar then. I too had not someone worth fighting safe Naruto."

"…" Kira stayed silent. Nevertheless, he readied both of his weapons.

Itachi took the initiative and dashed forward. Kira welcomed the attack. At the last moment, the Uchiha flip back, canceling the attack, disappear, and reappear at Kira's back. Using the Tenkaiken, blocking the back attack. Not a moment too soon after the initial contact, Itachi jumped up, and began to descent with eye blinding speed, his sword first. Kira struck with the Hell sword which the Akatsuki blocked. The Shitennou continued with a thrust. Itachi deflect the Hell Sword to let the Heaven sword grate his purple Katana. His opponent continued with a full roundhouse slash with the black blade. Itachi held it for a second with the butt of his sword, step on it, and went airborne again. 'Katon, Gokyakuu No Jutsu!!' Itach thrust his sword at Kira. 5 consecutive giant fireball head straight at Kira, and hit him full it did. Itachi gracefully landed, eying the rising smoke. As if on cue Kira, donning his Raijin no Yoroi, dashed forward lightning fast, surrounded with lightning surge, and both weapons were at the ready. Instantaneously nailed his feet with Chakra, Itachi blocked the inevitable impact. Trickles of fire lighten up as the three weapons made contact.

All that… in less then 10 seconds.

"I see… you've been honing your skills. Though it's unlike you to start a combat. And I see you remembered my teachings well."

"I couldn't forget them… in sense, you taught me a lot more then any of the Konoha's teachers could offer."

"And you cleverly keep closing your mind; think nothing to prevent me from reading your thoughts."

"If I hadn't, this spare is nothing but a one sided butchery. Satori, mind reading… You have every advantage needed to always emerge victorious."

"Correct that: Not always. Right. Let's get the heat up! Ura Satori, Kami no Angouka!" Kira's eyes changed.

The Jounins that were tasked to watch over Kira and the other three was quite surprised when the former began to battle Itachi. They watched the first round of the bout. Surprisingly, the next instance, the two combatants were gone. Little did they know that the fight still rages on, albeit it in another dimension.

--------------

Naruto's fury eventually subsided as they walked around the forest. "Still… that Mizukage was a scary bastard."

"How did it cross your mind to answer 'I don't know'?" Neji asked.

"Well… I just told him the truth… I really don't know what Tsunade-baa-san would think. Anyway, rather then discussing that, we have to think of some way to smuggle ourselves to the Chuunin Exam. Can't use my Onijutsu, so we're short on the arsenal we can use."

"Hmmm… Yukiku what do you think?"

The girl in question was frowning.

"Yukiku?"

"I was thinking about that Mizukage… his coughs are a little bit… weird. I can't shake the feeling something was up."

"Hmmm?" Naruto and Neji looked at the Acupuncturist. Amongst the three, Yukiku had learned the ABC of Acupuncture from the book Kira gave her. She, just like her brother, in Naruto's opinion, was extremely gifted in using Senbons.

"I don't know. Maybe it's just my feeling. I think we-hey, who's that?"

The two boys turned around. It was Gonzo the doctor. The man had just pulled out something from a tree hole. He looked at it and put it back before walked away. Curious, the three Genin immediately approached the tree. Naruto took out the thing from the tree hole. A paper with writings. It's a talisman.

"Ahh… a talisman…" Naruto commented. However, his keen nose smelled something else. "Hmm? Salt?"

"What do you think guys?" Neji frowned. Something is… odd.

Yukiku looked at the direction where Gonzo had gone.

--------------

Kami no Angouka realm…

Kira slammed the Hell blade at Itachi, who immediately moved to the side. The Shitennou's holy sword follows and the next instance stabbed itself on Itachi's head. The latter dissolved to air, an after image. Just then, Shibi'en had gone through Kira's stomach. Itachi frowned… as he felt the real Kira pointing Tenkaiken at his neck. The next instance, the Bunshin exploded, with the original Itachi appeared from above. Kira dashed upwards, welcoming the attack. The two immediately flashed out of existence and fight with eye blinding speed. Only the sound of sword clashing and occasionally grunts, mostly from Itachi, can be heard. Few moments later, the two clashed and back off immediately.

"Hm. You're getting stronger. Much stronger then I remembered."

"You're still powerful too, Shishou."

"Too bad your training went unfinished. Fugaku dislike the idea of me planting too much of my own doctrine to you."

"…he drove you off that day."

"So you did saw it. Is that where it all started? The feeling of distrust to your clan?"

"…you read my mind again."

"Clearly, as our battle goes on, your heart, as well as your mind, began to open up, little by little. Until I get the bottom of this, we will continue this free-for-all; blood drenched; yet inter dimensional; normal shinobi fight without any restraint. This means, you can use any jutsu you like."

Itachi sighed. Suddenly, black fire burst out around him as his Sharingan turned Mangekyou. It formed a pair of wings of fire at his back. "Mangekyou Sharingan, Amaterasu Kenjutsu: Hikari no Tsubasa. Come shishou. I'll fight you with everything I got."

"I'm the one who taught you how to wield Amaterasu. While it's true you invented the Hikari no Tsubasa, don't forget, I've learnt that jutsu too. You think you can beat me with that?"

"No offense… but yours is still copy. It can never match the original."

"Good point." Kira held out the Holy sword. "Well then… Shall we?"

'Amaterasu! Hikari no Tsubasa: Totsu (Stab)!' With a burst of black flame, Itachi darted towards Kira, his Shibi'en turned to a jet black burning sword, ready to stab the Shitennou. The dragon Shitennou prepared Tenkaiken for impact. Upon contact, Kira spun his Holy sword in a circular pattern. 'Mikazuchi Monogatari!'

Itachi felt as if he was being sucked in and the stab's direction was diverted to the side. Itachi immediately changed his attack. 'Amaterasu! Hikari no Tsubasa: Hane (Feather)!' The wings enveloped Itachi, and hundreds of black hot burning feather shot out to every direction.

The feathers was about to hit Kira when something swoop in… and swallowed the attack. Itachi stopped the attack and gaped. A set of jaws appeared on the edge of Kira's fiendish Gokuseiken. It was as if the Hell's blade edge was a monster's head with its neck had just extended and the sword in question had just… slither around and swallowed all the feathers in a gulp. Now, the monster-like sword was munching them as Itachi looked at it, mouth open aghast. "I… don't know Gokuseiken can do that."

"Well because Gokuseiken is alive and so does Tenkaiken. Is an ancient art of us Swordsmith and it is called Life Forging."

"Life Forging?"

"Hai. We forge the sword not only with metals and stuffs… but living things as well. Zaiki's and Junki's soul was bounded to these two, and their soul meld along with these blades. Hence, they're alive as one. Think it like…a sword Jinchuriki. Tenrou and Gintsume share the same fate. Tenrou was forged to Gintsume's soul… alas, unlike these two, both souls cannot meld. But they can live in one body… until recently. Other known successful… is Enma the Monkey King and Nyoibo, Sarutobi-san's staff."

"I… see."

"Still, I can control these two just like they were part of my body. In short, I can make it extend, retract, bite, or whatever, at will so you better watch out." The fiendish demon head retracted back with a flick of Kira's hand and it formed the demonic blade it once was, but the jaws still there.

Itachi's burning wing still at the ready. But the tremble in his hands, the cold sweat drenching his neck… the feeling he rarely felt returned again.

Fear.

-----------

Few moments later, Gonzo was picking some flowers when the three Genin showed up.

"Hello there, Doctor." Yukiku smiled politely.

"Ah, hello there boys and girl. You three were the ones being drove away from the house weren't you guys? Are you alright?"

"Yes… Was Mizukage-sama always like that?" Neji remembered the 'death and death question'.

"Nah… he's just a very strict person. But in truth, he has softer side. He, for one, likes flowers. See here I'm gathering these flowers for him."

"Hee… that tiger-brow jii-san likes flowers? That's kind of out of place…" Naruto murmured.

"Hmm… interesting flowers you have here…" '…!' Yukiku inwardly gasped. She saw the flowers gathered by the kind doctor. There were roses, jasmine, and a lily, whose root still present.

"Well, I must be on the way now. You three, hurry up and go! If the Jounins found you, they might gonna do something bad!"

"Hai. Arigato, jii-san!" Naruto nodded. The doctor then left.

Once Gonzo was out of sight, Yukiku grabbed both of her teammate's back. "Guys, I think the Mizukage's life is in danger!"

------------

'Katon, Karyuu Endan!' Itachi shot out a burning flame dragon out of his mouth.

Kira cut the dragon to two. In the mean time, Gokuseiken extend again and headed straight to Itachi. The Uchiha prepared his sword for impact. The demon sword twisted and bite Shibi'en instead before move it to the side. The extended blade suddenly retracted, all the while pulling Itachi towards Kira whose Tenkaiken was at the ready.

Itachi grunted. 'Amaterasu: Gokusai (Hell Crush)!' Black fire burst out in between Gokuseiken's fangs. The fire blast forcibly opened the jaw, releasing the purple katana within. Kira followed suit and charge forward, thrusting Tenkaiken to the front. The Sharingan user recovered midair and step on the holy sword before jumping pass Kira. The Demon sword again bent around and attempted to bit him. Sparks flown as Shibi'en made contact with Gokuseiken's jaws. The force of the impact pushed Itachi off balance.

The Uchiha landed with a thud. He charged forward again.

Kira frowned. His Tenkaiken deflected the Shibi'en as the monstrous Gokuseiken came crushing towards Itachi. The Uchiha managed to dodge the attack, which proceed on tearing the ground to oblivion.

"_I… I thought of you as a brother! And you…"_

'Amaterasu: Hane!' Rain of burning feathers poured out towards Kira.

'Rai Shunshin!' With a zap of lightning Kira disappear and reappear several times, dodging the barrage of feathers.

"_Father did… no… NOOO!!"_

Out of nowhere Itachi brought the Shibi'en down. Kira used Tenkaiken to block the attack, but the weight of the pressure came crashing down, and the ground broke.

At the same time… more and more of…Itachi's memories flowing into Kira's mind.

"_Why… how could you do this? To me? To Shisui!"_

"_Measuring stick? Me?"_

"_Tou-san… you…"_

"_NOOOOO!! TOU-SAAAN! STOOOOP! UGHAAAAAAAA!!"_

"Ghugh!!" Suddenly, Itachi coughed.

"_Ha… HAhaha… that's what I'm… Just a 'stick'… ha… hahaha…"_

"_You see… Father? This… is my capacity."_

"_You're a trash not even worth killing."_

"_If you want to kill me, live miserably… detest me! Hate me! Run… run… run in the most unsightly way and survive the ugliness!"_

Itachi jumped back, holding out his heart. 'Shit! My heart is acting up again…' He looked at Kira, whose lavender eye had not stopped eying him.

"…_I died already…"_

"_So be it… from now on, I will cease of being a human."_

"_I'm… a shadow of Red Moon."_

That's when he realized, Kira had been reading his mind… his memories. Finally he gave up trying to close his mind. "Now you know everything."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you."

"Ie. In the end… it's just like what I've said. I killed my clan on my own free will." The Amaterasu wings burn up again.

"In a manner…" Kira rested Gokuseiken on his back.

"That's why… for me… this is the only way left!" Itachi dashed forward.

"What are you seeking Itachi… is not measurement… but an end to yourself."

'Amaterasu: Gokusei!!' A ball of black flame began to form on Shibi'en's blade. "Because this is the only way for me to be saved!"

'…Amaterasu Rouga! (Shining Heaven Wolf Fang!)' A giant burst of black flame engulfed Kira, forming a black dire wolf. Itachi's eyes widened.

'That… that Kenjutsu!'

"There's no salvation in death!" In the midst of flames, Kira swung the giant demonic sword. The wolf swiveled and formed a massive flaming dark blade.

The dark blaze engulfed Itachi.

--------------

In the complex…

Two Mist Nins were standing guard near a wooden wall. One of them yawned. "Men… this is way too quiet."

"Hey don't lax out now. This Mizukage sama we're guarding here…"

"I know… I know… Hm? Hey who's that?"

The bushes in front of them were shaking. The two nins getting close. Moaning can be heard from the bushes. The two Mist nins looked at each other. "You heard that?"

"Yeah… what was that?"

The moans get much clearer. The two nins walked ever so slowly and look through the bushes. Their face went terribly red. A blond girl, stark naked was lying sexily atop the green grass and was moaning seductively.

The two Mist Nins gulped nervously. Trickles of blood began to fell from their nose. They nodded to each other and dared themselves to close in. "Umm… Miss?"

"Huuh?" The Blondie looked at them in a way, any longer and they're going to faint.

"Gulp. D… do you have any…" The Mist can't finish his sentence as he got an eyeful on the girl's womanhood. "i… i… id… ideeeeeea…."

"Hmmm?" The blondie girl smiled sexily, exhibiting her round breast.

"Wooow… D-cuuup." The Kiri nins had already acting like sex zombies.

"Wanna have a better look?" the girl messaged her breast to the onlookers. The two mist nin's eyes were about to get out of their sockets.

WHAM! WHAM!

Naruto slammed his long iron scabbard directly atop their heads, rendering them completely unconscious. "Neji, Yukiku, you can come out now."

The two Konoha nin's face can't be redder then they already have.

"Naruto, where the hell did you learn such Hentai Jutsu?" Neji tried to get some air back as Naruto disposed his oiroke Bunshin.

"Don't remember. Anyway, hurry up and get changed."

"I'm not seeing this, I'm not seeing this, I'm not seeing this…" Yukiku closed her eyes so tight as if one slight look and doomsday comes.

"Yukiku, it's over. I've dispose the Bunshin. Hurry up and do your thing."

"O… Okay." Yukiku dared herself a peek and sighed in relief when no more naked Blondie around. She hurriedly put two needles, one on each nin's neck. "There. They should stay asleep until this needle plucked out… I hope."

"…" the two looked at her nervously. The last thing they want is accidentally murdering the Mizukage's men.

"Anyway… let's put our henge from here and hope they don't have any jutsu detection method." The two male Nins prepared a seal and turned to one of the guards. Yukiku turned to one female Mist Jounins. The three walked, as calmly as they could to the gates.

--------------

"Where the hell are they?" Kisame growled as he observed the surroundings. They simply… disappeared.

The Mist Jounins began to hop in as well. "What is going on? Where are the other two? What have you done Hoshigaki Kisame?"

"Beats me! Thank that freaky guy in a cloak! Freakish things always happen around the bastard!"

"…" The Mist Jounin looked at the Journalist, who gulped nervously. The Jounin sighed. "Will they appear any time soon?"

"Who do you think I am? Mind reader?"

"…the whale wishes to meet the lost shark." The Mist Jounin suddenly, without his comrades noticing, whispered to Kisame.

"!" Kisame turned his head almost immediately at the said Jounin. The Mist nin eyed him meaningfully for an instance and went back searching for the now seemingly non existent combatants.

--------------

Kira swung the Gokuseiken backwards and the black flames retracted. Surprisingly, one black burning sphere still remained. "That's…"

"Amaterasu: Sekisho (Barrier). Sun flame can only be blocked with sun flames as well, right, Shishou?" Itachi appeared as the barrier broke apart.

"Yes I can tell… but using Amaterasu time and again. You know damn well how stressing that can be. How's your eyesight going, and your Heart too, when it comes to that?"

Itachi's Mangekyou eye widened a bit. "…"

"Amongst other things… I know your limits well, Itachi. Supposedly, you'll be out of chakra any minute. What's with your wounds from your previous fight with Naruto are reopening."

"Heh… Guess so…" With that, Itachi fell on his knees and fainted on the spot.

"…yes Itachi… rest… and sleep. Using Kami no Angouka, I've forcibly drawn out your past memories… not exactly things I like to do. Rest now in this…dream inside a dream."

--------------

Inside the complex…

Enshin was lying on his bed beside the garden.

Just then, Gonzo came in, carrying a bento. "Maa, maa, Mizukage sama. It's lunch time."

"I'm not hungry."

"Don't say that. You're ill. Sick people must eat a lot."

The Mizukage sighed exasperatedly. "A Mizukage that lying helplessly in the bed like this… how embarrassing."

"We have our bad times in our lives. Come… at least eat this salmon. It's healthy."

"If you insist." Enshin got up, took a chopstick, and pluck the fish. Just when he was about to put the food in his mouth…

"STOP!" Neji, still in his henge, appeared on his back and pointed a Kunai on the Mizukage's neck.

"ASSASSINS!!" Gonzo screamed in panic. Just then, the grey haired shinobi who guarded Enshin earlier appeared and attempted to slash Neji's neck. Sparks of fire break up as the Jounin's sword made contact with Naruto's metallic saya.

Jounins and their watchdogs ran to the spot. The two genin looked around. They were completely surrounded.

"Drop the chopsticks." Neji commanded. Enshin did so.

"So… whose assassins are you people?" The Mizukage commented.

"None." Neji and Naruto immediately undid their henge.

"You took a single hair of Mizukage, and prepare to lose your head!" The grey haired swordsman growled angrily.

"Eh? Uzumaki-san? What is the meaning of this?" Kyoko gasped.

"Listen. We only want to say what we wish to say, after that do what you want, we won't try to stop you." Naruto grunted.

The grey haired Jounin hadn't lowered his strength.

Enshin looked at Neji. "So… Tsunade sent you to kill me?"

"No. We don't even know you well. However, you were right about someone trying to kill you… that someone… is him." Neji pointed at Gonzo.

The Mist Jounin laughed. "Yeah rights! Gonzo-sama had been taking care of Mizukage's health for 5 years! Why would he kill Mizukage?"

"That maybe so… Yukiku?"

Yukiku popped out. She eyed the Salmon. "This food." She took the plate and threw it to one of the watch dog. The canine ate it hungrily.

Everyone looked confused at the act. Just then, the dog groaned and wined painfully… before fell dead with bubbles appeared on its mouth. Poisoned.

Enshin blinked. Neji lowered his weapon satisfyingly. Everyone was surprised. The grey haired Jounin lowered his sword as he too watched the scene, confused and greatly alarmed. Naruto smirked as he pulled out the paper he found in the forest and handed it to the Mizukage.

"Gonzo-jii-san took this out of the tree back then. I don't know what this is but it seems some short of a… code?"

"Hm." Enshin took the paper and nodded once. He took the water and splashed its content on the paper. Just then, the writings on the talisman changed into two words saying:

Kill Mizukage

Gonzo gritted his teeth before dashing out of the place.

"You're not escaping!" The grey haired Jounin dashed out and cut one of Gonzo's legs.

"AAAARGH!" The assassin held out his bleeding stump.

"Well done, Hiko." Enshin walked out. He approached the spy with his sword at the ready.

"Tell me who sent you, and I'll kill you quickly."

The assassin doctor groaned. Just then, he grinded his teeth. Sparks of fire light up.

Hiko, sensing the danger gasped. "Mizukage sama! Back off!"

The next instance, the traitor's body exploded. Smoke was rising from the disarrayed corpse. "Suicide…" Enshin commented. Everyone calmed down. The Mizukage looked at the Konoha Genins. "How did you know?"

Neji and Naruto looked at Yukiku, who blinked sheepishly. "Eh… me?" She looked at Naruto and Neji.

"It's your theory!" Naruto bawled.

Yukiku sighed. "O… okay… it all began when we accidentally ran into Gonzo-san in the mountain. He was… gathering flowers." Yukiku ran into the room and returned with a vase filled with flowers. She pulled out the flowers and showed the stem of the flowers where the roots once lay. "When I see the way he gathered flowers… I found that… all flowers… its roots were cut off even the new ones. However for lilies, he left the root intact. So it means he must've used the roots for something else. You see here… now the roots are all missing." Yukiku showed them the flowers, the lily in particular. The roots were all cut clean.

"We Kunoichi in Konoha were taught about flowers. Lilies… they are beautiful true… but the roots contained a poison that is hazardous, in a certain dose, to one's heart. I noticed that Mizukage-sama always feel pain in his chest. Gonzo had become your doctor for what, 5 years? If Mizukage-sama was killed so quickly, then the assassin would be easily caught. However, imagine if the assassin did it slowly and gradually for those 5 years. It would only make sense if he made it as if Mizukage-sama's health is deteriorating slowly… to make people believe that Mizukage-sama was suffering a natural illness. Moreover he took the position of a physician! He could easily state that Mizukage-sama had suffered a lethal heart attack to save him from the blame. Putting things together… I realized this is a planned assassination attempt… He mounted your trust for 5 consecutive years… only to break it this day. Anyway… that's my… theory." Yukiku ended her explanation.

The Mist Jounins gaped in awe. Who would've thought the usually kind doctor was an assassin? Neji and Naruto smiled in admiration at their Kunoichi. Yukiku blushed at the sudden attention.

Enshin nodded. "Good explanation. However, why did you save me? You had said that you know nothing of me. Why bother saving me?"

"Errhhh… that's because…" Neji was about to explain when Naruto cut in.

"Because we need you to stay alive so that we can proceed with the Chuunin exam."

"Oh? So you hope to impress your way to the Chuunin exam by saving my life?"

"No. I want you to retract your statement that we can't enter the Chuunin exam. Nevertheless, we would've to impress you during the Chuunin exam no? Let's just say we did things a little bit earlier. But that's only one of the reasons, amongst other things."

"Honesty. How…refreshing. Hiko, paper and pen."

"Hai!" Hiko ran and returned with a paper and pen.

Enshin began writing something on the paper. After some while, he gave the paper to Naruto. The three Genin read it.

"This is…?"

"A recommendation letter. With that, you can bypass the preliminary."

"Pre… preliminary?"

"Yes. Before the first exam, there always be a preliminary. We didn't do this before… but this is the only way we sort out thugs from Shinobis. Because of our locations, many of thugs from Wave came to Mist, pretending to be shinobis. We have to sort them out somehow. You've shown skills as a Shinobi, for that… I will let you in. Your fate after that, I don't give a damn. Also, I'd like to give you this. This orb will allow you entrance to some of off-limits area in Mist, this place included." Enshin handed Naruto a blue pearl with Mist insignia planted within. "Just read it carefully okay? I'm quite old now… sometimes I mistook ink with saltwater."

Neji blinked. 'Saltwater? Oh I see.' Getting the message, Neji nodded.

"I see… erhh… Mizukage-sama… did you ever ran into a boy?" Naruto asked.

"You're a boy."

"No! Not shinobi! He's civilian, about 8-9 years old, and oh yes, he often wear a hat."

"You mean that poor boy that was running to Mist, 5 months ago?" Kyoko suddenly commented. "My brother Hiko and I did run into a young boy…somewhere of that period of time."

Naruto immediately turned to the Kunoichi. "5 months ago… YES! That's him! Where is he?"

"He asked me for some water." Hiko continued. "We ran into him when I and my sister were on patrol guard."

"Where did he go?"

"When we asked him, he said he wanted to go to Mist. We've been getting a lot of refugees from Wave lately. So it's not something quite unusual. We thought he's a lost child separated from his family. I sent some of my men to escort him to Mist." Hiko explained. "Friend of yours?"

"Yes… he's not a lost child… he's runaway from home. His family was… troubled, in a manner. I've been meaning to find him. That's why I go to Mist."

"I see. In Kiri, a special complex was made for refugees of that dark city. Most of them lived there. If you wish to find him, I suggest you start there." Hiko explained.

"Arigato! Come on guys! We gotta go!"

"Hai!"

"Umh!"

"Wait. What are your names? I know of Naruto, but what about the two of you?" Enshin called.

The two replied before ran off.

"I'm Yukiku."

"I'm Hyuuga Neji. My eyes are black for some… reasons."

The three Genins immediately disappeared. The Mist Jounins also returned to their posts. Only Enshin and the Fetaru siblings (Kyoko and Hiko) remained.

"An assassination attempt by our own doctor! Forgive me, my lord, for not seeing this earlier!" Hiko bowed in shame.

"This is not your fault. I had not foreseen this as well. Thank our lucky stars those three appeared."

"I noticed the papers. May I inquire what exactly you're planning?" Kyoko curiously asked.

"The technique of Water writing concealment via chakra… that is something only Mist Shinobi can do."

"So there is a coup?"

"Don't jump into conclusion. This is why I didn't entrust this to Mist Shinobis. It will only generate more animosity amongst us, and the traitors will increase their alertness. 'Using a bug in lion's nest' is a good idea. They won't even suspect that we used Konoha shinobis to investigate them."

"Brilliant idea my lord."

"Brilliant? Heh. We've just thrown a torch into the middle of ocean. Now let's see its luck."

"Will they read your message?" Kyoko questioned.

"Hm. The Hyuuga already caught my message. So it's very likely they will find it."

Meanwhile, the three genins hurriedly ran back to their previous spot. When they arrived, they found the three senior Nins and one Journalist exactly where they left them…

…except for the unconscious Itachi laying under the tree.

"O… Oi… what had happened here?" Naruto looked at their ever calm sensei.

"Just a sparring. What took you guys so long?"

"Nothing really."

"Then I guess we should be on the way immediately."

"Hai." The Genin nodded.

"And somebody carry Itachi please."

"Nanni? You're the one who beat the living day out of him! You should be the one carrying him!" Kisame retorted.

"Demo, you're his partner!"

"And you're his high and mighty sensei!"

"You're bigger then I do."

"You're a thousand times stronger then I do!"

"Which means I can force you to do so."

"You…! Grhh…" Kisame reluctantly finally raise the unconscious Uchiha.

"Hiko-san said that Mist is just a few more hours from here. Let's pick up pace."

"Hiko? You met Fetaru Hiko?" Kisame snorted.

"Friend of yours?" Yukiku looked at the shark nin.

"Tch… don't push it girl."

--------------

--------------

--------------

Tbc

Done!

The idea of Lilies' poison came from a comic I read in the past and the scene where Ino shoved a pack of flowers to a bigmouthed bitch. I forgot what volume was that… but she did say the roots were poisonous… and if I'm not mistaken, it was lilies she was holding on at the present.

Anyway… Kira's weapons' name undergoes a slight change in its name.

JigokuSeihaKen - Gokuseiken (Hell Domination Sword): A demonic sword, a counterpart of Tenkaiken, a transformation of Zaiki (Guilty Demon). The sword was a half monster half blade, with a demonic head with a set of sharp jaws at the edge of the blade. It could retract and extend countless time according to Kira's will.

TenKaihouKen - Tenkaiken (Heaven Liberation Sword): A heavenly sword, a counterpart of Gokuseiken, a transformation of Junki (Innocent Demon). No info yet.

Omake:

I'm beginning to running out of ideas for good torture… HELP!

Deidara's days in Interrogation:

Minichapter 3:

Bored?

"What!? You already know the name of the leader?" Athrun roared in his head. He was just contacted by Kira via the com-seed about his findings.

"Hai. Itachi's thoughts told me. It would appear they are guerillas… their bases are where they are." Kira explained things he had derived from Itachi's mind.

"Geezes… why didn't you do that sooner? I didn't get your mind-reading abilities Kira."

"You haven't let him go have you?"

"No…"

"We still got lots of holes need to be filled. If it's true that every member of Akatsuki have a goal of their own, try to derive it from Deidara first."

"I've been trying to do that… but he's as stubborn as hell."

"What did you have him do?"

"You don't want to know." Athrun made a face.

Still underground, Deidara was tied to a chair. Thick eye bags formed around his eyes. An earphone planted in his ears.

After spending a few weeks with the Telletubbies, Deidara was introduced with a new Hell:

In his earphone, echoing like mad…

Is an extremely boring, monotonous, absent mindedly carried, flat toned, extremely LOUD (so loud it prevented him from sleeping in the last 7 days) and detailed speech (so detailed it involved the explanation of every comas and points)… and played at LEAST 10 times a day… which is…

…inevitably…

…irrevocably…

…ever so coolly…

…about the history of bean curd.


	23. Chuunin Exam

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": special case**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA: Giant creature speech **

"_Bla, bla, bla…"_ : _Renald's writing._

**Chapter 22:**

**Chuunin Exam**

Back to Mizukage's place…

A mist Nin was running as fast as he could. Sweat pouring allover his visible face.

After several minutes of running through the forest, he reached a clearing. He finally stopped and bent his knees, panting.

"That's as far as you go."

The nin gasped and looked forward. There, Fetaru Hiko stood, his Katana out of the sheath. "Fetaru… Hiko!?"

"You're here to report to your master, whoever it is, about Gonzo's failure yes?"

"…!"

"I suggest you tell me everything. Then, I might consider sparing your life."

The Shinobi's panting subsided and suddenly he began chuckling. "…Fetaru Hiko, the Swordfish… you're a man with skill, no doubt. Our leader put some interest on you."

"Speak your tongue."

"It was such a shame to have a man of your caliber wasted at the hands of that oppressive old Mizukage. He's doomed to fall in the soon to come new age of revolution. Why don't you join us? You have the skills and the qualification."

"Revolution?"

"More likely… rectification. The current Kirigakure… what do you think of it? The Shinobis are all deteriorating and grow weaker. The previous generation… YOUR generation… was much better. We would like to… give Kirigakure's face back in its place and smite this rotten fake village. A new world is at hand. And you… you as a former member of the 'true generation' would be more then welcomed in that world."

Hiko sighed. "No."

"Pity. At least I've tried."

"And you've failed. Now you will answer my question or I'll make you."

The traitor smirked underneath his mouth guard. "How about option C… kill each other?" He pulled out a Katana.

Hiko prepared his long Katana. "I will show you the power of Mist Devil Swordsman."

The man lunged forward and attempted to cut Hiko's head. The swordsman dodged and immediately thrust his sword to the opponent. The said target jumped out, stepped on the long katana and hopped over Hiko's head. Reflexively, the swordsman spun around and swung the Katana at the traitor Nin. The nin ducked. Not giving a chance of a breather, the grey haired nin stabbed his blade to the ground, nicking the traitor nin's cheek in the process. The traitor rolled backwards. Just when he gained his footing, he saw Hiko already prepared to thrust his long katana at him again. Without further ado, Hiko charged forward with ferocity worthy of his title. The nin barely managed to parry the lunge with his own Katana, sparking clashes of fire as the two weapons made contact.

The traitor nin immediately backed away, smirking. "That was close."

"Indeed it was…" Hiko snapped his finger, and the opponent's Katana suddenly broke off.

The traitor gasped. The shards of his weapon were singed and turned to smoking ashes when landed on the ground. He immediately pulled out another Katana. 'Was it his Katana… or…' he looked at Hiko's Katana and found the Katana's blade was also smoking hot red. 'Holy… such speed… that heat was caused by friction with the air due to the speed of his stab…'

Hiko looked at his burning long sword and then to the opponent. 'He dodged it… I didn't aim at vital spot but he dodged it. He dodged MY attack… he's definitely no rookie.'

'He didn't aim at my vital… but that was awfully close…' Faced with the fact his enemy could've killed him the man found himself sweating allover. 'Calm down… you don't have to win in this fight… you just had to survive his onslaught… escape when you find the chance.'

Adopting that mindset, his hand flickered and Kirigakure's signature jutsu unfolds. 'Ninpou, Kiri Gakure no Jutsu!' a thick cloud of mist enveloped the area.

"A cheap trick." The Swordsman placed his long Katana to his side. "Come at me straight and clean!" In one clean swift motion, the swordfish swung the long Katana. The force was such; it generated a powerful gust of wind, wiping away the Mist curtain in one stroke. Abruptly the Katana shattered. 'As I thought… it is too much for this blade.'

Unfortunately, the traitor was nowhere to be found. '…what a fast runner.'

Meanwhile, in the nearby river…

'As expected from the Fetaru Hiko… to wipe the Mist with just one swing…' The traitor Nin gulped underwater. 'Anyway… better get out of here now!' the Kiri nin began swimming following the current. Before he can went far, a figure appeared in front of him, coming closer and closer at an alarmingly fast rate.

'What? Who is that?'

The figure turned clearer and clearer by the second. It's a girl. A flash of light told the nin that the woman in front of him are carrying a weapon. A sword.

'You gotta be kidding me!' Against his will the traitor attempted to swim against the current…to no avail. The chaser though, seem had facing next to no trouble in swimming on such condition. 'Who the hell is she!? Swimming against current this strong!?'

The distance between them closed and when it's just a few centimeters away…

…much to the bewilderment of the traitor, she disappeared. Abruptly a sharp pain emerged from his back, followed suit; the girl appeared right in front of him! Shocked by both the pain and the appearance, the Nin gasped and burst out of the water the next instance. He landed on the river bank, holding his bleeding back. "You!"

There, stood with her long blade rest firmly in her hand, was Fetaru Kyoko the Dolphin. "Indeed. Mist Nins are some of the best swimmers in the world… but if I, the Dolphin, can't catch a traitor in a swimming match like that, I'll break this Siren Song blade to pieces and never jump into the water again." The Kunoichi smirked.

"Grr…"

Just then, Hiko appeared. "Well done sister."

"Your welcome. Now then. I think it's time for Q and A." She eyed the pinned Mist nin.

The nin grunted and dare not to run. He was surrounded: The dolphin on the front, the Swordfish on the back. He's a goner. "Mark my words, Swordsmen. The new age is beginning. My death will mean nothing in the long run! It is… unstoppable!" He grinded his teeth and sparks of fire lit up.

Kyoko gasped. "NO!"

Too late. The next second, the siblings covered their faces as the man blown to bloody pieces.

"…they plant bombs in their body? Are they crazy or what?" Kyoko gulped as she saw the remains of the traitor. He exploded inside out.

"More likely… they're extremely loyal. Almost to the point of radical fanatics. The same case holds true with Gonzo. They prefer dying rather then renounce and betray their leader… whoever they are… a proof that this… coup had been going for quite some time… this man here is a Jounin level, make no mistake of that. He dodged my attack. Barely… but he did."

"We really got some serious problem on our hands, aren't we bro?"

"Obviously. Someone of this level of skills are working with the traitor."

"Hmmm… demo… you got what you wanted right?"

Hiko's brow twitched slightly. "Pardon?"

"This guy intend to report to the traitor about the Leaf trio… if he succeeded, the whole thing will be useless… you did plan kill him to shut his mouth. Right?"

"…I will kill him because he betrayed Mizukage sama. That is all."

Kyoko giggled. "Re-ally?"

"Don't push it."

--------------

"_Renald Guston, Journal entry no 29, month 5_

_Wow… that was some accident._

_Naruto wasted no time explaining to us blow by blow about things occurring in that complex. Mizukage's illness… the doctor's treachery…_

_Never thought things will go so smoothly… just one thing lack is…"_

-------------

"What I don't get, if it's the Mizukage you're talking about, how on earth did you managed to bypass the security? I suspect it'll be a top level."

The group is still on the way to the village. Renald had decided to ask them on the event that had befallen on them.

Neji blushed, reacting to the said question. "We got caught some times… but… ask Naruto." His face resembled boiled lobster.

Renald, obliviously asked Naruto. The loud blond boy answered with a preparation of seal: "Behold: Oiroke no-"

"CUT IT OUT!" Both Neji and Yukiku punched the blond shinobi sending his face plummeting to the ground.

"…" Renald sweatdropped.

Not so long after, the group finally reached Mist. It's a small village with some houses here and there… it's surprisingly… small, when you compare them to Konoha.

"So… this is Kirigakure? Damn small isn't it?"

Kisame inwardly smirked. "Right. I'm off."

"What?" the Genin and the journalist looked at Kisame.

Kira smiled understandingly. "Safe journey."

"WHAT?" the four people gaped.

"I'm going too." The now conscious Itachi also nodded.

"Hey!"

"I'll be there when you've arrived." Kira waved them good bye.

"WHAT!? Wait! Kira! You're hiding something! Arrive to where? Look into my eyes!" Naruto's eyes were burning.

"Sorry. That's secret. If I tell you, I have to kill you. You had found it out yourself." Kira smiled, innocently.

"…" Naruto deathglared at the Shitennou. But Kira's face remained unchanged. Meanwhile, the two Akatsuki already popped out in smoke.

"I don't think this is a good idea Kira-sensei. What if they try to run?" Neji frowned.

"Oho. No. They won't try to run. Not while I haven't says no. Not while I still draws breath. The world may be vast. But there's only one Itachi and one Kisame. If they run, I'll find them again."

"You make it sound as if it's going to be that easy."

"It's not. But I'm used to it. Now come on. It's almost nightfall; I think we need to find a place to rest… at least temporary."

-------------

"_Talk about confidence. This guy, Yamato Kira… I don't know. How can he say things so easily? It was as if finding two runaway Nuke-nin is just a walk in the park for him._

_Anyway, shortly after that, we found ourselves a nice, small yet comfy motel. As expected, the atmosphere is extremely tense, and there are hundreds of shinobis from various places here. Waterfall, grass, stone, sand, you name it. From the one that is even younger then Naruto, to ones that already have beards. Hm, I did hear that Chuunin exam is extremely difficult. I wonder how, though._

_One that I find odd, I barely saw any Mist Genin. No scratch that, there isn't even one genin to be found, safe for the examiners. But… I beginning to think they're so lax in their security. Shinobi hidden village supposedly to be well guarded. But all I see is a few sentries with light wooden fence. This place is way to light guarded for a Shinobi village._

_Something's not right. But I was hoping I was only being paranoid. Anyway, we're going to rest, so that's all for now."_

-------------

At the motel…

"Neji? What is it?" It was nightfall and everybody seems to be sleeping peacefully, and suddenly, Neji pulled Naruto and Yukiku out of the bed. Still half asleep, Naruto's eyes were barely opened.

"I think it's time we look at that letter of recommendation Mizukage gave us."

"Hmm? What letter of recommendation?" Naruto blinked.

Neji and Yukiku sweatdropped. "The ones you were carrying in your pocket, Naruto."

"Oh this." Naruto pulled out the paper.

"Let's open it." The three opened the letter on the table. It says:

**I Mizukage, with the power vested in me, hereby give permission for these three Konoha shinobis:**

**-Uzumaki Naruto**

**-Hyuuga Neji**

**-Yukiku**

**To bypass the initial preliminaries. This consideration is made, based upon past endeavors in which they are considered sufficient and worthy of undergoing the Chuunin Exam. **

**Should the examiner require proof of this claim, the three should be able to produce the proof, in form of genuine Kirigan. The orb of Kirigakure. **

**Note that, this letter will only allow them to bypass the first prelim. Any further, and this letter is considered invalid.**

**Signed:**

**Enshin Kirimaru**

**Mizukage of Kirigakure.**

"Hmm… Sounds legit to me." Naruto nodded.

"Didn't you hear what the Mizukage said?" Neji looked at the fox host.

"Hm?"

Neji sighed before took a glass of water and splash it allover the letter. Suddenly, the writings began to change, much to Naruto's and Yukiku's surprise.

"The same with that talisman we found… Remember? Naruto you said it smell like salt right? That Enshin. He said he might mistook ink with saltwater. It's a clue. This is a secret letter given to us."

"It's a whole different letter now…" Yukiku commented.

The letter now reads:

**Consider that now I'm a client to your village and I'm seeking for a shinobi's help. Rest assured that, I will pay you all, if this succeeds.**

**You might already notice, this is exactly method that Gonzo used to communicate. What I wanted you to do are to find out who Gonzo's working for. You are to report to me, should you find anything. The location and other information are inscribed on the orb, the Kirigan, one that I gave you.**

**In this respect, I cannot entrust this to Kiri-nins or other Nins that I don't really know of. The Kirigan will allow you entrance to off-limit areas in Kirigakure. Also, it will act as an identification key. If a Kiri-nin asks of your identity, show the orb, and almost everything is done. But don't draw too much attention to yourself. I don't need to tell you about other requirements you need to prepare before you can utilize that orb. **

**Consider this a mission. It will be treated as an S-rank mission and remember if you fail, I will disavow any responsibility of your actions.**

"Give me a break. We're here for Chuunin exam, and then that old fart suddenly going around asking us for missions?"

"Hmm… I don't think we can say no in this matter Naruto… besides… he gave us the orb."

Naruto pulled out the Kirigan. The blue crystal orb shone even more in the midst of the night.

"Kirigan. That single ball will allow access to Kirigakure secret places. We could've used that orb to steal their deepest secrets… In a manner… he actually trusts us. I don't think it's a good idea if we betrayed that trust." Yukiku looked at the still sulking Naruto.

"I agree." Neji nodded.

Naruto finally sighed. "Geezes…"

"Why are you still whining?"

"Nothing. It's just that… it seems I have a knack to have the Chuunin exam I'm in messed up with something else. Oh well, since I'm totally fucked… let's do it."

Neji and Yukiku chuckled. The Haku twin suddenly noticed something else.

"Hey, there's a PS."

"What PS?"

**P.S.: Should you complete the mission, I will pay you 50 million, no questions asked. **

"WHA-!?" Naruto's eyes went out of the socket just when Yukiku closed his mouth.

"Shut up! You want to wake the whole village!?"

"S… Sorry… but that's a heck a lot of money!"

"Considering the risk inherent… it's obvious." Neji frowned.

"Risk?"

"If we are to accept this job, we're talking an international scale military espionage. Kirigakure is under the jurisdiction of Water country. Any accidents are reported directly to the government. The problem here is that, we're Konoha of the Fire Country; they are Mist of the Water Country. If we're captured and blown, it will be reported to Water Country government. The Water Country government could later ask Fire Country government, that is, our village's government, for responsibility. Ultimately, our village will also be affected. If we're not careful…"

"The image of Konoha will deteriorate."

"That's the least of my worries. I'm talking about the possibilities of war! Remember when Sand attacked us? I don't know of the details, but Sand underwent a very deteriorating punishment from its government such as the cutting of budget, economical embargo, they even have to pay for the loss caused by the attack. And that's billions I tell you."

"…"

"…and… if we really fucked up… they could use that as a reason for them to force us… to hand over something more valuable then just money."

"What?"

"Power, Naruto. We're talking about Political powers and Military matter. Many shinobi villages scheme and squabble to steal powerful bloodline limits from another. I don't need to remind of one example of that, do I?"

Naruto frowned. Now he remembered. The White eyes of the Hyuuga. Any village would be ready to pay any price just to know the secret of the Byakuugan.

"So… how should we start?" Naruto tried to change the subject.

"Okay, let's start from this letter. The Mizukage gave us three points. 1. This is the same method used by Gonzo to communicate… in another word, the one who sent Gonzo is someone from the inside from Mist. So basically, this is a coup. Then point number two: we can't use this letter."

"What? Why?"

"Because the contents of the letter changed. Even if we somehow find a way to revert this letter back to its original state, using a recommendation letter from the Mizukage will simply draw suspicion from the examiner and possibly, the traitor as well. Note that, with this, we can't trust anyone from Mist. The last thing we wanted is that our cover to be blown. Understood?"

The two nins nodded.

"Point number three… if we are to use this orb… we have to disguise ourselves as a Mist Nin. Imagine how weird it was if they found a Konoha Nin lingering around with Kirigakure's special orb."

"So… we have to use Henge all the time."

"Not just that. We can't simply transform our looks. We need to ensure that we cover all. Identity, habit… etc."

"Hey, hey. You're going way too far off! Remember, we're genins! That kind of henge… that's Jounin level! We were damn lucky during the Mizukage's case!"

"What would you expect from an S-level mission? First of all we need information. If we just turn to someone, the problem will come if the real ones find out!"

"But where on earth we can get the information?"

"…"

"Hey guys. I was wondering in this letter, the Mizukage said the location was inscribed on the Kirigan. What exactly this means?" Yukiku was reading the letter over and over again for more info.

"Hm?" The two looked at the Kunoichi. Now, she was eying the blue orb.

"What does he means… inscribed? Can't see a thing but Mist's insignia."

"Hmmm…" Naruto took the orb. "Maybe we should break it-OUCH!" Neji and Yukiku punched him right on his head.

"Baka!"

Naruto pouted. "That was only a suggestion!"

"A very stupid one."

"Let's think this logically. Where are we?"

"Mist."

"And where is Mist?"

"Water Country?"

"Bingo." Neji fetched the orb and took it to a sink.

"Hey. What are you doing?"

"Testing my theory." Neji ran the water tap filling the water basin with water. He dipped the orb into the basin…

-------------

The next day…

"WAKE UP CALL!!!!" Kira roared, sending the whole motel's occupant's head through the roof.

-------------

"_Renald Guston…_ (Lots of scratching) _Journal entry number 2-_ (lots of erasing) _30, Month 5._

_Almost everyone got a bump on their heads. Most were Shinobis. Their eyes sent daggers to Kira and the group. Directly to us._

_I RW-_(Scratch) _really hate that Kira guy! The whole household glaring at us and the asshole smiling. Can you believe that? SYMLl _(Erasings) _SMILLING!! FREAKIN' SMILLING! Not even a car3_ (Scratches) _Care in the world!_

_A toast and an omelette. My favorite. But I can't eat. Not with all the shinobi set their bloody eyes on me. The three genins though… seems to take things a lot more… easier. I wonder why though?_"

-------------

"nee, nee, Kira-sensei. You once told us about Kirigakure."

"Uh-hm?"

"You said their Shinobis mainly used Water jutsus, yes?"

"Yes, I did."

"Then you almost say something interesting about them which are…?"

"Ah yes. That part. The interesting part is they put Kenjutsu as one of their academy compulsory subjects. Before the Zabuza incident, a pair of academy students must kill each other before they can be considered full grown Genin. Remember the two bell test? Think it like that."

"We weren't asked to _kill_ each other to get the bells." Naruto frowned. "We were supposed to work together."

"I think it's a matter of policy and beliefs. The current Mizukage, that is, Enshin Kirimaru the fourth one, and I believed to be the oldest, second only to Sandaime Hokage, doesn't share his beliefs with the late Hokage's pacifist ideals, hence the reason why Konoha and Kiri's relationship… was not that good. What's with the sudden change in leadership to Tsunade… our relationship is beginning to crack."

"Hmm… what of the 7 Devil Swordsman? You've mentioned them before several times." Neji asked.

"Ah yes. They… I can say they're a symbol of Kiri-nin's pinnacle of achievement in Kenjutsu. Seven most powerful Swordsmen in Mist. The seven swordsmen serve as prefects, assisting the Mizukage in leading and protecting the village. In regards to this, Mist made Kenjutsu their main branches. Their swordsmanship is considered the best in the five countries hence why the number of people wishes to study in that subject are enormous. The 7 swordsman other task is to manage all those students, together with Mizukage. Then again… that was only technical reasoning. Basically, the position of each swordsman must be regenerated several times. Hence, each of them has a handful of students, handpicked from thousands of candidates. Among the few of chosen students, the best is chosen as a successor of the current swordsman, and continue the job replacing his or her master."

"…what if the swordsman killed in battle or went missing?"

"When that happens, either the previous swordsman, if he/she still lives, took the job, or it's up to the Mizukage to handpick another shinobi. That's the official rule. Practically, the position is up to the Mizukage: that is, either till the person filled the post is dead or he found someone better."

"What's with the number seven? Why not ten or twelve. You know, I used to hear these stories in my country about 12 knights and something…" Renald followed suit.

"The 7 swordsmen power over village is second only to Mizukage. Hence, practically, each person governed 1/7 part of the whole village, and that's a lot of control. With such power the last thing the Mizukage want is power struggle. Hence their control over the village is evenly and carefully divided. This decision was made during the rule of the 2nd Mizukage. A spoiled son of the first, he was chosen by the government of Water Country and become their pet Kage. The weakest amongst the 4 generations of Mizukages of the Mist, no doubt. Obviously his reign didn't last long. Nevertheless, the third and the fourth adopted this way of leadership style, consecutively with much stronger and stable control over the village."

"I see… how did you know all this?"

"Hey, Shitennou hadn't lived eternity for nothing." Kira smiled.

"So… who are the current Swordsmen now?" Yukiku followed.

"Hmm… That will be… Fetaru Hiko the Swordfish, Fetaru Kyoko the Dolphin, Fudo Touzou the Whale, Fumiyata Zasaki the Hammerhead, Mizunari Fujiki the Octopus and the infamous Murakumo Shougo no Aka Umi (Murakumo Shougo of the Red Seas)."

"Eeh? Wait the minute there… there were only six? I thought they were seven?"

"The seventh is Hoshigaki Kisame the Shark. He's a missing nin. But at the same time, he's still one of the swordsmen. A swordsman cannot be renounced until either he resigned his position, or… he's dead. Take Kyoko the Dolphin, for example. She became a swordsman… eh-hem, I mean swordswoman after the death of Zabuza."

"I… see… What about that Mizukage?"

"He was formerly one of the 7 swordsmen. Usually known as Enshin Kirimaru the Great White Shark. He was originally fated to become Sandaime Mizukage. Some… classified ill accidents happened, and he had to renounce that position. Later when the late Sandaime Mizukage was murdered, he was entrusted with the job as the Yondaime Mizukage. Now… though reluctant, he's been looking for a successor."

"Hmmm… the fifth huh?"

"That's right."

"Hey, I've just noticed this." Naruto suddenly perked up. "All the Swordsmen and woman, they all bear a fish name title. What does it meant?"

"When someone is initiated as a swordsman, they will receive two things: a 'sword' that suited up with their skills, and a scroll, containing a contract of a creature they characteristics fits. Hence, the sea animal titles. What's with Mist is in a watery environment."

"Talk about that, this place ain't watery at all. Oh and one more thing, you mention someone the infamous Murakumo Shougo guy or something. I notice this just now, he's the only one that doesn't have any fish title. Why is that?" Renald asked.

"Hmmm… Murakumo Shougo is… in a matter of speaking, a guy with the same level with Jiraiya. Unlike the famous Sannin though, all information about him was… a top confidentiality matter in Mist. Nobody knows who he is. We have to endure a long stressing process just to know his weight, for goodness sake. If a shinobi from another village know anything of fact about him, they are to be executed on the spot. But I did hear some rumors. He's a master in water elements, and it was said that, when he fights, the land around is always… flooded with blood. Like red sea. However, he is a powerful swordsman. Hence he was accepted in the Swordsmanship order… however… he didn't have any summoning contracts because… well…" Kira lower his voice to whispers and motioned the four to come closer. "Seiryuu told me a thing or two about him. You see, Seiryuu is the master of sea. He rules over the oceans of the earth and protect everything within. That is to say, fishes. Now, you can laugh, but the fishes have been complaining about this Murakumo Shougo guy. They say he polluted the water with blood. Fishes can't stand living in blood. Hence… not a single creature in the sea or water is willing to make a contract with him. And hence the Red Sea title as well."

"Poor guy." Naruto commented.

"Seiryuu simply say that is for the better."

"Hmm… didn't Seiryuu tell you everything about this guy?"

"He did for job purposes, but if I tell you, I have to kill you."

Naruto pouted. Neji then tried to change the topic. "What of Mist fighting style?"

"The basic concept is by enclosing their own existence and then stealthily attacked enemies. They prefer a hit and run attack, causing big damage with one blow and eventually killing the target. Depending on the target and the level of the Shinobi, it can be a one hit kill or gradual damaging. Off course the use of such methods varies accordingly to the levels of the Nin, and the preferences of the shinobi as well. Having learned Kenjutsu, some Nins sometimes develop some short of a strict way of bushido honor code. Take example of Fetaru Hiko. From what I knew, he despises the use of Kirigakure no Jutsu and prefer to battle enemy head on."

"Like Samurai, you mean?" Renald scribbled every piece of information in his journal.

"Yes. Just like that. Note that people who do that are those with great confidences in their skills and normally they are top-notch."

Yukiku suddenly remembered why they were here. "Speaking of which when will the Chuunin exam begin? Aren't it supposed to be… just a few days away?" Kira chuckled in response.

"Ha, ha… few days away? It's today!"

"WHAT?" Everyone gasped.

Followed suit, sirens suddenly sounded. Everyone in the room looked bewildered and looked outside. Without further ado, several people began to run outside; the Konoha team included. Outside, dozens of shinobis had already gathered at the center of the village. A group of Shinobis, that is, Mist, stood at the center of the crowd. One particularly large muscular man wearing a thick Mist Jounin atop his long sleeved white long cloth. The man had sturdy face and a neck long green hair. A large, anchor like Claymore sword rested on his back.

Everyone gathered around the Mist Nins. Naruto and the other two struggled to get a better look.

The large man looked at the crowd that stood before him before began to speak with booming voice. "Welcome shinobis and Kunoichis who had come to enter the Chuunin Exam. However, I'm afraid that I bring ill news for all of you. It seems you all have… landed on a wrong side of the village."

All Mist Jounins sniggered.

"What do you mean?" A waterfall Kunoichi asked.

"This is not Kirigakure." The large man simply answered.

Only a few murmurs arose from the crowd. Obviously most of them had already known the truth.

"What?"

"No way!"

"It's a trap!"

"We haven't been told anything!"

The large man raised his hand, silencing them immediately. "Relax. This is part of the Chuunin Exam. I believe that most of you must've been to Wave City. There, we've sent our men to spread false information that the Chuunin exam will be done here. So I understand very well if you all come here."

Naruto muttered under his breath. "What info?"

"This place is not Mist. No, ladies and Gentlemen this is merely an outpost. Prepared so for the commencement of the Chuunin exam initial preliminaries. You see… this year and possibly future Chuunin exam is a little different then the one you used to know."

"Preliminaries?"

"Yes. Preliminaries will become a compulsory part of our Chuunin Exam. So you can say… there will be 4 exams. This was meant to select those who are worthy and those who are not. Consider it… a test. You see, I don't want to sound rude, but we've been seeing unworthy trashes these days. We need to ensure it won't happen."

"Hey. What did you say? Take it back you asshole!" a large muscular man next to Naruto shouted angrily. The large Mist nin looked at the man and smiled. He suddenly appeared right in front of the man. He looked at him for a few moments and chuckled.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to offend you." He tapped the man's right shoulder gently. The man in question huffed and slapped the hand away.

"Don't touch me ya' Freak! Who do you think I am! I'm Goro, from the… errh… Dangogakure! Touched me again I'll turn you to mincemeat!"

"Right. By the way, I think you should do something about that arm of yours."

"What you want… some?" Goro looked at his right arm… or at least… the stump where the arm used to be. The arm in question is lying on the ground, lifeless, separated from the shoulder. Following the realization of pain, blood burst out from the stump paired with a scream. "A… a…. AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"

Everyone's eyes widened. The large Mist Jounin seemed took no notice as he still smiled. "That ladies and gentlemen, is an example of unworthiness."

Naruto gulped as Goro continued to scream and wail. Amidst the noise he whispered to both of his teammate. "Guys did you just see that?"

"Barely. He cut the man's arm BEFORE he tapped the man's shoulder!" Neji felt cold-sweat falling on the back of his neck.

"But look at the size of that sword!" Yukiku gawked at the large anchor like sword resting on the Jounin's back. It's even bigger and much thicker then her Head Cleaver. The thought that the Jounin swung it with such speed that even the victim didn't realize it…

"That is the power of Fumiyata Zasaki the Hammerhead. One of the Seven Devil Swordsman. That Anchor sword, it's called Shin'enkiri (Abyss Cutter)." Kira and Renald suddenly appeared right behind the trio.

"He's one of the 7 devil swordsman?"

"Yes."

Meanwhile Zasaki began speaking again. "If this is your first time, listen up! Chuunin exam isn't only about sitting in the chair and write answers on a piece of paper. It's about staking your life. Death… is inevitable occurrence. If any of you wish to pull back, do so now. We will not be responsible for death occurring during the exam."

Everyone was deadly silent, much to the Mist Swordsman's satisfaction. "Now that I have your attention, we will begin the Chuunin Exam shortly. Those of you who still need to make preparation please do so immediately in 5 minutes."

In a flash, more then half of the listeners disappeared in puffs of smokes. Naruto and the others immediately flickered back to their room, packing things as quickly as they could.

"Guys, get up your gear. As for your clothes and all, leave them to me! Hurry!"

"Hai!"

--------------

"_Not much of a major shock, but the fuss caused by it was quite evident._

_Everyone running, shouting, the once quiet outpost was replaced with ruckuses. The already tense atmosphere intensified. Still… Exactly 5 minutes after, everyone had gathered again."_

--------------

"Good. You've all had gathered. Now then, the preliminary will begin." Zasaki motioned the other Jounins to distribute sheets of paper to the Shinobis.

"Who's your team?" A Mist nin asked Neji.

"These two are with me."

"Right." He handed the paper to the Hyuuga. The Konoha nins read it immediately.

**Don't move 50 km to the South**

**Don't move to the right when you've reached 10 km**

**The village is not on 30 km radius**

**When the sun rise, the village can only see it clearly when it sets**

**River flows towards the village**

**There you will see the village**

"The papers I've just given you, contains information about the location of our village. This test is about finding the village. You have 5 days to find it and you can use any means necessary. Lateness and you will be disqualified."

"…Okay. Let's go guys." Neji nodded understandingly.

"Ah, before you go…" Zasaki made several handseals before slamming both palm to the ground. The next second, the whole village ground level rose up. The ground around them crumbles apart, creating a large cliff surrounding the whole village. The remaining land cracked, and a monstrous amount of water burst forth. In an instant, the village was stuck in the middle of a large lake. The lake fell to the cliff, creating a circular waterfall, surrounding the already isolated village.

The crowd gaped.

Zasaki chuckled. "Let the test begin!"

Naruto gulped. "Wow… that was some cliffs…"

"They're isolating us!" Yukiku frowned.

"Maybe that's the point. So that, before we can go to their village, we have to get out of here first."

Naruto looked at the edge of the cliff. "We obviously can't jump out…" it was pretty wide and deep. It's about 4 km long and you can't see the bottom.

Suddenly a sound of screeching can be heard. They turned around to see a shinobi team riding atop a large falcon.

"Where did that falcon came from?"

"That's summons! They've summoned falcons!" Neji gaped.

"Not just summon… look!" Yukiku pointed out. A stone nin cast a jutsu and created a stone bridge that linked the village to the ground.

"Oh wow! Hey we can hitch a ride along with them!"

"No, Naruto wait!" Neji pointed out. As the stone nins and several other people ran across from one side, the other side of the bridge began to crumble as strong currents of the water corrode the structure, what's with so many people running atop it. Not a moment too soon, the bridge crumbles apart, sending the people atop it towards their doom.

"What? Why?" Naruto blinked.

"The waterfall. Because of the waterfall, there's a strong current of the water that is flowing against us. Even if we can hop out from this place, we have to fight the stream so that we won't be swept away by the current into the cliff. It's a large lake made by jutsu. The current won't stop. This means we have to use extra chakra to withstand the current if we use water walking technique. We're running out of chakra and…"

"We'll be sleeping with the fishes."

"That sounds about right. If we have a jutsu that can create a powerful enough bridge…" Yukiku began contemplating an idea of making an ice bridge.

"I don't think making a bridge is a good idea. Others might follow us. Not that I'm selfish, but what if the same thing happening to the Stone Nins happens to us as well?" Neji reminded them.

"…so… the other idea is to have a contract…"

"Well we have that, didn't we?" Naruto happily gathered some chakra and made a set of seals. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!!" He bit his thumb and slammed the ground. A puff of smoke appeared… and Gamakichi enters the fray.

"Helloooo there… Nii-san!"

"Kichi… WHY DID YOU APPEAR?" Naruto yelled.

"Eh? I was bored."

"I… HATE you FROGS!" Naruto bit his thumb again and perform the same set of seals. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

This time… Gamatatsu appears.

Neji and Yukiku sweatdropped.

--------------

"_5 hours later…_

_Poor Naruto still keep summoning small toads… he seems pretty frustrated with each result. I can grasp what he wants to do though and the reason for his frustration is that, instead of summoning the kind of frog he wants, he summoned underage frogs… now he's cursing why there's such thing as the law prohibiting animal abuse…_

_Anyway, as I wrote, our spot had become a small frog-Ville…" _

--------------

"Haa… haa… haa… again! Kuchiyose no jutsu!!"

A cloud of smoke later, and another small toad appeared.

"Hello, I'm Gamachibi, pleased to meet you!"

Naruto fell down amidst dozens of toads, none big enough to carry even one of them, much less jumping over the cliff.

Neji and Yukiku sit o a stone, eating dango as they watch the blond genin performed the Kuchiyose no jutsu for the umpteenth time. This time, it called a tailed frog.

"…what a bum. I bet he's still learning that jutsu."

"I don't think so. Naruto's trying to call forth the boss of the toads. I think its name is Gamabunta or something. At any rate, if this continues, we're not going anywhere. Naruto come here for a minute!"

"LATER! I'm going to call Bunta-oyajii even if that's the last thing I'm going to do!" He performed one more Kuchiyose no jutsu and called… a tadpole. Naruto fell down to the ground. He suddenly realized he was covered in sweat. He was exhausted. "What's wrong with me? I'm certain that I've made the seal right… I've gathered a right amount of chakra… why…?"

"The seal." Kira's face suddenly appeared right in front of him.

"Kira? What seal?"

"Remember the new seal I've put into you?"

"That seal…"

Flashback

A few days after Kira first got Seiryuu's order to completely seal Kyuusei…

Naruto was lying on his back, his upper clothes were removed, revealing his bare chest, and the seal of Kyuubi appeared on his stomach.

Nine Kira performed a set of seals. Few moments later, all nine slammed both palms to the ground. 'Fuuin, Genryuu Kyuu Fuujin! (Seal, Illusionary Dragon Complete seal of nine)' A set of glowing blue kanji appeared allover the ground crisscrossing each other before gathered atop Naruto's old seal. Nine Kira transform into bodies of Chakra which formed nine dragons and encircling Naruto. Nine more Kira immediately follow up and each creates a different set of seal. 'Fuuin, Rengemon Kaiho!! (Seal, Lotus Gate World Order)' nine giant gates rose, encircling Naruto.

'Now to undo the seal left by you, fourth…' One Kira appeared on top Naruto, finishing the final seal. 'Unseal, Shiki Saisei! (Death Demon Genesis!)' Kira rammed his hand to Naruto's stomach. The seal began to dissipate. Naruto suddenly roared in pain as red Youki began to pour out from his entire body. Kira tried to maintain it but a burst of immense Youki managed to push him away. 'Damn it… it's in times like this I really wish you're still alive First! (AN: he means the first Hokage)'

Naruto roared again. The Youki began to take shape of a fox, one tail was formed. The seal in his stomach was only half undone.

'Again! Shiki Saisei!' Kira rammed his palms on Naruto again. This time, he let some of the Youki burned his skin.

"GRRHH… GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!"

The seal on Naruto's stomach disappeared immediately. Instantaneously, 4 tails appeared and Naruto's skin began to corrode. "GROAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!!"

"NOW!" Kira yelled. On cue, the nine chakra dragons went through the gates. The gates disintegrated and covered the chakra dragon, forming 9 large metallic dragons. The dragons head straight to Naruto, four swallowed the 4 tails, while the rest had their jaw locked Naruto's movement in various places. They glowed brightly before entering Naruto's body. The blonde's figure went rigid when the 9 ethereal creatures entered his body. When the last dragon disappeared into his body, Naruto's body finally went limp.

"Phew… all in a day's work." Kira sighed, but smiled nonetheless.

Few minutes later…

Naruto woke up to find himself was lying in green grass field and Kira sitting next to him.

"Kira?"

"It's done. The new seal is complete."

"Seal?"

Kira motioned the blonde to look at his stomach. Naruto looked at his belly to find nine blue dragon ornaments plastered allover his body. The dragon heads encircled his belly with his bellybutton on the center. It glowed for a moment before vanished completely. "This is…?"

"Nine Dragon Gate seal formation. Let's have a look shall we?" Kira touched Naruto's forehead… and then his finger went through his forehead. Naruto suddenly found himself in the all too familiar watery corridors. He looked around when Kyuubi's roaring voice called.

**OVER HERE, KIT.**

Naruto ran to the source of the noise. He turned around the corner and found his jaw dropped to the ground.

The dark, shadowy Kyuubi's cage he once knew was no more. Instead, a massive circular net was hanged above the surface of the water. 9 giant ornate chains that hanged the said 'ball' were connected to 9 equally gigantic floating pillars with dragon ornaments sculptured. At the center of the giant circular cage, Kyuusei was sitting at the edge of the cage absentmindedly.

"Wow… Kyuusei? This is your new cage eh?"

"At least this one got some style. Unlike the one that blond asshole put me in." The Demon Overlord groaned.

"Glad you like it, because you'll be spending some time in there." Kira suddenly appeared.

"Kinda upset my handiwork on the previous gate was gone though…" Kyuusei smirked.

"Well, try to break this one. You won't be able to use Naruto's emotion to bypass this seal again."

"Yeah, yeah… but you know damn well of the consequences… right?"

"I do. Naruto, from here on out, you won't be able to rely on Kyuusei's Youki anymore. This means no Onijutsu."

"I plan not to." Naruto frowned. "No Onijutsu eh?"

"Hmph… this cage means nothing. NOTHING. I will never stop trying to break free, Kira, make no mistake of that. You may win this round, but you haven't won the war."

Naruto snorted.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Come on Naruto."

Kira tapped Naruto's shoulder. The next instance, Naruto was back to the reality. "Kira?"

"That's the new seal in you, Naruto. No Youki can get in, or out. What? About Kyuusei's last sentence right? Are you surprised or anything?"

"I expect nothing less from a guy like him. We already HATE each other anyway. Though… the reason why he taught me his Onijutsu was quite… confusing."

"It was a trick, Naruto. By teaching you his Onijutsu, you'll keep using his Youki, consciously or unconsciously. At such, little by little, the seal will deteriorate."

"Really."

"Then again… I think he'll keep teaching in you. In fact, I believe he have to. Orochimaru, Akatsuki… you've made yourself a number of very dangerous enemies over the time. If you die, he'll die too. So you see… He HAS to make you stronger if he's to survive."

"Bet life's a bitch for him now."

**YOU GOT THAT RIGHT.**

"What the… I thought I'll never hear him again?"

"Well… there are certain things he can bypass. Besides, having someone to talk to is better then none right? Besides, believe me, it'll be extremely useful."

"Point taken. So… now I can't use his Youki anymore… right?"

"Yes… on usual circumstances that is."

"Circumstances? What do you mean?"

"Remember the Garou's case? After that incident, me and Seiryuu convened and decided this is the best seal we could use. I'm combining Nine Genryuu Kyuu Fuujin and 8 Rengemon Kaiho. I'm placing odd number seal atop even number seal. Hence…I'm making the Genryuu Kyuu Fuujin imperfect."

"Why would you place an imperfect seal on me?"

"So that… under certain circumstances, you can still have access to Kyuusei's Youki."

"What?"

"After the Garou incident I realized there's a glitch… that someone of the Youma'ou can cross over without detection. There's a civil war in Ma Kai… A power struggle to fill the vacuum of power left by Kyuubi's absence. Off course, if Kyuubi returned, that power vacuum is no more, so what to do? Yes. You got it right. Kill Kyuubi. Off course, considering Kyuubi's power, you won't win even if you got 9 lives. But, now, with Kyuubi inside you, and what's with you being so weak compared to the Youma'ou's power…" Naruto sent a glare to Kira, who continued without a care. "…Kyuubi is also in the most vulnerable state. That's why I placed the Rengemon Kaiho Fuuin. You know Renge no Jutsu, right? Opening the gates of human limit. This one works the same. Only, there are nine gates. Now don't be too cheerful yet. Ura Renge and Renge are opened manually by the user. These gates… you won't be able to open it manually."

"So… how do I open them?"

"You don't get it do you? You can't! Not even if you're as angry as hell. The previous seal reacted to your emotion; most notably emotional instability. It reacted to factors INSIDE you. This one reacted to EXTERNAL factors."

"I don't get it."

"Chakra, Naruto. Chakra level of your environment."

"What?"

"In another words, the gate will open following the amount of chakra flowing around you. If the chakra in the 'environment' reached a certain level, one gate will open. The chakra continue to rose, another will open again, and so on and so on… in short, the stronger the enemy, the more Youki you will receive."

"Wait the minute, wait the minute. What if there are plenty of people? What if there are hundreds? Took example of Akatsuki. Remember, Akatsuki are 9 people that can take on a whole country!"

"Very perceptive. But that's the point right? To get stronger as you fight stronger people. But… how many times in your life you'll fight a whole bunch of Akatsuki all at the same time? This new seal is designed so that you can only use it when you need them the most. So it will only open if you fight exceptionally powerful people. Besides… I doubt there aren't that many people in this world have the power to surpass even the first gate… 'cept Jinchuriki and Shitennou."

"Hmmm…"

"Note that… it might take a while for your body to get used to this new seal. Probably a few days… until then… you won't be able to use any high level jutsu properly, but Kawarimi… Henge… and Bunshin might do."

"How long? Exactly?"

"…If you're lucky… only 2-3 hours… if you're unlucky… 2-3 years?"

"I'm gonna kill you."

Flashback ends…

"Please… don't tell me I have to wait 2-3 years to get my skills back?" Naruto groaned.

"No… I'm not saying you cn't cast any jutsu… I'm just saying… it may take more chakra to perform the jutsu. Catch my drift?"

"…gimme a soldier pill and I'll try it again."

Instead, Kira placed a food Naruto thought he'll never see again. Ramen.

"Ramen? In times like this?"

"What you need is not an energy stimulant. What you need is a permanent energy replacement. Here. Eat up."

"…" Naruto finally knelt and eat up his favorite food.

"Nakama exist not just to sit around and watch you know."

"Eh?"

"That's all I have to say." Kira smiled.

Naruto frowned trying to grasp what exactly Kira meant. "More Chakra… Nakama…" He blinked. 'That simple?' He rested for a bit more, putting the thought into consideration. Several minutes later…

"Oi… Neji, Yukiku, come here for minute."

The two walk to Naruto. "Nanni?"

"Kira said that, because of the new seal in me, I might not be able to use some of my jutsu properly… he said something about more chakra… I was thinking… Neji, Yukiku, can you transfer some of your chakra into me? With the three of us using them altogether, I might be able to call at least medium classed toad…"

"Hmm… We can try that." Neji and Yukiku nodded.

The two placed their palm on Naruto's back. Chakra began to flow slowly from the two into Naruto.

'…no… this is not enough!' "More guys! Give it all!"

The two complied and send in more. Kira observe everything from afar.

"**He's quite bright ain't he?"** a voice suddenly chirped right next to him.

"Naw… I've given him too much hints, off course he'll catch up. The problem starts from here."

"**And you haven't told him… have you?"** Torii perched gleefully on Kira's shoulder.

"My bad." Kira grinned.

Naruto quietly made a tiger seal as he feel chakra flowing in. Gradually he can feel power building inside him. He would've continued… had it not for the sudden stinging pain bursting within his body. So much, he had to groan.

Alarmed by the reaction, Neji panicked a bit and stopped. "Yukiku stop! Naruto, what's wrong?"

"I don't know… just then… I felt burning or something…"

"Rejection." Kira spoke.

"Eh?" The trio looked at their sensei. "Rejection?"

-------------

"Hai. Rejection." Tsunade confirmed. "Sakura, how much you know about chakra?"

"Eh… well… chakra is a combination between physical and mental energy. We have it by converting our stamina, imbuing it with mental energy turning it into chakra."

"Yes. Exactly by the book, down to the last coma. However, chakra coils are intertwined closely with our body cells. Nurturing our body. Without it, our bones will be as soft as wet tissue, and somebody can kill someone by gently pushing them. In another word… chakra is actually our energy source, intertwined heavily into our very body. Hence, every part of our body is one with our chakra physically… and mentally."

"Mentally?"

"Yes. A unity, I might say. And a unity can never be disturbed. This disturbance, for example is other people chakra."

"W… wait the minute… are you saying that, we're endangering other people's life by simply putting our chakra in them?"

"Take example of the Hyuugas, then."

-------------

"Kira-sensei, are you referring to the Hyuuga's Jyuuken?"

"Exactly. It's the best living proof. Do you know how Jyuuken actually works?"

"By implanting chakra into the opponents body, disrupting their flow of chakra, disabling from any jutsu."

"Alright, lemme rephrase the question. How then, exactly, the chakra disrupts another one's chakra?"

"Well we direct them to do so off course…!" Neji stopped as Kira eyed him sharply.

"Take care in what you say… Neji. Once a chakra leaves your body, it's already entering a domain that is beyond your control."

-------------

"The Tenketsu point is the point where people can burst their chakra. But since chakra can come out that way, another chakra can also came in. When a foreign chakra enters another person's body, an act of repulsing the foreign object will also appear. There's a system in chakra coil that resembles blood cells. The paralysis caused by Jyuuken was actually caused by the excessive action performed by one's body to resist the foreign object entering one's body that is, so to speak, the foreign chakra. They overstress themselves, and the body, in an attempt to prevent more damage, subconsciously ceased all body actions to stop the chakra disruption. This is why the Hyuugas are remarked the strongest in the leaf. Can you repel a jutsu that force your own body to overstress itself to obliteration?"

Sakura gulped. "But then… what of us, Medical nins? We use chakra, we pour our chakra inside people's wounds right?"

"There's a flow Sakura. A pattern one might say, inside each people's chakra. Unique to each person. Nowhere in this world will you find a person with the exact same pattern. When a small amount of foreign chakra enters one's body, his chakra flow can easily alter that small amount of chakra, making it aligned with the flow. However… if say, the amount of chakra is intolerable, the body will react in rejection. An act that makes one's body subconsciously refuses that foreign chakra. That's why when dealing with serious wounds where large amount of chakra is involved, sometimes we need a little help from seals and alike. The paralysis caused by the Hyuugas… was merely a transition period before the excruciating pain when the body seemingly turned against oneself."

-------------

"However, put it longer, and the pain will begin to surface. Hinata, I believed, from your battle history with her, Neji, had suffered the same thing too."

"I'm ashamed of myself for that." Neji bent his head down in regret.

"What's done is done. Naruto, you're doing the right thing. Now, it's just the matter on HOW you're going to do so."

"Hmmm…"

-------------

"However, it's not that we Medic Nin become grim reaper all the sudden. Medic Nin had been trained to synchronize their chakra pattern with the patient's flow, hence, their chakra will be able to blend with the patient's chakra perfectly."

"I see… sugoi nee, Tsunade Shishou! You're such a good teacher!"

Tsunade chuckled at the praise. "Ie… you want to praise? Praise Her."

"Her?"

"You know Naruto's current sensei, that Kira-guy? I've met Kira Yamato the first time when I'm still at your age, when I'm still under Sarutobi-sensei's tutelage. He, Sarutobi-sensei, Jiraiya and surprisingly Orochimaru got along very well. Off course, as you can imagine, I felt like I'm being left out. But…I'm not that surprised… they are battle purpose shinobis to begin with. Then, another time he visited us, that is, 2 years after the first meeting, he brought a woman with him."

"A woman?"

"Very, very young…girl or so it seems. I've already known that Kira faked his youth… and I supposed it's the same for her as well. In all my years… she's the first medic nin I've ever seen up close… and perhaps she's the one that inspires me to become a medic nin."

"Really? How was she?"

"…inhuman."

"What?"

"I mean her knowledge… her skills… her ingenuity… her… everything… it was sublimely, terrifyingly, INHUMANLY staggering. She came saying accompanying Kira, and said because she wanted to learn about Konoha's medical jutsus. And imagine this, in just a short 3 days, she mastered every medical jutsu known to every Nin in Konoha… and in fact, in a week, she was able to demonstrate a radically much more advanced medical ninjutsu, ones based on our own… but in the level in which… possibly 100 years more advanced. Her knowledge of human anatomy, medical science and everything related to it vastly outclassed ours."

"…" Sakura's mouth hanged in awe.

"…despite that… she was very friendly. Likes children… and I get to chat with her a couple of times… it's from her I was inspired to become a medic nin. When I become a Jounin, she along Kira came to congratulate me… and we held several discussions about medical matters. She's the one who told me about this rejection stuff…"

"Sugeee… this land is vast… I never know such talented person exist…"

"I told you this because… you reminded me of her."

"Eh?"

"…you and her, share one thing common. How many people on this earth you can find woman with pink hair eh?"

"Pink Hair…" Sakura looked at her own hair. "Heeeehhh…"

-------------

The next day, still on the isolated outpost…

"UGYAAAA!!" Naruto knelt down, holding his own body. 'Darn it… Darn it, darn it, darn it!!! It was as if my body was torn asunder!'

"Naruto, are you alright?" Neji took hold of Naruto.

"Baka! How can he be alright!?" Yukiku scolded worriedly.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good ide-"

"We had no time left. This is the only thing we can do." Naruto stomped the ground, renewing his resolve. He looked at the other shinobis. Most of them had already left, either towards their doom or towards their destination. '…synchronizing chakra… yeah right. We really don't have time…'

"…with the current state of my body, we need at least ten times the amount needed to summon." The blond stated. "Neji, Yukiku, this is our last bet. Now, just keep transferring Chakra into me, until I say stop. And don't stop even if I'm groaning or screaming. Understand?"

"N…Naruto."

"…" Yukiku gulped.

The two finally placed their arms on Naruto's back. Chakra began flowing again. Naruto gritted his teeth, trying to concentrate. 'The pain alarms me the amount of chakra entering my body. So, if I bring it to the very threshold of the pain…'

And it began again. The excruciating pain that was overflowing all his veins. Naruto gritted his teeth as hard as he could. 'Remember what Kira said!'

_Flashback…_

Yesterday…

"Asking Neji and Yukiku to synchronize their chakra pattern with yours will be as impossible as asking them to memorize a dictionary in one second. So, it'll be all up to you."

"Up to me?"

"Yes. Remember what I said, chakra will automatically attempt to either: 1. reject the chakra, or 2. out-power them and force the chakra to follow one's pattern. What you had to do off course, is the latter. Naruto, you possess the greatest amount of chakra amongst the group. Use that to force Neji and Yukiku's chakra to follow your pattern."

_End of Flashback_

'THINK! Imagine their chakra as leafs falling into the river! The river is my chakra!'

Naruto groaned as he began feeling that burning pain again. 'A little bit more… a little bit more… now!'

In a zip Naruto performed the hand seal needed to summon. Just then, he sensed something weird, it was as if his chakra was sucked. In his shock, he lost concentration, and just as fast as it appeared, the feeling abruptly disappeared, followed with a fresh sensation of pain. "AGH!" Naruto dropped to his knees again.

"Naruto!" Yukiku kneel down and looked at the blonde boy. Her finger winced when she touched his skin. God, it was extremely hot!

Naruto pants and gasps. Despite that though… he was chuckling. "Haa… haa… well done… Yukiku, Neji! That was right!"

"What?"

"I'm saying you're doing it right. I'm the one who screw up. I think I've grasped it. Now, you two listen: just do it exactly what you've done before. Understand?"

"But…"

"No buts Neji! We're so close."

The two gulped nervously. But another look at Naruto's face answers all. He's going to do it even if it means he's going to die.

"Okay."

Like before, they placed their palms on Naruto's back. Chakra began to flow in.

Naruto, like before, began concentrating, imagining his chakra to be like a river flowing, sweeping leafs falling into the stream. When the burning pain burns in again, he only gritted his teeth without a sound. 'That feeling before… it only happens when I begin the jutsu… which means…' The chakra continue to grow… on, and on… it was so much, it became visible.

"Now or never!! NINPOU! KUCHIYOSE NO JUTSU!!!" Naruto slammed his smeared palm to the ground.

The feeling came again. But this time, Naruto didn't stop. In his mind, the once steady 'flowing river' suddenly speed up, taking the already overwhelming 'leafs'. Chakra from allover Naruto's inner coil flowed into a single point: Naruto's palm.

A mountain of smoke arose, coupled with a loud crashing sound. Kira's eyes widened.

"JIRAIYA!!! WHERE ARE YOU DAMMIT!?" Bunta looked around, trying to find the Hentai jii-san. The giant toad earned wide eyed stare from everyone.

"Oooiii… Oyabun…" Naruto, Neji, and Yukiku all were lying on Bunta's back. Naruto particularly was tired… but satisfied.

"…? Kobun? You summoned me?"

"Haaaaaaai! Finally. Neji, tell him where we wanna go. I'm too tired dammit. I'll rest for a bit."

"Roger." Neji smiled before looking at the Boss of Toad. "Gamabunta sama, we need to get out of this village first. Can you jump the distance?"

"Hmm. No prob." Bunta smirked. "3… 2… 1!!" Bunta, true to his word, jumped out and with a loud crash, landed on the streaming river.

Zasaki, who was watching everything was utterly shocked. 'That was… a boss level summon? What village was that?'

Kira also watched everything. '…I see… He couldn't force the foreign Chakra to follow his pattern, so he used Ninpou Kuchiyose as a catalyst to make the 'current' of his Chakra stronger, carrying both Neji's and Yukiku' chakra along in the activation of the jutsu… he waited for the chakra to build up in his body… and then, gathered them all forcibly into a single point, with the jutsu activation as the trigger… Just like the principle of a whirlpool.' "Really… Naruto, you never cease to surprise me."

"Anoo… Kira-san?"

"Nanni?"

Renald chuckled nervously. "How are we gonna cross?"

"Hmm… Oh yeah… I forgot about that. Now… what to do… what to do…?"

"WHAAAAAAAAAAT!?"

----------------

----------------

----------------

Done! Oh, and new picture are posted. See my profile, Ok?

Omake:

Guess where Deidara is.

Deidara's days in interrogation

Minichapter 4:

New Sewer Manager

Athrun was wearing a gas mask when he met Baki on the way.

"Mr Athrun? Is that you?"

"Yes. Can I help you?"

"Well actually, I was about to ask of Gaara's progress… you see the council is pretty much concerned about what, with the lack of better terms, Doctrine you taught."

"Straight to the point. Are they asking about his mental stability?"

"Well…"

"As far as I concerned, he hasn't killed anyone. That should be enough for all of us. Now if you excuse me."

"I've been wondering. What's with that gas mask?"

"If you're going to follow me, I suggest you wear it too."

"Huh?"

Athrun walked slowly to what looked like a well. There's a rope hanged, protruding all the way down to the well, just like average water well. However, a stench of unpleasant odor that caught Baki's nose mad him sure as hell, down there is not water.

Athrun took the rope and pull it up. The odor became evident as a figure rose from the well, and Baki closed his nose.

"Deidara-san. I've changed the question haven't I? Now I just want to know, who financed you people, their methods and etc… and most importantly, what exactly is your goal hm? I mean I understand if you guys need large amount of power but for what? Can you tell me?"

"EAT SHIITT!!!"

"Okay." Athrun released the rope and Deidara fell down again.

"Errhh… Mr. Athrun… What's in that well?"

Athrun made a face and walked away.

Meanwhile, in Sunagakure's public toilet…

Shinobi's were sitting in the toilet, chatting as they unleash their 'load' (read: sXXt). One man was sitting calmly on the edge. When everyone had left their 'seat', he pulled down a handle (marked "flush")

Just then, a genin walked in. "Anoo… gomennne… but I think I dropped my headband into the toilet."

"Dear… next time please be more careful!" Go to the registration and get a new one."

"Hai."

With Deidara…

"PUAH!! PUAAAAHH!! I'm GONNA KILL HIM!! Huh? Whose headband is this?"


	24. Meeting the Octopus

BIG BAD MEANIE WRITER BLOCKS HAD SENT NUCLEAR WARHEADS OF LAZINESS TO MY SPIRIT FACTORY! I'M LOSING CHAKRA! SORRY!!! For the overly long update.

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": special case**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA: Giant creature speech **

"_Bla, bla, bla…"_ : _Renald's writing._

**Chapter 23:**

**Meeting the Octopus in the Way**

Bunta make one huge leap after another. "I see… so you wish to get to Chuunin exam again and now you need to go to the Mist Village yes? Okay… I could've told you but…"

"Save it. We don't even need this paper to begin with." Neji put the cue paper back in.

"Oh… so you're already know where you're going? Good. This makes it easy."

"We're already cheating when we found out what's in that orb, right Neji?"

"You tell me…"

----------------

_Flashback…_

In the motel… Neji placed the Kirigan on the water basin.

"…nothing happened eh?"

"Hmm…"

"No… wait… look!"

The trio looked at the surface if the water. Though barely, they saw some writings reflected across the surface of the water.

"It's… a message?"

"Kinda blurry…"

"Just as I thought. It reacts to chakra exposed to water. We need a water jutsu to activate it… I know." Neji made several handseals. "Let's just hope this is right. Guys, gather around me." Neji held the orb in his hand. 'Suiton, Suiheki! (Water element, Water Barrier)' Neji unleash a mouthful of water around him. Then, the orb resonates as it projects images on the water wall.

"Whoa!"

Like a movie projector, the orb shows images of sceneries. First it shows the Wave city, then the place they were in… and finally, a village… a massive village on top of water. The whole place was supported by arrays of large sturdy pillars. A giant symbol of Mist is plastered upon a single massive tower in the village.

"Now that's a huge village alright." Naruto awed.

Yukiku nodded in understanding. Even idiots can understand what's going on. The 'Mist' they're in is a dud. That village, the one they're seeing right now IS the real one.

Neji smirked. Foreseeing the so called 'preliminary' they're about to face.

"That Mizukage actually trust us this much even giving us something like this?" Yukiku gasped. She couldn't imagine how someone like a Mizukage could give something so important to them, three shinobis whom he had just met recently.

Neji laughed bitterly. "All the more reason for us now to do the job. If we don't… they'll kill us."

"What? What do you mean? Why would they kill us?" Yukiku looked questioningly at Neji.

"You're wrong, Yukiku. That Mizukage was quite crafty. He gave this orb wasn't because he trust us. Quite the opposite actually. He gave us this orb because he DOESN'T trust us. This orb held important information about Mist. Hence, it should've been guarded as a village's secret. Now, that he gave it to us, if we are to screw up, run, or refuse this mission, he can denounce us, he'll simply declare us as thieves, their hunter nins will be hot on our tails, and they'll have every right to execute us before prosecuting Konoha in the future… We can't simply return it secretly either, for he can say, 'our village's secret has been leaked…' etc, the result will pretty much the same. Very devious indeed."

"Sheesh… now I kinda regret ever saving his life… so… now simply put, if we are to save Konoha's face… we have no choice but to succeed in the mission he gave us…"

"Right. Now we better rest. I'd say the preliminary will begin one of these days. But before that… any other questions?"

"…what was that place that orb just shown us?" Naruto asked ever so innocently.

The two Nins looked at their blond companion in disbelief. Giant sweat drops threaten to fall.

Flashback ends…

----------------

"_Renald Guston, Journal entry number 31, Month 5_

_It has been a long standing 'tradition' that a hidden village 'official' position in the world map was a bogus location and it was indeed for good reason. Otherwise, murder saboteurs, assassins and enemy shinobis can get in and out ever so freely. Only several selected personnel had the right to inform other people about the village's original location and they're subject to a strict confidentiality. Also, entrance to a hidden village is extremely limited. Any unauthorized entry is under direct permission from the respective government to perform direct on the spot execution or questioning. When clients wish to hire a Nin, they can only send their letters of request to anonymous mailing company, which discreetly transferred them to the village. Then, after several other processing, the client are granted permission to enter (or stay if it's bodyguard mission) until the request is fulfilled. Even if one can gain entry, once the mission is finished, that client will have no more right to re-enter the village, regardless whether they're a longstanding customer or not, they may be killed if they attempted on unauthorized entry (a certain Daimyo wife and her cat may disavow this though). Only on certain occasion that entry is possible. Chuunin/Jounin Exams for instances. Mist, as expected, was no exception. But now, obviously they're trying to sort Shinobis and Non shinobis first. The act of isolation they've done in the first period clearly showed this. I wonder how Naruto and the others gonna do."_

"And by the way, have you figured out a way to get out of here?" Renald looked at Kira, who still as calm as ever.

"No. Not yet. In fact, I suggest we stay here." Kira smirked.

"B… But!"

"Honestly… after all those things you've written. You were right that their village's position is discreet. But now, they're tempting other shinobi to find it… won't that contradict the facts you've written?"

"Well… they gave those kids clues… and I think it's quite a hard one."

"When other village had a Chuunin exam, they usually will escort those who will participate through some ways, like labyrinths and alike, so that the real position of the village will be hard to find. Now, they actually challenged them to find their village… what do you think?"

A realization hit Renald. "They must've prepared some obstacles."

Kira looked at the direction where Naruto and the group had left.

-----------------

"Mist village for a Chuunin exam eh? My, your new sensei is ruthless alright." Bunta snorted.

"Why is?"

"Mist's exam is a killer. Both figuratively and literally."

"Death is inevitable in Chuunin Exam." Neji flatly stated.

"No, that's not what I mean. It's true that death is inevitable in Chuunin exam. But in my experience, Mist's chuunin exam death rate is usually above average amongst all hidden villages."

"Really?" Yukiku frowned.

"Also, they've asked you to find their village yes? I bet they'll put some obstacles along the way."

"We need to be discreet. You see we have other errands to attend to in this exam." Neji followed.

Bunta laughed. "Har! Har! Har! If you want to be discreet, you shouldn't have summoned me in the first place."

"Naaah! If somebody asked I'll just say I'm one of some Jounin instructor student. What's the problem with that?" Naruto, who just woke up, exclaimed.

"Big, big problem kobun. Jiraiya's brat, that Fourth ride me during the Ninja war to squeeze off some of enemy nins, notably Stone nins. If you recall there are some stone nins among them."

"They'll go on hunting you now?" Naruto looked at Bunta.

"They'll go hunting whoever summoned me. I bet, in the exam they'll go after you first."

"Damn it. What should we do now?" Naruto groaned.

"How bout this, you take us as near as you can to the Mist Village. You drop us in, and then we'll finish the road on our own. That way none will know who summoned you… safe for the examiner." Neji suggested.

"I agree."

"I agree to that too." Yukiku nodded.

"So be it… but first I think you need to deal with them first."

"'Them?'"

"Some assholes following us. Iwa-Nins. Told you they'll go on hunting you."

"Then let's get them and knock them off their skull." Naruto cracked his knuckles.

"Yeah… I guess so." Neji said coldly. "But we better do something about them so they won't get in our way."

Yukiku caught up to Neji's logic. "You want to say we have to kill them?"

"Remember our mission. If we just hurt them, they'll come hunting us again. They'll become obstacles in the future; at least we have to deal with them some serious damage." The Hyuuga pulled out his twin Katana.

Yukiku gulped. "Is it really necessary? Can't we just disable them or something…"

"I agree with Yukiku. Neji, you're way too stiff. Listen: basically we just want them to stop hunting us right? Well, let's just made them disqualified then. They won't be able to participate with the exam and they will disturb us no more. Well… at least… until the test is over."

Neji looked at Naruto.

"We only want to stop them, but they are plenty of ways to do so. Even if eventually they're going to disturb us AFTER the Chuunin exam, I bet we're done with our mission by then, we can deal with them easily."

The Hyuuga stared at Naruto and but his feature still hardened. "I don't really know Naruto. But I guess we could do that. But the question is HOW are we going to do that?"

"I know a few tricks." Yukiku grinned, glad her teammates aren't so ruthless after all, and she pulled out a set of needles.

"Get it ready." Naruto looked at their backs. "He? I see no one."

"Of course. What? You think they don't have summoned creatures either?" Bunta, knowing a fight is imminent, stopped his jumping.

"Where are they?" Naruto's comment was cut short when his keen senses caught something… from below.

"Earthworms. During the Ninja war, that's what Stone Nins commonly used as summoned creatures. My guess is: they used the worms to dig their way out of the cliff or interlocking those worms together, they create a sturdy worm bridge. Ninja worms are speedy driller bastards underground." Bunta readied his hand on his giant Wakizashi (Short katana).

Neji almost forgot that the frog they're riding on is not average frog, but a frog who had survived the hell of Ninja World war. Stone had been one of the villages who once held a bitter enmity with the Leaf in the past war. They definitely recognized that frog in an instant, having been told stories about the boss toad in their history lesson. 'These shinobis are definitely something if they can summon… at any rate, we can't expect them to be at Genin level.'

Yukiku closed her eyes trying to remember some of the content of chapters she saw in the book about Acupuncture. 'Okay, be careful. I'm aiming at their nervous system. I have to look for opportunities during the fight. I guess I'll leave their summons to Bunta-san then do something about the Iwa nins…'

Naruto cracked his knuckles while grinning like mad. 'Yeah rights. Frogs, snakes, slugs, they're all fine with me. But earthworms? Give me a break, I can squish them off. The first person shows his face from the ground, I'll shove a Rasengan on his face. Heh, piece of cake!' Naruto readied his Rasengan… but to his horror, he can't. 'Oh shit… I forgot… the STUPID NEW SEAL!' Sweating allover, Naruto looked at his current available arsenals. 'With my current chakra I can create only one Kage Bunshin at the time. Simple henge and kawarimi would do. My weapons… 18 shurikens, 6 kunais, 3 exploding tags, 5 flash bombs… and…'

Naruto looked at Tenrou. He still hadn't had the nerve to pull the blade out of its iron sheath. The best he can do was whacking everyone's head with the blade still in its scabbard. But even though he made a mental note never pull it out unless he was allowed to, he can't just ignore dark whispers flowing from the blade. He had seen the blade in action. He saw what kind of devastation he can do. What kind of power he can wield with that blade out of the scabbard. Kyuusei merely using his body back then. Despite the fact his body was enhanced with the demon's Youki, Kyuusei was still held on a tight restraint called human body tissue of a 13 years old genin. A 13 year old human body; and he can level a giant of a ship to the abyss.

_Flashback_

"It was quite a proof." Kyuusei once said "That despite I'm the one in charge at the time; physically you actually HAD the strength needed to muster that bastard. You just don't know how yet."

"Then tell me how."

"Here's the big problem: I wasn't such of a weakling like you when I ran into him. I subjugated him ever so easily. So I don't know how to do it if it's done by human."

"You're one to talk, Mr. I-was-forced-to-shove-that-crazy-amount-of-Youki-to-break-free."

"One thing I can tell you, he feeds on negative emotions. Sadness, hatred, anger, despair… etc. He likes them all. The more it lingers around in the atmosphere, the more excited he becomes. And the more excited he becomes…"

"The more bloodlust he becomes. I know."

"Fortunately, my host, you bear the liberty of living in a life where that kind of feelings is inevitable. So you have two choices: take him down or…"

"Shut up. You know my choice from the beginning."

A smirk was the only answer the demon overlord has.

_Flashback ends_

Naruto stamped the ground. NO WAY in hell he's going to give up to a wolf packed up in a blade. He'll subjugate him or he'll break him and that's that!

"It's coming!" Bunta roared.

The trembling finally peaked as the ground around Bunta cracked. A giant earth worm blast out from the ground.

Naruto inwardly sweatdropped. '…stomp on them… me and my big mouth.'

Bunta backed away to avoid the worm's attempted bite. However, the moment the giant toad landed, another Earthworm, equally massive, burst up and immediately encircled itself around Bunta's body, hence, entangled the boss toad. Bunta's blade a little late to react and the other Earthworm immediately knock it off. In a split second, three shinobis appeared right on the genins back. The three immediately turned around only to have a kunai on their necks.

"Who is it?" three identical stone shinobi pointed their kunai menacingly. Bunshin, no doubt. "Which one of you that summon Gamabunta?"

The three remained silent. Somewhat petrified by the killing intent surging from the assailant. Naruto decided to break the silence. "I did."

The three Bunshin looked at the blond.

"YOU summoned GamaBunta the destroyers of old?"

"Believe it… or not."

Silence again. It didn't go for long, as the Iwa Nin laughed. And hard he laughed. "HAHAHAHAHAHA!! Since when joker permitted in a shinobi world? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"…" Naruto remain silent. In his mind, he began thinking on what to do to escape the predicament they're in. He contemplated to keep talking to stall time, but good enough to know a guy with HIS kind of mouth are not a negotiator type. That's a job for Shikamaru. Neji on the other hand are frowning. The three men behind them are Bunshin. Either one of them is the real one. He looked at Naruto, attempted to whisper something when suddenly something zipped right in front of his lips. Bunta grunted a bit when he felt as if a giant mosquito had just bitten him on his back. Neji inwardly gasps; he slightly rolled his eyes to the side and saw a Shuriken made of stone was etched on Bunta's thick skin.

The sensation of sharp edge of a blade pushes the back of his neck. "What're you planning?"

"…nothing."

"Nothing huh?" The three Bunshin focus their attention on the three genin in their hands. "Now I'm serious. Who summoned Bunta?"

"I did." Naruto answered again.

The Iwa nin smashed Naruto on his side. "Silence! A little brat like you? Summoning the Bunta? That's a bad joke."

Naruto grunted a bit. "Believe what you want. But you ask, I've answered, and that's all there is to it. You won't find any other answer."

The Stone nin glared at the boy. "Who are you?"

"I… I am Uzumaki Naruto, a Konoha shinobi. That's all." Naruto glared back. Some short of reflex, he always glared back when being glared.

"You're just a genin. But you know how to summon already!?"

"Something's wrong with that? Let's just say we are NOT you're average Genin."

"…"

"Enough the chitchat! Now what do you want exactly?"

-----------------

"Enough the chitchat… Now what do you want exactly… Yep. That's what he said." A nin with a binocular just echoed Naruto's word via lip reading.

"Well done. At any rate, they're going to fight anyway. We're going to clean up, afterwards." A figure spoke.

"Shouldn't we help them sir? A Jounin instructor hindering the genins… weren't that against the rule?"

"Where's the fun if we just drop in? Let's just wait. Besides, if the Iwa nin kill them all, we need not do anything, cause our job is done for us."

"…"

-----------------

Meanwhile, up in the skies… Torii was watching through everything.

-----------------

"…" the Iwa nin was contemplating in his mind regarding the genins before him. Especially the blond who claimed had summoned the boss level summon. 'Why did he… exert a great resemblance with 'him'? Blond spiky hair… blue eyes…' "What was your name again?"

"Uzumaki Naruto, Shinobi of Konoha."

"…" 'Uzumaki… now where have I heard those?' "How did you summon Gamabunta? Who gave you the contract?"

"…our Jounin instructor… err… Maito Gai taught me."

"Who's that?"

"Just a mere Konoha Instructor." Neji followed. 'Nice Naruto.'

"…hmm…" 'Maito Gai… who was that? Does it mean… that Konoha had made summoning the standards of their Chuunins? Tch… Iwagakure are not falling behind now, are we?'

Naruto frowned for a bit. "…it is a countermeasure preparation."

Everyone looked at the blond. "…it's a new lesson in Konoha… before we sent the Chuunins to exam, we were told to study about summoning jutsus. Those who scores high were given permission to enter the Chuunin exam. Frog was… well… one of the summon contract given to us. There were monkeys, foxes, and dogs."

"Foxes?"

"Yes. Fox contract. It's a new curriculum so you might have not heard it. I possess the contract of BOTH fox and frog. That's why I was sent to the Chuunin exam."

Yukiku and Neji looked at Naruto. The Bunshin doesn't seem took notice as they too are fixated on the blonde.

"…really… show me."

"Unfortunately, I can't do that."

"What?'

"Lookie here… if someone like me a genin, summoned a boss class toad… do you think I still have any strength left?"

The Iwa nin snorted. "That's what you get for trying to do something out of your league boy."

"Guess so." 'If it weren't for this seal, you won't even breathe right now.' "Still… that's an interesting summon you have there." Naruto eyed the worm. Though very briefly, Naruto managed a small gesture to Neji, who caught the sign.

"Ah yes. We prided ourselves in the powerful nature of the earth… and worm is one of the creatures we see as the embodiment of it."

"Clearly not a thing you see everyday, what's with those bulging slimy… well probably not so slimy from this point of view."

Neji's face grinned a little. Now it began to make sense. Naruto was stalling time for them while he gave them clues. Neji looked a bit at the stone shuriken. It already breaks apart. It was clearly a jutsu. Back then, it was coming from the side and not from the back where the bunshins are having their neck. This means that neither of the Bunshin on their back are the real one. Bunshins cannot cast elemental manipulation jutsu because the amount of chakra needed. Unless you have Naruto's stamina it's another story but very few, as far as Neji knew, possess the ability to do so. Also, the shuriken was thrown because the Nin saw him spoke. '…so… considering his field of vision… yes, he's must be somewhere around… that place.' Neji began formulating a plan. 'Well done Naruto. You've done your part… now I will do mine.'

Neji was ready to move… when Naruto give a brief signal to him not to move a muscle.

'Eh? Naruto? What are you planning?'

"So… I've told you everything I can tell you. What are you going to do to us now? Are you going to spare us?"

The stone nin chuckled. "Well… I guess I owe you guys an apology. You see… one of my brothers died at Bunta's hand. And then I heard that the one who summoned the beast was already dead. Kinda lost on who should I vent this anger."

"I see. Well… I'd like to offer my deepest, deepest condolences for your brother."

"Thank you." The stone nin smiled. "You know… the human in me… says to let you go." He looked at Naruto. "But the shinobi in me… urge me to kill you all."

Naruto stiffen a bit.

"And frankly… I kinda agree with that too." The stone nin aimed a kunai at Naruto's face. "A Genin at your level will become a giant obstacle for our genins in the exam. Since this is only a preliminary, might as well take you out while I still can."

Naruto frowned before he began chuckling.

"…? What so funny?"

"Thought you might gonna do something like that." Naruto unbutton his black vest. "So I've made myself some preparations."

Neji and Yukiku looked at Naruto, curiously.

"So, you want to kill me?" Grinning, the blond opened his vest to the side. "Then come on! I dare ya'!"

Everyone, Neji and Yukiku in particular, gasped in shock. Layers upon layers of explosive tags were rigged on Naruto's body. What's worse, red explosive tags are also plastered.

"What… the…" Neji gaped.

"N… Naruto…? What did you…?" Yukiku gawked. Her eyes went wide.

The nin was stupefied for a moment, before turning into a raucous laughter. "BWAHAHAHAHHAA!!! That caught me some surprise, kid. I give you that. But who you think I am? A kid born yesterday?"

Naruto smirked before pulling one red explosive tag, put it on a kunai and throw at one of the worms. The next instance, rapid explosions occurred and the worm is no more.

The stone nin gasped. He looked at Naruto, who seem satisfied now that he gained the Jounin's attention. "This must be a dud. That's what you're thinking a few seconds ago, right? Sorry to disappoint but that was a genuine high explosive explosion tag. Twice more powerful then the ones you used to know… and these red tags… they are amplifiers. They will amplify the explosion strength at least 10 times the original explosive power. I've tested it before… and the scale of explosion can actually wipe off a whole forest. I die, we all die."

"Are you… insane or what?"

"Partially insane… but I for one am not afraid of dying." Naruto was truly satisfied. Terror was clearly evident in the nin's face.

The worms caught up the point: the explosive power of that magnitude can wipe them and, most importantly, their master, all out. What kind of guts possessed that little Genin that he dared to rig himself plentifully with something so dangerous?

-----------------

"WTF…" the nin who were eying the scene had his mouth open in aghast.

"What's wrong?" Another nin asked.

"That blond genin put enough explosives in his body to move Mount Fuji to Everest!"

"The hell!?"

-----------------

Neji and Yukiku stared surprisingly shocked yet happy at Naruto. The blond who is called the dead last can be surprisingly clever at times. The worms were so terrified to Naruto, some of them began loosened their grip on the giant toad. Bunta sense this as well. He silently gripped his Wakizashi, searching for opportunity to strike.

The bunshins and the worms were so captivated with Naruto, Neji took the chance and whisper to Yukiku. "When it happens, it'll happen real fast. Look, the location of the enemy is over there. Get whatever tricks you have ready in hand."

Yukiku nodded. "Gotcha."

The Iwa nin Bunshin were trembling head to toe. "N… No… i… it cannot be… that one's real… but the others must be a fake… it must be!!"

"Then wanna test it again? This time though, I don't have any more explosive tags to spare, so I'll detonate them all this time. Still I'm willing to negotiate. First choice surrender, second choice die. PICK!"

"You… dare to threaten ME!?"

"You are not in the position to argue! NOW PICK!"

Neji tried his best not to laugh. A Jounin, a seasoned warrior, is now on a losing side in a battle of wits with a Genin. Naruto is definitely not a good negotiator like Shikamaru or himself. However, he managed to make it up with something that both Shikamaru and he somewhat lack: unflinching valor. It is important for a negotiator to have a cunning mind. But it is also important for them to have indomitable will. Otherwise, the opponent will seize the chance, fool you around, and finally mop the floor with your asses. But Naruto's idea of 'negotiation' is entirely different. His moral fiber serves well as a shield and a sword. He'll block all your offensives while he attacked back again and again, until the opponent is completely overrun. 'Man, if I have just half of your guts Naruto…'

'Yep… that Iwa nin sure loses his head now.' Yukiku too simply smiled. 'Come to think of it, Naruto's probably the only genin that can stand up to this point against older people.'

"Y… you can't fool me kid! Explosive tags need to be burned before it can explode! I''ll…"

"You'll what? Hm? WHAT!? Kill me before I light my tags!? Well guess WHAT! These new types of explosive tags only require my blood to explode! One drop of blood… and Kaboom! _Rosto-roco!"_

"Liar!! LIAR!" The Iwa Bunshin frantically charged forward. Naruto merely grinned preparing a fist. The iwa nin skillfully grabbed Naruto's arm whilst his other the other hand, carrying a kunai, intent to stab the boy through the chest, but paused at the last moment, hesitating.

Naruto grinned ever so evilly. "What's the matter? Don't know how to use a kunai? Let me show you!" Naruto's other hand grabbed the nin's arm… and drove the Kunai deep into his own chest.

The three Bunshin gasped in horror. All explosive tags in Naruto's body glowed evilly red. Then, in one mighty explosion, everyone was engulfed in a bright light. Quick on their toes, the Konoha nin went on the move.

"Gah!"

"Hey! What the… AAAH!"

"That little shi- argh!"

During the blast, sounds of the Bunshin being beaten to pulp were reduced. At least, to the original Iwa Nin who were gasping as his eyes were blinded just as his ears went deaf due to the fake explosion. Instinctively, the other worms, shocked by the blast, tried to move away, loosening Bunta's binds in the process.

"HWRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!" Bunta roared. With one giant circular swing, most of the worms that bind him were torn to shreds.

One particular worm blasted out of the rampage. 'Damn that blond! I've underestimated them. Anyway, those idiots are still blinded by their own attack! I better-'

Just then, one Katana shot out and accurately stab the Nin on his right stomach. "Agah! W… what!?"

"Got you." Neji's voice echoed.

The nin, now breaking his camouflage jutsu, reveal himself sticking on the worm's skin, coughing blood.

"H… how did you…"

"Thanks to Naruto." Yukiku walked out of the smoke along with Neji. Both were smirking.

"That… blond?"

"With your words and actions, he tried to determine your location. First of all: the stone shuriken. It's coming from the left side. This shows that you're watching us from there. Then we question ourselves. From left side… but from where? You showed the answer yourself: from your worms. It would be much more difficult if it came from the trees… but… as you can see… there aren't much of trees around us. That leaves the worms. But which worm? I can only figure this much, until Naruto finished the rest for me." Neji explained.

"W… What?"

"While he threatens you with the explosive threat, he knew that one worm, one that hides the master will move away, from the hazard area. That is… your worm." Yukiku readied her senbons.

"But… t…that smokescreen… h… how… did you able to… get me…"

"How? Well, we've been trained with our senses so that we are not to rely on our eyes alone. We may be blind and deaf, but we can still the wind shifted when your worm makes a hasty escape. The rest is history."

"Ku… so…" the nailed iwa nin gasped even more blood.

-----------------

"OOOOOkay… now I'm interested." A figure gave a long whistle after seeing such a splendid turn of events.

"The long haired boy was pretty bright… but… where's the blond one? He's the sniveling mastermind no?"

-----------------

Neji and Yukiku still eying the iwa nin and his worm with utmost vigilance.

"Ku… SOOO!" the nin grabbed the Katana. He looked at the katana before smirked. "Still… you make one mistake gaki…" He tossed the blade into deep forest. "You've thrown away one of your main weapon."

Neji frowned. 'I'll go look for it after I teach this guy a lesson.' Just then, he felt a jolt on his right hand.

As if being grabbed by an invisible hand, the blade stopped mid air before circling back at the thrower. The Iwa nin was shocked and immediately backed away before he got his throat slit open by the spinning blade. Alas, it slashed his chest quite deep as blood splattered.

Neji gaped when he saw the blade now heading his way. Somehow though, he didn't feel so afraid. With ease he caught the blade again. "Darkish gold… Chiryuuga?" Neji looked at the iwa nin. 'What a ferocious sword… maybe I should've thrown Tenryuuga instead…'

'**If you throw Tenryuuga, the best he can do will be nicking the bastard.'** His own voice, but much, much harsher and colder than his own, sounded at the back of his mind.

'Huh… what?'

'**Aiyah… but you prioritize on getting back on him then returning to your master, Chiryuuga.' **Another, softer and calmer than the other, sounded once more.

'The same… as before… these voices…'

'**Oi, rather then concentrating at us concentrate at your enemy!' **

Neji snapped when he saw the giant worm rose high to the sky, ready to squash them. "Bunta! JUMP!"

Bunta do as he was told and landed with a giant thud. "I see… so he plan on a summon battle eh? No problem with me, heh, heh!"

The iwa nin hadn't move from his spot beneath the worm stomach.

"Ishigami-sama, I think you should move to a safer spot." The worm's voice grumbles.

"Shut up! I'm a Jounin! There's no way I'm going to let some upstart Genin humiliated me like this!"

"Hai…" the worm replied silently.

"You guys seem tired." Bunta observed the two Genins on his back. "…as expected, summoning me took a lot out of you two as well huh."

"Ahh… well…" Neji also realized this. Why didn't he realize the Iwa nin from coming? It was clear; he was still fatigued for summoning Bunta! He didn't realize this because he had managed to gulp a soldier pill on the way. However, soldier pill is merely a booster. Now, apparently, given all the tension, its effect had begun to wear off. "My bad… I guess…"

Yukiku suddenly realized her grip on the head cleaver suddenly weakened as well. '…according to Sakura-san's story, Naruto had summoned Bunta several times before… I merely had less then a half of the Chakra share and I felt this tired… Naruto, what kind of monster strength you possess to summon something like this on your own?'

"Where's the blond brat though?"

"I don't know… that was his Bunshin got nailed… don't know where the real one is though…"

"Well this lightens my load… but we're significantly weaker." Bunta barked a nervous laugh.

"Naruto's around here, somewhere. But we're not going to rely on him all the time! He has done his part, we have to do ours!" Yukiku grunted.

"Wrong. I'll do MY part this time." Bunta grinned. "That worm guy kind of pisses me off too."

The two look at the elder summon.

"Just keep stick up on me."

The worm hissed, before charging forward. Bunta welcomed it with his blade. Avoiding the blade, the worm twisted to the side before digging its way in.

Bunta smirked, making a few handseals before slamming his wakizashi to the ground. "Doton, Jisshintou! (Earth Quake Blade)" With an earthquake, the ground cracks open, revealing the giant worm inside.

"You can't escape!" 'Doton, Numa Yomi (Swamp of the Underworld).' The shattered earth melts and turned into a giant swamp. The worm gasped as it frantically tried to escape before it was drowned. Inevitably, with whatever land was left, it dashed upwards, right into where Bunta's wakizashi awaits. The worm got a big cut right across its head but managed to slither away just in time before its head split clean. However, Bunta smirked, knowing full well the futility of its actions. Mud splashed as the worm was sent back into the swamp and steadily sinking.

"Gah!" the worm continue to squirm when a blast of rock suddenly burst out and split the worm to two. A shinobi stood right on top of the giant rock formation, bathed in worm blood and mud. "I'm not done yet you bastards!"

"YOU ARE NOW!!" a yell from his back warned him of an incoming danger. Unfortunately, he's too late to react, as Naruto is already an inch away from him, with a swirling sphere on his hand. "OODAMA RASENGAAAN!!"

Naruto slammed the compressed typhoon on the Ishigami's stomach.

"O…o…. OAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!" the exploding force sent Iwa nin towards the rock he created earlier. The force of the attack still continues on as the rock breaks apart, and the iwa nin continues to jet away. The attack finally ended halfway through the air with an explosion. The nin landed with a loud thud on the rough earth.

-----------------

The nin who watched everything had his mouth open in aghast. "Did you see THAT!?"

-----------------

Up in the sky, Torii watched everything. But one of its eyes, which are purple and red, had a glint that resembles a shock.

In the outpost…

Kira gaped at what he saw everything through Torii. 'O… Oodama Rasengan? But… what of the Seal!?' the Dragon Shitennou was so shocked that he stood up. He searched around his ragged cloak and produced a scroll. He opened it to reveal a set of kanjis and seals and began examining it while occasionally forming a seal or two. 'This is way too soon. According to the calculation and my eye, Naruto aren't supposed to be able to use his original amount of chakra for at least a year… did I miscalculate!?'

Kira gulped when he realized his hand was sweaty… and the weirdest of all, he was smiling… with a plastered expression of relief. 'Naruto… Uzumaki Naruto… could he…'

-----------------

"This would do." Yukiku placed the final needle on the Iwa nin's neck.

"Phew. That's that I guess. Now come on. We have to go; we've wasted too much time." Neji sighed.

"Yeah (heave) let's (heave)"

"Gotta hand it to you though, Kobun. All that feat was incredible. The dud bombs, the psychological debate, and most impressively the Oodama Rasengan. Even the Forth can't do something like that." Bunta slurred his tongue and grabbed the three nin before putting them on his back.

"Oh that (heave) it was all coincidence."

"Coincidence?"

"…except the bombs." Naruto opened his jacket to reveal the bundles of explosive tags plastered within. "These ones, they are not duds. They're genuine explosive tags."

"Why would you rig yourself of something like that?" Yukiku gulped.

"…counter measures. When Kyuubi's power seeps out, it always marked with a high increase in my chakra, my instincts and most importantly, the surrounding temperature."

"Oh… I see." Neji caught the logic.

"Yes. So if Kyuubi's Youki burn me up again, it'll burn more then just the air."

"I get it. Then how did you managed to cast Rasengan? As far as I concern you aren't supposed to be able to cast any high level jutsu at the present?"

"I racked myself up getting the jutsu right. I've been trying to at least create one decent Rasengan… but when I did; its power is just… shit. So I try to use Bunshin and then adjoin two Rasengan. My Bunshin made one and I made one… the result is still somewhat half assed… but I see it's effective."

The other three listeners gulped. 'That crazy ass attack is still half-assed!?'

"Anyway… what of him?"

"Don't worry, he's still alive. Only when he gets back up, he won't be able to even move. Mostly because you twist his back with a… whirlwind or something."

"Rasengan IS a whirlwind. Anyway, let's go. We shouldn't be too far anymore right."

"That's right. You already know that Mist shinobi village is situated right in the middle of the sea. I can only get you as far as the beach. After that, you had to find your own way."

"Fair enough. Let's go."

-----------------

"We've seen enough."

"We're going after them, Mizunari-sama?"

A figure swung a large katana connected to a chain in his left hand. His right hand grabbed a large roasted ham before ferociously took a large gnaw on it. "Of course."

-----------------

A few moments later the giant toad arrived at the beach. "Well, as promised, this is as far as I can take you. You have to go on your own."

"Where is it? We saw in the orb the village was enormous." Neji narrowed his vision.

"See all that mist? Kirigakure is somewhere amidst all that fog."

"You're kidding." Naruto gulped. The mist was so thick, even his super enhanced eyes still can't get through.

"But… the fog stretch out for miles. We could get lost!" Yukiku frowned.

"Well, what would you expect? This is THE Chuunin exam. Well I'm off. _Bon Voyage!_" And with a large puff of smoke, the giant toad vanished.

"I guess we have to prepare for a walking trip all the way to Mist."

"We better hurry. It's getting late."

"I know. Maybe we should rest. We can start tomorrow… or something-"

"Hey what's that!?" Yukiku cuts in as she pointed out on a shadow. It's getting bigger and bigger. Finally, they can see the shape of the object clear enough. It's a ship. A large cruiser ship. An emblem of Mist can be seen plastered on below the ship's name: Tako-giri I (Octopus Hunter 1).

"That's… a ship?" Naruto whistled.

"That's quite big." Yukiku awed.

"Interesting." Neji eyed the ship.

Not so long, a mist Jounin jumped off the ship and landed right in front of them. "…show me your passports."

The three did and let the nin read it carefully for a moment.

"Good. Welcome and congratulations. You've passed the first preliminary test."

"Eh?" All three blinked.

"The goal was actually was to at least get here. We'll bring you to our village from here. Besides you should know this better. Shinobi village aren't called hidden village for nothing. We cannot afford to let some shinobi knew our secret hideout easily."

"I see." Neji nodded. It makes sense. The preliminary asked them to get to a location. They never mention that they will find the village. "However, how would we know that you aren't part of the test?"

"Pardon?"

"You offer to bring us to your village. Your actions contradict your words."

"Hey, Neji! He said he's going to bring us to the village didn't he?"

"What's the warranty that he will not take us and then leave us in a middle of nowhere?"

"Well… ah… that's right… can you guarantee that?"

"Perceptive and constant vigilance. Like what a Chuunin should be. Good. You may have what it takes to become a Chuunin. However, to do that, you have to undergo Chuunin exam. And the only way for you now to undergo it is to trust my words and get on board."

"…" Neji frowned for a moment. Naruto groaned.

Just then, Yukiku step forward. "You don't think us to be so… incompetent now… are you?"

"Pardon?"

"You offered your help as if we no longer have any other way. The only thing that stands between us and your village is the mist right? Some of us know VERY powerful Fuuton (wind elemental) jutsus. We can simply cast it and blow that mist away no?"

Neji smirked. Indeed. During his training with Kira, he mastered several high levels Fuuton elemental jutsus. He mastered it in such an extent; it earned the nods of satisfaction from Kira, whose standards for a satisfactory were just rightfully almost godlike.

"Oh my. Clever girl aren't you. However, I'm afraid you have to come with us."

Just then, 20 or so Mist shinobi swordsmen surrounded them.

"!!" The three looked around.

"Please come with us. You are all strong people. We do not deny that. This is why we prepared before hand. We have another 80 of Mist Jounin waiting inside this ship. Ready to spring up at the moment's notice and deal with any kind of situation." The shinobi smirked. "IF however, you people have somewhat a godlike strength that a power force like this isn't enough, then let me tell you. Mist village lies amidst that giant mist. To get there, no doubt about it, you must get inside that mist. However, inside, awaits an army of 25,000 Mist Jounins, and 50 heavy battleships, ready to kill and destroy anyone who enters illegally into Kirigakure's waters."

"!!!" The three nin gasped at the amount. '25,000!?'

"Konoha nins. Understand one thing. You are in our turf now. And while in here, you will obey to our rules. Now are you coming or not? This is your final call."

The three looked at each other.

"What do you think?"

"This is definitely a trap… no?"

"But if we don't get on board we have to face 25,000 Jounins. If I still have my Onijutsu and Kyuubi's power this will be a breeze but…"

"So we go?"

"Guess so."

"Is there any other choice?"

They finished their short discussion as Neji spoke: "We'll go with you."

The Mist nins smiled.

-----------------

"Here rest here, Shinobis."

"This is our room?"

"It's late. And the journey to the village took quite some time. Rest. Once we arrive, you will have to report to the examiners."

"Okay." Neji closed the door. He looked at the room they're in. An extremely small room and with double storey bed, a window and a trash can. "I find more space in a closet."

"Hear, hear." The other two nins nodded.

"So… how exactly are we supposed to sleep in a cramped up place like this?" Naruto looked around.

"Hm… isn't it obvious? Two people had to sleep in one bed, one had the privilege of sleeping in one bed." Neji stated the obvious.

The next instance…

"If any of you touch my butt, DIE!" Yukiku was lying on her back on the second storey, while the other two males were squeezed tightly in their single bed.

"Now I know how canned sardines felt." Naruto groaned.

"This is way too cramped out… Naruto, get your butt off mine!"

"What do you expect? I can't find too much space here!"

"You're freakin' sweaty!"

"Get your leg off my crotch!"

"CAN'T YOU TWO HOMOS SLEEP QUIETLY!?" Yukiku can't stand it anymore yelled.

"WE'RE NOT HOMOS YOU BXXXH!" Naruto yelled.

"Naruto, don't move too much! I'm falling!"

"I'm a girl! Do you expect me to sleep with you guys!?"

"You're freakin' selfish-"

"Naruto watch out!"

Just then, cracking sounds can be heard before the bed's middle supports (all 4 of them) which held the second storey bed was broken and the said bed fell right at the trapped Neji and Naruto below.

"AAAAAAAAAH-

WHAM!

The two nins heaved up and down. There were about 5 cm left between their nose and the base of the second bed. The lone Kunoichi above them almost fainted. "…N… Naruto…? N… Neji… you two still alive?"

"B… Barely…" Naruto was panting.

"Now we're even more cramped out…" Neji gulped and tried to remain calm. He almost failed.

"How do we gonna get out now?"

Just then, unable to support the sudden collision, the lower base support for the entire bed broke. The frontal part of the whole thing fell, and the fallen upper bed slide down diagonally, grazing the two noses of the two nin below in the process. The bed fell with a thud, still covering half of the lower part of the bed below it. Naruto and Neji relieved beyond imagination that they aren't squished whatsoever. The other half of their body is still covered by the bed, but they can feel it's intact.

The three nin pants and sweats. Yukiku in particular, as her bed had almost killed two of her teammates. She closed her eyes with both of her hands. 'That's right. No mistake! I'M getting FAT!'

-----------------

The Kiri nin outside sweatdropped as they pull away their ears from the three nin's doors.

"These Konoha's are sure to be lively…"

"Let them be. We'll arrive in a few minutes. This could be their last laugh."

-----------------

Midnight…

"Bathroom…" Like a zombie, Naruto woke up. In his still half asleep state, he managed to slowly and quietly sneak off the cramp of the squeezed bed. He slowly walked out of the room.

"Bathroom… bathroom… where's the blasted bathroom…?"

He looked left and right, looking for the sign of the place he's looking for. Corridors by corridors he passed. At one time he turned left then he turned right… and so on and so on. Anxiety finally woke him up completely and he began to realize. 'Where the hell is that bigoted bathroom… and come to think of it… where's everybody?' Naruto continued his stroll. As time went by, he forgot about his need to go to the toilet. Instead, the ship they're in began to interest him more.

Before he knew it, the Kyuubi host is already outside on the bridge. He scanned through the starboard side of the ship. They're still in the sea. 'Gee, this ship is bigger then I imagined… wait a damn minute… hey what's that?'

The area is clouded with a thick mist. A large black figure, it somewhat looked like a tower, stood tall at the back of the ship. "?"

Naruto carefully move towards it. He makes a full use of his advanced senses. And he still somehow managed to see clearly but his visibility is still limited. Step by step, the figure grows clearer and clearer by the second. He reached a stair. 'Stair? At the back of the ship?'

He continues his march forward. Finally, he reached a large metal door. It's slightly opened. 'Let's see if I can take a peek…' Naruto narrowed his eyes. All the while, his nose caught the scent of food. And his ears also heard the sound of people eating raucously. Unfortunately, he closed his head just a bit to close. He slipped and his head pushed the door open. 'Oh shit!' He fell, but he managed to regain his footing before his face hit the ground. Just then, his feet make a sound as if he was stepping into wet floor. 'Eh?'

He look at his legs, or to be exact, his feet, who sunk in. 'What the… wait the minute… this is…!' The floor was covered in a thick layer of grease. Now his food stuck. His nose finally caught a strong scent of leftovers. As he scanned his surroundings, he realized he was surrounded by mountains of dirty plates, empty instant ramen cups, boxes of bento leftovers. The grease on the floor comes from all the oil from the leftovers that are pouring on the floor. 'Uwa… what is this place?'

"Oh? (chomp) Who's (chomp) there?" a voice of a boy sounded.

Naruto gaped. 'Crap… erm…' "Sorry… I got lost."

"Lost?" There's a sound of a person standing up. Few moments later, a clicking sound can be heard and the next instance Naruto finally can see. He gasped. There are dozens of mountains of dirty plates everywhere. In the middle of the mountainous plates and dishes, a boy, probably at his age, stood calmly with a large bowl of ramen rest in his left hand, a chopstick in his mouth, and a remote switch in his other hand. His somewhat short purplish black hair was mostly down and the back of his hair almost covering his neck. His eyes are big and somewhat baby yellow. His baby-face is somewhat innocent and… cute. Almost like a girl. In fact, Naruto would've thought him as a girl… had the boy wear some upper clothing and didn't leave his flat-toned chest bare. He had some dirt in his face that makes his face somewhat more adorable. Any girls will be screaming and coo-cooing the boy.

"Err… I was looking for a bathroom… then I got lost… did I interrupt anything?"

"Not at all." He sat down again. Not minding the little splash he caused as he sat back on the grease. "Help yourself. The bathroom is on the left-side of my back."

"Thank you." Naruto was about to walk away when the boy continued his eating… and the next thing he knew, the boy had gulped down 3 bowls of ramen in a heartbeat. The boy proceeded eating without a care in the world. Another 10 bowls gone. Naruto again, forgotten about the bathroom. He transfixed his eyes at the boy. 'Hold your horses there Naruto… all these piles of foods… he couldn't have eaten them all by himself now could he?'

The boy slurped a large bowl of ramen before grabbing a chicken leg and took a bite. Then he grabbed a lobster and bit one its body segments off before going back to his ramen.

Naruto looked in awe. 'What the hell is this… the way he eat… it's as if… there's a rhyme… Wait a minute. Who am I getting crazy? He's eating… wait till Chouji sees this…'

Just then, the boy noticed that Naruto was staring at him. He smiled. "Is something the matter?"

"Ah… err… you… eat all this?"

"Yes."

'OK, correct that! Wait until the WHOLE Akamichi clan sees this!' "You've been eating all day?"

"Not really. Just finishing my dinner."

"Dinner? But it's already freaking midnight!?"

"I know. I always took a lot of time eating. Especially dinner."

"Aren't you getting sick of overeating?"

"What? Of course not. Hey I'm still growing. Boys need to eat a lot ya know. And come to think of it, you look like you need some too."

"Well… I…" two mini Naruto appeared on the back of his mind.

**YES! Naruto take it! It's your chance to get yourself some ramen!**

_No Naruto! You must not! Remember what Kira-sensei said, you must stay on your diet!_

**FOOL! This is the greatest chance ever! If you don't take it, god knows how long before you get another ramen!**

_NO! Naruto don't listen to him!_

**TAKE THIS CHANCE!**

_NO! YOU MUST NOT!_

**TAKE IT!**

_DON'T!_

**TAKE IT!**

_DON'T DO IT!_

"Oi, what's wrong?"

Naruto blinked. The boy was looking at him, curiosity plastered on his smiling girlish face. "Ah eh o…"

"Are you hungry? Here." He shoved a large bowl of ramen right in front of Naruto's nose.

The powerful scent of his favorite meal right in front of his nose is like 10,000 nuclear hydrogen instinct bomb launched to the very core of Naruto's rationalism and reasoning. (AN: imagine Terminator-3's Judgment Day or Bruce Willis' Armageddon). And he turned into a feral ramen-vorous monster.

"GRUAAAAAAA!" Naruto charged at the bowl. In a blink he gulped it all down. "Another!" The boy looked in awe.

"YOSH! LET'S EAT TILL WE BURST!"

And they eat. Eat like there's no tomorrow. The next instance, 50 ramen bowls were taken out, and they're still eating. As he eats, Naruto cries the tears of joy. "My six months of pain and suffering (sob)… finally ended… (sob)."

"What's wrong? They don't let you eat anything?"

"No. I have a new sensei… no devil sent by the very depths of Hell itself. He hasn't let me eat even one spoonful of ramen…"

"Yes. People like them. They just can't let us be. None can let us eat to our heart's desire."

"Sob! TRUE! HEAR! HEAR!"

"Every time people comment at me eating like this I always wonder: what is it with you people! I just want to eat! Eat till I nearly burst!"

"YES! EAT RAMEN TILL I BURST!" Naruto roared.

"EAT TILL DEATH DO ME APART!" The boy raised a ramen bowl.

"EAT RAMEN TO THE END OF DAYS!" Naruto raised his chopstick.

"EAT TO OUR HEART'S CONTENT!" the two cheered.

"NAKAMA!!!" the two hugged like a long lost brother in arms.

"Haaa… it's been awhile I've seen someone who can appreciate ramen like you do."

"Aaahh… actually, I can eat just anything. But anytime I eat Ramen… only those slippery masses of delicious baked flour can quench my satisfaction." Tears falling through both of their eyes.

"RAMEN NO NAKAMA!!" The two raised their bowls, shoulder to shoulder.

And they eat again.

-----------------

Back to the three nin's room…

Neji shifted in his bad. "Zzzz… zzzz- hm?" He woke up and looked next to him. "Hmm? Where's Naruto?"

He looked around. "…tch. Hope he didn't get to-? Sniff… sniff… wh-! Oh shi…Zzzz… zzzz…"

He fell back asleep in an instant.

-----------------

"PHEW! I'm burst." Naruto exhaled.

"Aaahh… it was fun… I've been waiting for someone who can keep up with me."

"Visit our village sometimes. Find Akamichi clan. You gonna give 'em a run for their money."

"Bleargh! The pigs of Konoha. What I mean keep up… is that if you can eat so much… and still you can be so slim."

"You're one to talk. You eat so much and yet it seems you hadn't gone chubby. Not even one bit."

"I suppose." The boy picked his teeth. "Anyway, you're from Konoha right?"

"Ah. Yeah."

"This is Kirigakure right? What are you doing here? Is it the Chuunin Exam?"

"Bingo! I'm with my friends."

"Two of them? You need a team of three to get to the exam."

"That's right! But for me, it's a stepping stone!"

"Stepping stone?"

"HAI!" Naruto put the ramen bowl and stood. "A stepping stone for a greater goal. One day, I'll become a Hokage!"

"Whotto… ain't that a bit far-fetched?"

"Of course not. I'm a man! Always aim the top! And I've made my word that I'll become a Hokage! And when I've said I'll do it, I'll definitely do it! That's my Nindo!"

"Ho…" the boy looked in awe at the blond before smiling. "…ja… ganbatteyou. With the Chuunin exam… and becoming a Hokage that is."

"He. Arigato!"

"And… Anoo… you better get back to your room now."

"Ara?"

"You see… this place is actually off limits. Wouldn't be too well for you if you stick here for too long. Also… you… smell like a Kitsune."

"Aahh? Well… maybe I do…"

"Yeah… and I know I want to eat some Kitsune Udon… and Kitsune's edible right?"

Naruto gulped. "Hey, you're not thinking of eating me now, aren't you…"

"Are you edible?"

"Off course NOT! Unless you're a cannibal… Argh… anyway, Arigatto fro the meal. Ja ne!"

"Hai. Don't get lost on the way."

Naruto ran through the door hurriedly. Once outside, the mist had cleared out a bit. Now his advanced senses can be used to a certain extent. "Yosh. At this rate I won't get lost." Naruto made his way back to his quarter. 'Aiyah… I forgot to ask his name… oh well… fate willing; I might meet him again in the exam. He may still be a Genin like me.'

-----------------

Back to the room where the boy sit.

"Mizunari-sama, why did you let him go?"

"Ara? Is he our enemy?"

"Yes. In fact, he's the one who beat down the Iwa nin… as expected. And the news had him as a headline too."

"Ah… yes. The one who single handedly destroyed an army of around 50-60,000 Oto-nin… Uzumaki Naruto isn't it… I wonder… if 60,000 is nothing to him… why did he consider the pitiful number of 25,000 a threat?"

"I don't think he's all that much of a threat. With one word from you I can execute him immediately-"

"You want to die, Namimaru?"

"!?" a skinny mist Jounin, wearing an eye patch suddenly appeared behind Mizunari's smaller back. "Mizunari-sama… I…"

"Things are just getting fun for me after a long while… Please don't ruin it so soon."

"Y… yes… Mizunari-sama."

The purple haired boy smiled happily. "Uzumaki Naruto… I wish we could meet in more different circumstances… I really like this guy." Mizunari Fujiki the Octopus smiled as he snapped his chopsticks. "Now where's my early breakfast?"

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DOOONNE!!! FINALLY I UPDATED! AFTER AN ETERNITY!

I'm sorry for all who read this fic and waited so god-damn long. Go ahead and shoot all that cannons at me. Please read and review. Next as usual:

Omake:

Deidara's days in interrogation

Minichapter 5:

Extreme Measure

"Athrun-sensei? Are you okay?"

"I'm not okay. Definitely not okay. I've tried many ways to make him squawk and he still shut his mouth."

"Maybe we should try with our interrogation squad." Temari suggested.

"I don't think that'll work. You've seen what Athrun-sensei had done. Average people, even any shinobi would break under the pressure. And those methods he'd shown are already WAY past normal shinobi interrogation. If that doesn't work… I don't know what will."

"Yeah… getting caged together with a bunch of stuffed animals and giant Barbie's while being aired life allover the internet… if I were him, I'd rather die." Tenten shivered.

"That's it. No more Mr. Nice guy. This calls for the extreme measurement." Athrun dropped his staff.

"Extreme… measure?" Everyone gulped.

"Gates of Babylon!" a line of light jet out from Athrun's staff, it splits off the sky and a giant shining gold portal opened in the air.

Gaara eyed the portal. "What is that?"

**GATES OF BABYLON. A SPATIAL MANIPULATION TECHNIQUE IN WHICH THE USER ACCESSED AN ARTIFICAL DIMENSION MADE BY MEANS OF UNKNOWN ART THAT IS UNDISTURBED BY TIME. IN THERE, HE CAN KEEP AN INCALCULABLE AMOUNT OF ITEMS OR ARTEFACTS WHICH GENERATIONS OF SHITENNOU HAD HOARDED OVER THE CENTURIES… ATHRUN HOWEVER FOUND ANOTHER USE OF IT.**

"What?"

**DIMENSIONAL PRISON.**

Athrun put his hand inside and rummaged through the shining portal. After several minutes of searching. "There you are!"

Then, in Deidara's new prison... which look more like an arena rather then a prison…

"Deidara… you forced me to do this. Now let me ask. Where did you meet this Ajira? How do you people gather their members? Where did you get the funding? Answer me!"

"HAHA! I won't talk. No matter what you do to me. You can't force me to talk. In fact I had to thank you. Thanks for all that humiliation, now everybody knows no one can do anything to me!"

"You'll regret not talking to me while I'm still nice. Now, you will suffer for this."

"Yes I can tell what you're going to do. So I have to fight anyone you're going to shove into this place right?"

"Almost correct. I didn't ask you to fight."

"Ah?"

"I only ask you…"

A gate is opening.

"…to survive."

A man came in carrying a harp, a flute, a tube, and all that short of musical instrument.

"A musician? You're asking me to survive a musician?"

Athrun sighed. He turned to Gaara and the others. "Everyone, close your ears."

The man coughed several times before he began singing: "AAAAIMMMMM SINGUUUIIINNNNN IN ZE RAAAAAAAIIIIIIINN. **AIM SINGUUUUUUUINNNN IN ZE RAAAAAAAAIN!**"

"Nanni!? What the hell!?" Deidara closed his ears.

"Kami-sama… is this human voice?" Baki closed his ears as tight as he could.

"It's like a symphony of dog-cat fighting colliding with penguins squawking coupled with Baboon's screeching!"

"Believe it. It is a human voice." Athrun gulped, he too closed his ears with his fingers.

"I heard from Shukaku, he's a prisoner from your dimensional prison. Was this why he was jailed?" Gaara frowned.

"A musician from past age. Yes. He sang so bad, even Shushin can't stand his voice. When he die, we thought that will be the end of it, but even Hell refuse him because his singing so bad. And heaven refuse him also for the same reason."

"A musician so bad even Heaven and Hell refuse him? Then… aren't he short of a… wandering spirits now?"

"Even as a spirit he's annoying. Drove a family to mental insanity because he haunted their house with his singing. Hence…The only one thing I can do is by putting his soul in an indestructible Homunculus and imprisons him in the Babylon."

"Won't that drive Deidara crazy?"

"I've interrogated insane people before and believe me, it's easier then sane ones."

"**DJOEST SINGUUUIINN IN THE RAAAAAAAIN!"**

"DIE!!" Deidara charged the musician.

"**I'M ZREAAAAAMIN' OF A WHIIIIIIIIIPE KRISMAAAAAAAAST"**

And the wave of the musician's song drove him back.


	25. Octo Triathlon Part 1

rNOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": special case**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA: Giant creature speech **

**Chapter 24.1:**

**The Octo-Triathlon**

**Part 1:**

**Kitsune and Tako**

Meanwhile, back to Mizukage's place…

"Hiko. Report."

Fetaru Hiko appeared on his kage's back. "Our scouts had just reported. The Konoha nins did not used your recommendation letter, instead they go on ahead with the Chuunin exam, and they currently undergo the preliminary."

"Maybe I should consider giving them more credit. They're cleverer then I thought." Enshin smiled beneath his beard. "I've seen how Fudou arranged the exam. He dispatched several of the swordsmen's fleet in the midst of the Mist. Any Genin, who were 'unlucky' enough to run into them, will undergo their private tests. Unlucky, that is to said, everybody has to pass them in order to proceed to Kirigakure's Chuunin exam. Who is the Konoha team ran into in the preliminary?"

At this, Hiko paled. "…Mizunari Fujiki."

Enshin's eyes widened a bit. This doesn't go unnoticed by Kyoko.

"What's wrong, nii-san? He's one of the swordsman now, isn't he?"

"Yes… and the worst." Hiko frowned.

"Worst?"

"Kyoko, you still new, so you might don't know. Mizunari Fujiki, the Octopus. One of the best swordsmen Kirigakure ever produced. His outside appearance usually deceived lots of people. If only his attitude was just as good as he looks."

"He has a meanie attitude?"

Hiko sighed. "He's a berserker, among other things. This means, he loves to fight, preferably, strong adversaries. It is a general knowledge in Mist, that he often kidnapped people to force them to fight with him. Setting up what he call gorgeous arena and then fight with the opponent. Once, there's this one case, where he arranged the Chuunin exam, none of Genin participate in the exam survives even the first test. And now he's being made into preliminary… there won't be much left of the genins by the time they get to Kiri."

Kyoko gulped.

The elder Fetaru proceed and drop the verdict. "The truth is, my sister… even IF the Konoha Nins… are even more of what we think they are… ONE of them might gonna die regardless."

----------------

Now, back to the ship…

"Okay, so what exactly is going on here?" Neji just woke up from his sleep only to find that he's in a different room, and he's all alone. All his weapons and arms are ready and neatly placed in a desk he 'knew' weren't there before. But more importantly, a contraption collar like thing was stuck on his neck. And he doesn't like wearing some foreign objects especially if he has no memory of doing it.

"What the hell is this?"

----------------

"Now what's going on… and more importantly where am I… and where's everybody?"

Yukiku was also wondering about the same thing as she finished arming herself out.

----------------

"Where am I? The last thing I remembered I was heading towards my room… and then… I felt sleepy on the way… and what the heck is this thing?" Naruto also find himself on the same situation. What's more, his ears caught murmurs from the walls.

"What the hell is this?"

"HEY GET ME OUT OF HERE!"

"Aramaki! Where are you?"

And else. Naruto rubbed the back of his ears. 'I see… So I'm not the only shinobi that find himself in this kind of situation…'

Just then, a siren sounds just as the ceiling of Naruto room and all the rooms in that ship, opened up and a monitor dropped down.

"Huh?"

"_Welcome Shinobis… to Mizunari Fujiki-sama's flagship, the Kraken."_

"Huh?"

----------------

"Mizunari Fujiki? Of Mist 7 Swordsmen?" Neji gasped.

----------------

"_You're all Shinobis of various countries who's here for the Chuunin exam. Unfortunately, this year's Mist Chuunin exam, and probably the next, will be even harder. If any of you had go through Chuunin exam in Mist once before, then we're here to say, this Chuunin exam is no longer the same like how it used to be."_

"Other shinobis?" Yukiku frowned.

----------------

"This is not Mist Village. However, good job on reaching this ship. Meaning you're close to our village. In commemoration of that achievement, Mizunari-sama had prepared a game for all of you." Namimaru smirked just as Fujiki grinned while eating an instant ramen. The two watched hundreds of monitors showing the shinobis they've captured in each of their respective room.

"This game is called: Octo-Triathlon."

----------------

"Octo-Triathlon?"

"_As the name implies, there are three stages in this game. The first which I'm about to explain is The Gathering Royal, then followed with Underneath the Underwater, and finally Combat. Before you get the wrong idea, I'd like to tell you that this is not a Chuunin exam. No. this is still a part of the preliminary. Yet, I strongly encourage you to follow this game. For it is necessary for you, should you wish to get on the Chuunin exam."_

"_Now I will begin explaining the first game: The Gathering Royal. You all might have noticed that you are now, currently, are separated from your team. The goal of this game is simple. You only have to meet up with your nakama. Now if you look at the screen this is the map of the area." _

The map showed a ship shaped like an octagon at the center and 8 ships were docked at the said ship. Indeed. It looked like an Octopus with the ships on the eight side as the 'Tentacles'.

"_Now this is the shape of the Kraken. Where you are now, unfortunately, we couldn't tell. You figure out yourself, and with any way necessary to meet up with your Nakama. Now, about the rules: You might notice, there's a contraption in your neck. That thing is actually a bomb."_

Naruto gasped. 'What!?'

"_Oh and one more thing-"_

Before the man can finish, an explosion was heard, followed with two more explosion.

The man smirked. _"Please do not try to remove it. Any attempt to do so will cause it to explode. And if you die, your teammates will have to follow you to the grave. The same would also happen should you try to escape this ship. If you wish to live and get on the Chuunin exam, you must win this game."_

Naruto gulped. He removed his hand from his choker immediately.

"_Now then, back to the rules. As I've said, those chokers are bombs. And they currently emit signals. These are unique signals. It will resonate upon detection of other similar signals. The choker of your teammates, supposedly emit the same signal as yours. Now, when the game starts, you walked out this room and when you do, the timer starts. And you have exactly 5 hours to find both of your Nakama. When you have found them all, you must make body contact, and the timer will stop. And you've won the game." _

"Doesn't sound too difficult. With our advanced sense this should be a peace of cake."

"_And one more thing… the number of team allowed to advance to the next stage is… 8 teams or 24 people. Which means, if there are already 8 teams succeeded, regardless of whether there's still time remaining, the remaining choker will explode whatsoever. Needless to say, if you die, the choker will stop emitting signals, and meaning, your friend will die as well."_

"W… WHAT?"

"_Currently there are 240… no, 237 of you aboard this ship. All of you must participate, IF however, you refuse to follow this game and refuse to step out, we have 80 Jounin that will act as…Player Killers. If you refuse to come they'll simply snuff you out, along with the rest of your team."_

-----------------

Neji gritted his teeth. "That's crazy… 8 teams… and PKs? Now they'll force us to kill each other!?"

-----------------

"If I get out, I'll die. If I don't get out, I'll still die… geezes…" Yukiku grabbed his blade.

-----------------

"Well then Lads, READY!"

-----------------

Naruto hastily grabbed Tenrou. "What's the big idea with this Mizunari guy!?"

-----------------

"GAME…"

-----------------

"When they get out, it'll be instant chaos…" Fujiki smirked.

-----------------

"START!"

**First Game:**

**The Gathering Royale**

**Area: the titanic flagship of Mizunari Fujiki the Octopus, the Kraken. The whole area is shaped like an eight pointed snowflakes, and separated into 9 parts. The center, which shaped like octagon and in which Mizunari resides, named Central section. Encircling the Central Section, are eight ships docked on their backside in each of the octagon's sides forming into one structure. In clockwise direction, the docked ships are respectively named: Section Tako-Giri (TG) A, TG-B, TG-C, TG-D, TG-E, TG-F, TG-G, and TG-H.**

**Goal: Survive meet up with the rest of your team before everybody else did. You have 5 hours to do so. When the time's up, the bomb on your neck will explode. If you die, the other team members will also die. Only 8 teams are allowed to pass. So if there are already 8 teams, the bombs on other players will explode regardless of whether there's still time left.**

**The position of Konoha team right now:**

**Naruto - TG-A**

**Neji – TG-F**

**Yukiku – TG-D**

Doors crashed open everywhere as shinobis poured out.

-TIMER START!-

TG-A

Naruto dashed out of his door. All the sudden, a kunai almost went through his head. A shinobi dashed forward at him, ready to kill. Just then, another shinobi attacked the nin. Naruto was bewildered for a moment until another opponent tried to hit him from the back. He dodged at the last minute. Two more Shinobi heading his way while another three were engaging battle with each other. 'What the hell…'

TG-F

Meanwhile, Neji was blocking off an attack from a Grass nin when a nin tried to stab both of them with a spear. Slamming his opponent weapons to the side, he dodged the back attack. But the said attack went on and the spear got through the Grass nin, right in his heart. The nin died instantly. Just then, the choker began to beep. The killer immediately tried to toss the body away. Unfortunately, he was a second too late. The nin explode, taking his killer with him. Four more explosions occurred somewhere around the ship. "Gah! So if we die, our comrades will die with us… taking some people along in the process!"

231 players remaining.

TG-D

"NUUUOOOOOHH!!" Yukiku spun her head-cleaver several times before she cut a pillar to two. "What the hell with these bastards!"

"Die!" a waterfall nin cast a Suiton Suiryuudan at her.

'Suiton, Dai Suiryuu Arashi!' Yukiku shot a spiraling gigantic dragon that swallowed the water dragon before slamming the nin. It continued to push him backwards before it slammed him on the wall and dissipates. The waterfall nin tried to stand only to have himself stabbed on the chest by a stone nin. Yukiku didn't have the time to be shocked, as two more nins coming right at her. She gritted her teeth and readied herself.

228 players remaining.

-------

Central Section

Fujiki chuckled as he saw the proceeding of the game. "Good. Everything going as planned."

"We'll dispatch the PKs in twenty minutes."

"No. Dispatch them now."

"Eh?"

"Looks like amongst those little fishes we caught, there are some big fishes around."

"Oh?"

"Look. This Kumo-nin. He has taken out 15 people out already and he's proceeding towards the bridge."

"Ah… yes… Raiken, one of Kumo's top nin."

"Yes. Unfortunately, his teammates aren't that good. See?"

Just then, a Kumo nin got stabbed from various direction and he died with another explosion. Following, Raiken panicked as his choker start beeping and the next moment, he's no more.

"The thing about the Gathering Royale is the rule of getting to your teammate as fast as possible, with any means necessary. And with the 8 team limit… they'll be forced to kill each other to survive. Also by killing an enemy, you took out the possible threat to your other teammates, because if your teammates die, you too will die. In another words… everyone except you… has become your enemies. A Battle Royal."

"Ah, this guy's a goner!" Namimaru pointed a monitor. A grass nin got showered by hurdles of jutsus.

177 players remaining.

T - 4 hours and 30 minutes till detonation

-------

TG-A

Naruto just swatted a nin across his face when three nin charged at him. The three attempted to stab him. And they did. Only to have the person in question puffed into smoke.

"ORAAAAAA!" Naruto slashed the Tenrou, still in its scabbard, and immediately knocked them all unconscious. He looked around. Shinobis were battling everywhere. One or several times he heard explosions, followed with another two explosions. "How many of us are gone now? I'm still alive, that means Neji and Yukiku are fine. But for how long?"

He looked around; most shinobis are trying to kill off all their enemies in sight. He's the only one who knocked his opponents unconscious without killing them. 'I'm not going to play following his rule… That Mizunari bastard…'

Meanwhile, a Yuki-nin just slashed a person across his face, and before the choker explodes, he grabbed the body and threw it to another shinobi who were fighting. The body exploded upon contact, killing the battling shinobis. The Yuki nin then set his eyes on Naruto and instantly charged towards him with a roar.

"Come here you!"

The nin unsheathe his own katana and slashed at Naruto's face. The latter knelt down before rushed forward and stab the blunt edge of Tenrou to the opponent's neck.

"Ohek!" the Yuki nin backed away trying to regain some air. Not giving another chance, Naruto immediately slammed Tenrou across his face, breaking his nose and some of his front teeth. "Sleep! Rasengan!" Naruto charged a half done Rasengan (the uncompressed state) and slammed it at the nin's stomach. It's not as effective as the perfect one did, but being shoved at point blank range, it still have enough power to sent the nin flying. The Nin landed with a thud, accidentally knocked his mask. It's a boy, probably at Naruto's age. The blonde halt his attack.

Naruto immediately tried to catch his breath. He looked around. Shinobis are fighting with each other. Jutsus and weapons flying here and there. Explosions, whether near or far can be heard occasionally. "This is crazy."

Just then, the Yuki nin he had knocked down tried to stood up again… until a blade went through his head. The choker beeps and the nin explode. The explosion took out several nins in the process as well.

Naruto gasped. "What the…" he looked angrily at the one who had killed the Genin. To his surprise, some thick clothed nin bearing the emblem of Kirigakure appeared. "We're the Player Killers. Prepare to be killed, players!"

"What's that Bastards!?" Naruto roared.

147 players remaining

TG-F

"PKs…" Neji was panting. Parts of his clothes were singed here and there. He stared at 10 Mist Jounins, sent to kill them. One of the Player Killers charged at him, swinging his giant sword, attempting to cleave his head to two. Neji took a single side-step and dodged the attack. Just then, a giant water ball headed straight at him. He dashed towards the ball before cross cleaved it to 4 segments. The other PKs dashed out and engage all shinobis in sight.

Neji throw both of his blades at the enemy, knowing it'll come back to his hands if he wished it, while he himself made some handseal, lightning fast. 'Katon, Karyuu Endan!' a giant fire dragon burst out from Neji's mouth. Meanwhile, the twin dragon spinning straight at the enemy, a PK, who dodged it swiftly, only to face the fire dragon Neji had conjured. The fire dragon hit him full with an explosion. The PK went out of the explosion, singed here and there.

"Not bad… but futile."

"You talk too much." Neji felt a jolt on both of his hand. Just then, the twin Dragons spin back to its owner, right into the PK, who happens to stand between them and Neji. The PK realized this just a little too late. He turned just as the two blades were already an inch away from him.

"Oh shi-"

The twin katana went through his stomach and his thigh and stuck there. "Agh! Y… YOU!"

Neji charged forward. 'Lee, I'll borrow your technique a bit.' "Konoha Senpuu!" The Hyuuga prodigy sent a sweeping kick that immediately sent the PK high above the air. Following, the Hyuuga prodigy appeared right on top of enemy and sent another roundhouse kick right on his neck, breaking it in the process, and sent the PK crashing to the floor, headfirst. Landed with a loud crash and a sickening bone crack, the first Player Killer got killed the instant he touched the floor. Neji landed gracefully, though inside, he was shocked. '…did I… really beat… a Jounin… single handedly?' He looked at his own arm in disbelief before he scanned his surroundings and saw that other players and player Killers were staring at him also. Their expressions show that they were thinking the same thing as him.

'Have I surpassed…Jounin level already?' The Hyuuga finally break the ominous silence by walking to the PK's lifeless body and took both of his weapons out. Regaining his calmness and confidence like he usually known for, he spoke calmly. "Any other PK who wished to be PKK'ed? (Player Killer Killed)"

5 out of the remaining PK's charged forward at him. "KILL!"

135 players remaining

79 player killers remaining.

TG-D

Yukiku was dodging one jutsu after another while occasionally cast ones of her own. The guy he was fighting was definitely a jutsu user. She found an opening and immediately charged forward, attempting to smash his head cleaver on the Shinobi's head when suddenly the nin's choker beeped.

"No… NOOOO!"

Yukiku managed to move away just in time as the nin explodes. "I wonder how many of us will be left to get to the next stage at this rate." She looked around. Burned limbs and fires of explosions or jutsu explosion colors the place. Just then, he felt someone's closing from her back. Instinctively, she slashed her head cleaver to the stalker. Sparks light up as the stalker blocked his slash.

"Whoa… Zabuza's Headcleaver eh?" It's a Jounin. Mist Jounin. 3 of them. Two of them are right behind the one who just tried to cut her head out.

Yukiku grunted. "Player Killers huh?"

"Right you are, Miss." He smirked. One of his hand flickered and a Kunai appeared before he attempted to stab it at Yukiku's stomach. The girl blocked it off with her Senbons. The other two PK charged forward just as the girl clashed away from the first Jounin, all the while managed to throw some of her senbons in the process. The two nin easily blocked it, but it halt their advance for a moment.

The instant he landed, the first PK immediately dashed towards the girl. By the time Yukiku gained her landings, the Jounin was already right in front of her and the blade was already a few millimeters away from her chest. Definitely unavoidable. Then the impossible, for the PK at least, happened. She avoided it easily.

"W… What?" The weight of his own body threw the PK off balance, rendering his back completely open. Seizing the chance, as if born out of instinct, Yukiku stabbed 3 needles in a certain spot, surprising the PK as he found himself no longer able to move.

The other two dashed forward with eye-blinding speed, their blade paralleled each other, attempting to slice the girl to three separate pieces. They did, only to find they just cut her afterimage. They realize just a second too late that the girl was already right behind them. "YOU-!" they were about to swing their blade when it shattered as Yukiku had slashed them off with her Headcleaver.

The two nins was reaching their Kunai when 4 Senbons went through each of their shoulders, rendering their arms immobile. Wasting no time, Yukiku dematerialized and rematerialized right behind them, 3 senbons can be seen sticking out each of their backs an instance later. Now they can't move even a muscle.

"W… What?" the PK gasped. "What have you done to us?"

Yukiku began to walk away. "I put three needles on your backs. On a certain point. You won't be able to move for some time. Now leave me be."

"Why… that attack… how did you managed to avoid our attacks?"

"…I just see… that you're slow."

"Us!? SLOW? WHY DON'T YOU LET ME GO AND WE'LL SEE WHO'S SLOW!"

"Believe me or not… through my eyes… you're all just too slow."

"You… GAH!"

Yukiku walked away.

"Me… slow… yeah right lady… it's just you who's so freakin' fast."

120 players remaining

76 PK remaining.

-------

Central Section

"Hah! See?" Fujiki laughed. "Only half an hour since we sent the PKs, and 4 of them are already out of commission!"

"That's not it… all 4 of them are taken out by the Konoha!"

"Looks like they've sent some sharks into our waters after all. Good! I like ferocious sharks!"

"Well at least they're doing their job; they've taken out quite a few of the players. Oh! We got one team finally gathered."

"What village?"

"Sound village."

"Good. Good, good."

"Sir… I think you should see this." One of the Mist nin suddenly called the boy swordsman. His expression was a combination of shock and disbelief.

"What?"

"Section TG-A, sir."

"TG-A?"

He looked at through the Monitor and gasped.

TG-A

Naruto dodged one attack after another ever so easily. 'What the hell's wrong with this people?'

Meanwhile, the PKs were getting more and more aggravated. 6 of them were already smashed off in the face by Naruto and are now in La-la-land counting the cracks the blonde had given them on 40 to 50 of their bones.

Naruto on the other hand, dodging one attack after another ever so easily. "Slow… you guys are way too slow!"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?"

"Compared to Kira-sensei's attacks… compared to Itachi-teme's movements… you guys…"

Naruto disappeared and reappeared right underneath the attacker before slashing his Tenrou right across the PK's chest, VERY hard, so hard it rip the Jounin's thick clothing's off and knocked him off the ground. But before the Jounin could even leave the ground, Naruto appeared right above him and slammed Tenrou to his cheek.

"…are so freakin' slow it's slower then a tortoise!"

"Don't get cocky you little BRAT!" Three PK charged forward and swung all their swords at Naruto, intent on mincing him.

"And your attacks…"

Naruto blocked them all with Tenrou with only one hand holding it.

"…are so God damn light, it felt like a feather!"

The three Jounin checked their eyes to see if they're not dreaming. The PKs are the elite of the elite! Jounins, hand-selected especially for this event. And a brat, a Genin, who weren't even half their age and height, treating them like they were nothing?

With one stroke, Naruto crushed all the swords to smithereens. "Time for PKK!" Naruto charged forward.

Unarmed and somewhat outclassed, the three Jounin instinctively crossed their arms before them. But Naruto suddenly appeared right behind them.

The three Jounin looked at each other. They were completely fine.

"He… hehehehe! Nothing happen!"

"Done showing off, brat?"

"Your attacks are no big deal after all eh!?"

"You shouldn't move." Naruto snapped coldly.

"Eh?"

Blood splattered from their mouth as, suddenly, their heavy clothing was ripped apart and intolerable pain rushed through their chest, what's with all their ribs seems to be breaking apart. The PKs had already lost their consciousness before they even touched the ground.

Naruto pants and heaves. He looked around. That place is completely blasted out. Aside from the PKs he's taken out, no one else in vicinity. However, his keen sense of hearing caught the sound of weapon clashing and explosions occurring above.

'Upstairs… off course… it's the easiest and the fastest way…' Naruto took one last look at the PKs before he yelled. "MIZUNARI FUJIKI!"

Central Section

"_MIZUNARI FUJIKI!"_ Naruto's voice roared allover the room.

Fujiki looked at Naruto in the monitor.

"_Once I'm done with this 'game' of yours, we're going to have a little game! And once I'm through with you, it's GAME OVER for you! YOU HEAR ME!?"_

TG-A

Naruto heaves and pants. But he reached out his hand. 'Kage Bunshin.' A clone appeared. 'I need to get out of here…' and the two Naruto began to create the Rasengan. Once it's done, the Kyuubi host looked at the result. It shaped almost perfectly spiral… except it look somewhat unstable. 'Better then nothing I guess.'

And Naruto slam it at the ceilings. It blows a way through and he immediately flashed away.

Central Section

"Kami-sama… what the hell is he? The special blast suit that can even withstand a 4 megaton explosion…" Namimaru was speechless. 'Those writings in the newspaper weren't for jokes…!' He rolled his eyes at Fujiki and gasped. "M… Mizunari-sama?"

Fujiki was trembling from head to toe. His lips are curling into a smile so unfitting to his girlish face. "Great. I thought they sent a shark here… instead… they sent a being with devil's strength…" In his excitement, he crushed his ramen cup. "Khekhekhekhe… KAHAHAHAHAHAHA… get me a new instant ramen, quick!"

"Hai!"

81 players remaining

66 PKs remaining

1 team succeeded

T - 2 hours and 55 minutes before detonation.

-------

Time went by…

TG-A

Naruto used one Rasengan after another to drill his way through. So far, he needs at least three Rasengan to get through one floor. He just blasted his third floor. Time and again however, he had to stop and take a breather. In the last two floors, he had to deal with some shinobis, all trying to kill him, and he knocked them off easily, though it took quite some time. "Geezes… Hey, Kyuusei, can't you speed the effects of the seal a little bit. It sucks having to rest every three Rasengan!"

**YOU AREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO USE RASENGAN YA KNOW. THE PROCESS HAD ALREADY SPEEDING UP MUCH FASTER THEN YOU THINK. ANYWAY, YOU FEEL TIRED NOW BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH THOSE TRASHES FROM THE OTHER TWO FLOORS BELOW. REST, BUT DON'T TAKE TOO LONG. YOU ONLY GOT LESS THEN 2 HOURS LEFT NOW. **

"Trashes or no trashes, those assholes are strong. Are they supposed to be Genin?"

**SAID THE GUY WHO PKK'ED 10 SPECIAL JOUNIN PLAYER KILLERS WITHOUT MY HELP? DON'T YOU EVEN REALIZE HOW STRONG YOU ARE NOW?**

"Ya know… when I beat them down… I honestly was shocked too… but now I know it… all those six months was not in vain after all… I AM getting stronger!"

**DON'T GET A BIG HEAD NOW, KIT. PRIDE IS THE MOTHER OF ALL FUCK-UPS.**

"Hey, you said something wise for once."

**I AM ALWAYS WISE… IT'S JUST YOU NEVER LISTEN AND YOU'RE TOO DUMB TO UNDERSTAND. **

"Shut up…"

**ANYWAY, LET'S HURRY. THE CLOCK'S TICKING. GO, GO, GO, GET YOUR ASS MOVIN!**

"K…" Naruto tried to stand up. But man, ain't he tired or what!? 'What the hell's wrong with me?'

Meanwhile inside, Kyuusei too were wondering. 'This is too much of a restraint… the output the kit exert… that's even less then 10 then what he used to do… Chakra comes from stamina and mental strength. Mental strength is definitely not a problem with the Kit. Problem now, is stamina… Off course, the kit got some crazy amount of stamina… normally, when a person use that stamina, it will draw a bit of stamina from their reserve. Then, when the stamina they've drawn up depletes, they unconsciously pull more from their reserve and so on and so on. In the kit's case, his stamina was so massive even when he drawn up a bit of his reserve was quite enough for him to go on long enough. But now… it seems it depletes too fast… so fast his body didn't even have time to replenish it. Kira… What have you done to him?'

Just then, a figure appeared from the smoke. Upon closer inspection, a Stone nin.

Naruto gasped as he tried to stand up. Still trembling, he managed to grab his Nodachi and use it to support his body.

"Haa… haa… haa… I must survive… I… must…" the stone nin pants. He looked at Naruto through his bloodshot eyes. The nin was covered with blood, his own and his enemies'. One look and you can tell that he's not in the fittest condition. Alas, the same can be said for Naruto. The two eyed at each other. "Haa… die… haa… die… haa… DIEEEEE!" With that the Stone nin dashed at Naruto, his Kunai in hand.

Naruto easily dodged the blunt attack as he mercilessly stabbed the Nodachi at the opponent's stomach. The Stone nin vomited before the blonde landed another slam on his cheek.

"Haa… haa… that's that." Naruto pant as he began to limp away from the opponent, whose face lay down to the ground.

…**KIT. FINISH HIM OFF.**

"What?"

**I SAID FINISH HIM OFF. HE'LL BE NUISANCE IN THE FUTURE.**

"Hell no. Why should I? I don't think I need kill anybody to proceed no? Look, Kyuusei I think you've figure it out already. I don't plan to finish this game. I'm going to beat down everybody in my way, and then before this game is over, I'll beat that Mizunari guy to pieces. After that, the others should be saved."

**YOU TRULY ARE A MORON BEYOND RECKONING.**

Just as Kyuusei said that, a kunai found its way to Naruto's thigh. "AAAAAAH!" It was so sudden, Naruto fell down. Then he looked at who had attacked him. It was the Stone nin he thought he had dealt with.

**I DIDN'T COMMENT ON YOUR ACTIONS IN THE INITIAL PERIODS BECAUSE I STILL HOPE YOU WILL UNDERSTAND YOUR FOOLISHNESS.**

The stone nin immediately dashed atop him and grab a hold at his neck. He took another Kunai and immediately stabbed it at Naruto's face. The blond managed to block it and the kunai was just millimeters away from his cerulean eyes.

**BUT NOW, THE TIME'S GETTING SHORT. PEOPLE WILL GET MORE STUBBORN, AND MORE DESPERATE TO SURVIVE.**

"DIE! PLEASE DIE DAMMIT!" the Stone nin sounded desperate. He didn't seem took notice of blood dripping on his forehead.

Naruto struggled with whatever strength he has left. Meanwhile, Kyuusei's voice continued to boom allover his head.

**HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN THE KILLING TRAINING WE'VE DONE? AFTER ALL THIS TIME, HAVE YOU STILL NOT CAUGHT THE LOGIC OF IT? YOU CAN KILL 20-30,000 UNDEAD SHINOBI, MASSACRED 2,000 SOUND NINS AND STILL KILL THEM EVEN THOUGH THEY BEG FOR MERCY! **

'This and that are different! We're being forced to do this! There's no reason for this killing to occur.'

**FOOL. YOU REALLY ARE A FOOL. YOU'RE EVEN STUPIDER THEN THE STUPIDEST! LOOK! LOOK AT THAT MAN TRYING TO KILL YOU NOW! LOOK!**

Then Naruto realized it. Amidst the drips of blood he can also see the drips of tears glistering from the man's face.

"DIE! PLEASE DIE! IF I DON'T WIN… IF I DON'T WIN… MY SISTER… MY SISTER WILL…!! Die… DIEEEE!"

'Sister? He's…'

**THAT'S RIGHT. LIKE YOU, THAT MAN'S STRENGTH COMES FROM THE LOVE HE FELT FOR HIS FAMILY. THAT POWER IS NOT TO BE TAKEN LIGHTLY, KIT. YOU WHO USE LOVE AS THE MAIN REASON FOR ALL THE FIGHTS YOU'VE DONE, YOU SHOULD KNOW THIS MORE. UNFORTUNATELY, YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO WAS LIKE THAT. THERE IS INCALCULABLE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO WERE LIKE THAT!**

"I… I… I cannot…"

**THEN YOUR FRIENDS WILL DIE.**

Naruto's heart skipped a beat. 'Neji… Yukiku… the two… if I die…!'

**UNDERSTAND HIS BURDEN NOW? UNDERSTAND EVERYONE'S BURDEN NOW!? YOUR SOULS ARE NO LONGER YOUR OWN! YOU DIE, THE PEOPLE YOU CARE WILL DIE! HOW IDIOT CAN YOU GET, YOU CAN'T EVEN UNDERSTAND SOMETHING AS EASY AS THAT!?**

Naruto silently grabbed a kunai. 'Neji… Yukiku… I…!' "UUUAAAAAAAAARGH!" With a cry Naruto stabbed his Kunai at the person's head.

"My sis-" the Stone nin's cries was cut short as life was instantly taken out from him. The choker started to beep when Naruto immediately tossed him through the hole he made earlier. A sound of explosion can be heard a moment later. Naruto crawled. He survived, yet somehow, he felt something was taken from him. 'What's the sense in all this? Is this… Mist's Chuunin exam?'

**NO. THIS IS THE CLOSEST ARTIFICIAL SIMULATION YOU CAN GET TO THE REALITY. I CAN CATCH THAT MIZUNARI FUJIKI'S LOGICS. WHEN YOU BECOME A SHINOBI, WHEN YOU BECOME A WARRIOR, YOU SHOULD KNOW SOMETHING LIKE THIS WILL COME TO PASS! TO ADVANCE IN THE WORLD YOU LIVE, TO REACH THE TOP, IT IS A PATH OF CARNAGE AND BLOODSHED. YOU WILL INEVITABLY CRUSH THE HOPES AND SHATER DREAMS OF MANY PEOPLE. YOUR PATH, YOUR JOURNEY, ALL WILL BE PAVED BY PILES OF HATREDS AND SORROWS OF PEOPLE, WHOSE GOALS YOU'VE DESTROYED. YOU WLL DESTROY THEM, AND YOU WILL MAKE YOUR WAY THROUGH THEIR GRAVES, CRUSH AND STEP ON THEIR BODIES AS YOU GO!! WELCOME TO REALITY, KIT! **

'Reality…'

"_If you want to be a real shinobi, you have to be wise. If you're a fool, then it will be a world filled with pain. That's… reality."_

'Back then… I said I'll be more then happy in that painful world… what a load of shit…' Naruto grasped his heart as if wanting to tear it open. '…I never imagine it'll be this painful…'

**KIT, YOU GOT ONE AND A HALF HOURS LEFT.**

Naruto still remain silent.

**KIT! WAKE UP, GOD DAMN IT! COME ON! YOU GOTTA FINISH THE GAME!**

"Grrh…" With much difficulty, Naruto stood up, using the Tenrou to support his body.

**I SUGGEST WE MAKE HASTE TO THE DECK. YOUR TEAMMATES, WHICH DEFINITELY BRIGHTER THEN YOU, SHOULD'VE HEADED THERE BY NOW.**

"…yeah…" Limping, Naruto began to move again. Suddenly, an announcement echoed throughout the ship.

"_Kenji's team from Cloud and Hayaze's team from Grass have passed. Only 5 more places remaining!"_

"5 more…"

63 players remaining

3 teams succeeded

T-1 hour and 29 minutes till detonation

Up there, on the deck of the Kraken

A grand Battle Royale raged across the entirety of the gargantuan deck of the Kraken. It's no longer a battle within sections. The whole deck has become one giant battlefield. In fact, some shinobis from one section can even attack other sections with long range jutsus and other kinds of weapons. Jutsus flashed here and there, explosions occurred time and again. There are less shinobi now, either because some of them are still battling inside the ship, or already dead along with their teammates. However, the lasts of these shinobi had survived, meaning that all their skills are top notched.

A grass nin sent a mist of poisonous gas at a Stone nin, who wear some short of stone armor. The poison seeps through before the rock armor explodes as the nin dies. Two more explosions occurred in another district of the giant ship.

"WRAAAAAH!" a waterfall nin punch another nin several times on his face before embedding a kunai on his face. The choker start to beep when the nin throw the lifeless body to the seas. Another triple explosions.

Atop the back side of Tako Giri-F…

An Sound-nin sent an air wave at Neji, who narrowly dodged the attack. He flashed away, and the Sound-nin found himself losing an arm. Before he can react, the Hyuuga had mercilessly stabbed another sword on his neck. The choker beeps and Neji kicked him away as the body explodes. He pants and gasps. The ground was loitered with blood and shattered burned limbs. Everywhere he looked, shinobis are fighting with each other, smokes rising. Suddenly another announcement was made.

"_Ishime's team from Stone has passed. 4 more places remaining! And T - 1 hour and 15 minutes. You better hurry."_

"Son of a bitch… where are you… Naruto… Yukiku!" A spider like creature charged at him with a spear in hand. He parried it before ripping it to shreds. 'Sand nins' puppets. What annoying bastards.'

Just then, another announcement was made.

"_Guccha's Team from sand has passed. 3 more places remaining."_

48 players remaining

5 teams succeeded

T-**1 hour**

On the starboard side of Tako Giri D's deck…

Faced with such demanding situation, the shinobis are getting more and more desperate. Now all of them are on the deck, employing any means to kill their enemy. Including mob attacks. Yukiku just slammed a Snow kunoichi's face with her headcleaver. The poor woman was thrown off the deck, but she managed to stick to the ship's exteriors and dashed back up. Unfortunately, 5 PKs suddenly appeared in her path and stabbed her to death. The Kunoichi explodes before she even hits the waters.

A grass nin charged at Yukiku from the back. Realizing the danger, she reflexively turned around while throwing her senbons. Three nailed dead center on the nin's face. The choker explodes again as another announcement was made, saying someone from Waterfall had passed. 2 more places remaining.

**21 players remaining**

**6 teams had succeeded**.

T-**45 minutes**

Tako Giri A, deck

Meanwhile, Naruto had just got out to the deck when a nin who were burning charged frantically at him. Naruto immediately slammed him away. But the men keep on charging. Faced with little choice, Naruto pulled out his Kunai, placed an explosive tag and throw it at the nin's neck. Before it explodes, Naryuto grabbed the man and tossed it overboard. The massive explosion managed to shook the ship and throw everyone aboard TG-A off balance that some fell off. They tried to get back up. During the time, Naruto immediately make his way to the center of the Kraken.

'That's the only place you can access other sections the fastest and you can easily find your teammates!' Naruto crossed the stairs that connected the Tako-Giri A to the Central, meeting some hostile opponents and some PKs along the way whom he, finally found the resolution to mercilessly, kill.

He ran as fast as he can. Another announcement was made: _"Gusuke of Soundgakure has passed. ONE MORE PLACE REMAINING!"_

Naruto hasten his pace, and so does everyone aboard. Suddenly killing their opponent no longer matters. Finding their teammate becomes their uppermost priority. Naruto realized this and growled. 'Why don't you people realize that a little sooner!? Idiots!'

However, there are still several dozens PKs remaining and they still up to the task: kill the players. The once Genin Vs Genin fight has turned into Genin Vs PKs. However, so far, only Naruto and his team managed to tackle them with little difficulties. This doesn't go unnoticed by Fujiki, who watched everything with great interest.

Central Section…

"Namimaru, give me the headcount of Naruto's team."

"Yes. Let's see… Yukiku, 10 teams, Hyuuga Neji! Wow… 20 teams!"

"20 huh?"

"Yeah… that's the highest."

"What of Naruto?"

"…so far… only… 6 teams?"

"Hmmm…"

"Is he serious or was he playing hide and seek all the time in this game?"

"Namimaru, when I asked: 'Give me the headcount' I mean all counts. Yes, even our PKs. So… how many again?"

"Ehem. Sorry sir. Let's see, if we add the PKs… Yukiku, 10 team, 5 PKs. Neji, 20 teams… no make that 21 teams and 10 PKs. Uzumaki Naruto… he just killed one more so 7 teams… and… What the…?"

"Hm?"

"…19… no, 20."

"What?"

"…he's taken out 20 of our player killers… and counting."

Fujiki laughed. "HAH! So he's more interested in hunting our PKs then the players. I really like him!" he gobble another chicken leg before took a drink. "Anyway, it is 15 minutes left. The game will end soon."

**15 Players remaining**

**45 PK remaining**

**15 minutes left**

The last remaining 15 Genin find themselves fighting desperately against the overwhelming number of Player Killers. Naruto meanwhile had found his way to the other side of the Central section tower. However, he also found himself having a hard time as his role as the PKK had put him on the blacklist of all remaining PKs. Every PK left prioritize him as the must kill ASAP. It took Naruto some incredible effort to get away from a pack of PKs that suddenly tried to surround him a while back. After scanned his surrounding, he finally found his comrades. On his right, Neji was fighting furiously against 3 or so PKs. On his left, Yukiku was swinging her Headcleaver wildly against the PKs.

"NEJI!! YUKIKU!!"

The two Konoha Nin recognized their Nakama's call. The two looked at Naruto. The whole battlefield stopped for a moment. Then, like a tidal wave of realization hit them all, every non-Konoha shinobi suddenly adopt one mindset: "KILL THE KONOHA NINS!"

The three nin suddenly find themselves fighting every nin on the deck. Naruto was fending off several PKs and some grass nins who tried to attack him. He blocked the PKs blade as he stabbed a kunai on the Grass nin's neck. The choker beeps and Naruto tossed the soon to explode Grass nin towards a horde of PKs. The blast sent some limbs of their body to the air.

12 players left

40 PK remaining

10 minutes left

The Grass' teammates also explode. One, Neji tossed him off board. The other, he kicked him to TG-F's bridge and the bridge was gone. A PK came crashing at him with a blade in hand. Neji avoid it as the blade nearly split him to two. The Jounin tried to stab him but the Hyuuga jumped over him as he stabbed both of his blade to his back, all the way to the heart. More PKs are coming his way. But he pressed on. 'I must get to Naruto's place.'

39 PK remaining

The same thought crossed Yukiku's mind as she tried to take out a stone nin, who keeps throwing rocks at her, preventing her from getting close to Naruto. Just then, two of the Stone nin's teammate were closing on him. Yukiku gasped. They were almost touching the nin, when the remaining PK slaughter the nin on the spot.

The other two stone nin yelled as their choker beeps. The Pks slammed them and pushed them down to the seas while another tossed the dead stone nin towards Yukiku, who, in her shock, immediately tried to avoid the explosion. They explode, and the wave of the explosion sent the girl into a head on collision with the Starboard side's railings. It knocked her unconscious.

**5 minutes left, 9 PLAYERS REMAINING!**

Naruto realized this as he yelled at Neji. "NEJI!"

Neji looked at Naruto, who's looking at a direction. He followed Naruto's direction and saw that Yukiku fainted and 2 PKs are closing in to finish her off. He immediately slashed his opponent, killing him in an instant before sending a 'Raiton, Raikouhou!' a giant cracking lightning burst out from Neji's mouth and headed straight at the two Mist Jounin. Caught unprepared, the Mist Jounins were fried in an instant. Following, Neji immediately start running to the larboard side. He's on top the deck of TG-F. Meaning he had to cross TG-E to get to TG-D, where Yukiku lay. And the fastest way he can think off will be to jump from the railings of the docked ships.

"RASENGAN!" Naruto slammed a nearly perfect Rasengan at a Jounin, breaking the blockade he had been put into and he dashed like never before towards Yukiku. He hurriedly descend the stairs that connects to Tako-giri D when suddenly a Kumo nin grabbed his leg, making him fall.

**2 minutes left**

4 PK jumped at him, swords ready. Naruto immediately grabbed the Kumo nin who got his leg and loosen the nin's choker. It beeps. The nin panicked, and lowered his grab on Naruto's leg. Using that chance, Naruto lifted the Kumo nin and make him his shield. 4 blades went through the nin. Naruto immediately escaped the pinch, just in time as the body explodes, taking the PKs out. The wave of the explosion pushed him forward, getting ever closer to his destination.

**1 MINUTE! 6 PLAYERS!**

The PKs casting one jutsu after another at him and at Yukiku. One by one, and with great difficulty, he somehow managed to either dodge or destroy the jutsu directed at him. While Naruto, who's already running across the bloodied deck of TG-D, manage to keep the jutsus directed to Yukiku at bay with his Rasengan. Neji reached the larboard side of TG-E and was about to jump straight at her when the last team stand in their way, a stone Genin team, butt him in. In retaliation, Neji avoid the attack before swung both of his katana, mincing the assailant's arm in the process.

**30 SECONDS!!**

Naruto dashed forward and throw a fuuma shuriken at a stone nin's arm, just in time before the nin stabbed Yukiku on the face, severing the nin's arm in the process. The Stone-nin didn't have time to yell in pain as Naruto immediately swat him on his head and sent him flying away. Another Stone nin was following him.

**15 SECONDS!**

Neji kicked the stone nin several times before kicked him upwards. He didn't have time to deal the finishing blow; hence he stepped on the railings and jumped. Meanwhile, the PKs had finally stopped their attack and now were watching everything. Neji managed to grab the railings of the ship he headed to.

**10 seconds…**

The stone nin grabbed Naruto's back and throw him backwards. Angry, Naruto retaliated by swinging the heavy sheathed nodachi at the stone nins kneecap, breaking them. The Stone nin yelled in pain and Naruto immediately stood up and continued his dash.

**5 seconds**

Meanwhile, Yukiku had regained consciousness. Despite the dizziness, she tried to scan her surroundings.

**4…**

The Stone nin just won't give up, he grab hold of Naruto's leg, which earned him an elbow, breaking his nose. Still he won't let go.

**3…**

Neji immediately ran at Naruto and smashed the Stone nin's neck with his knee. He finally let Naruto go.

**2…**

The two finally ran at Yukiku, who already outstretched her hand.

**1!**

The two grabbed Yukiku's hand.

**0**

-TIMER STOP-

The three Konoha nins were never been so glad that everyone was well. Just then, a Stone nin, whose collar beeping charged at them. "FOLLOW US TO HELL KONOHA NINS!"

Yukiku immediately threw her needles right at the Genin's head. The man stopped, just as his collar explodes. Instinctively, Naruto stood in front of the two, and the explosion hit him full.

In the central section Fujiki gasped as he saw the event.

"It was point blank range… no one can survive the explosion at that distance." Namimaru stated.

Fujiki narrowed his eyes and blinked in surprise. "Then perhaps, your opinion needs to be revised."

"Pardon?" He looked at the monitor and his eye widen in shock.

Naruto stood, still in one piece, with both of his arm crossed in front of him. Neji and Yukiku were behind him, unscratched by the explosion.

Naruto turned and smirked. "Did I mention… that I'm fireproof?"

Neji and Yukiku looked at Naruto… and they finally smiled.

8 teams passed

--------

**Teams that has passed:**

**2 teams from Sound **

**Cloud**

**Grass**

**Stone**

**Waterfall**

**Sand**

**Konoha**

**-First Game: The Gathering Royale: COMPLETED!-**

-----------------

Naruto, Neji and Yukiku were told by the remaining PKs to go to the central section. The PKs then proceed releasing the bombs from their necks and showing the three (or what's left of them) the entrance to the central section, which is a large metal door, the very same door that Naruto went through last night. Unfortunately, the blond fail to notice. Once they're inside, they were welcomed by a large hall. Inside, the other 7 Genin teams were waiting. Yukiku noticed that some of them are having a medical treatment. There are also some, much to her horror, were losing a limb or two. The three Nin took their time scanning around when a Mist nin with an eye-patch on one of his eyes appeared in front of them.

"Welcome and congratulations. You're the last team that has succeeded in completing the first game. Now, kindly join the rest, we will send in our best medical nin to tend to your wounds immediately."

"You're the one we saw in the announcement, are you not?" Naruto asked. "Are you Mizunari Fujiki?"

"Oh no. I'm Namimaru, 2nd seat, Mizunari Squad. I'm his deputy."

"I see… then… can I give him a little message?"

"What message?"

Then, Naruto sent an insanely strong punch at Namimaru's face. The so-called vice was caught off guard, and it hit him full, sending him all the way across the hall. All other seven teams were staring, eyes widen, at the spectacle.

"Just in case that Octopus didn't get the message earlier, tell him, that when this is all over, I'm going to give him that pain, infinite times worse!" Naruto growled angrily.

Namimaru chuckled; despite the pain brought by the big bruise which now decorating his cheek. "I see. Rest assured I'll give that message to the master. Now please prepare yourself, the second game is about to begin." 'What monstrous strength…'

Neji was quite shocked at Naruto's sudden behavior. After they won the first game, he seem quieted himself for a moment. Just then, a three Nin team of medical Mist Nin, led by a nervous looking girl came at them.

"Uummm… is there any of you that require medical treatment?" 'I doubt the blond need it, he just punched Namimaru-senpai across the room…'

Neji answered. "Naruto's leg is bleeding heavily. Yukiku got hit hard on her head; I think it's bleeding a bit. The rest are just minor wounds and all."

"Umm… okay." She looked at her other two teammates, both already moved at Neji and Yukiku, leaving her with the worst of the team. Defeated, she went to Naruto while the other two nin performed their checkup on the other two. She looked, nervously, at the boy. "Err… please sit down."

"Okay." Naruto do as he was told and the medic nin began healing the bleeding wound. He looked at his teammates. Neji got bruised here and there, whilst some of his clothes are singed. Yukiku, as Neji had said, had a little bleeding on her head. Regardless, they're all intact. "I see… we're all still in one piece."

Neji and Yukiku looked at Naruto. Neji smirked. "I kinda worried about you though… what's with you can's use any jutsu…"

"Please don't worry me over your sleep. We know what we had been through in the last 6 months of Kira-sensei's demonic training now, don't we?" Naruto smirked.

"Please don't remind me…" Yukiku massaged her temples as she chuckled. In the last six months, when Kira not teaching them anything new, the sensei gave them extreme physical training. That is, they fight. Fight and fight as long as their stamina can keep them. Days and nights if possible. The record was held by, obviously, Naruto. The longest was fighting 5 days and nights without rest, without eat, and without ANY soldier pill. Their opponents vary from day to day as Kira, with the permission of Tsunade, sent all clans' top shinobi in Konoha at them. One time they were surrounded by a horde of Inuzuka clan's 50 feet tall dogs. Another time, they had to outrun Aburame's hordes of endless chakra bugs. Another take, they had to avoid being stomped by at least 100 super colossus sized Akamichi clans. After some time, it may seem become easy for them. Knowing that, Kira would later gave them a pack of handicaps. Like this one time they were fighting 100 Hyuuga top fighters, they had to fight them, WITHOUT their hands, consequently, without their jutsus. They only got their legs to rely on. Somehow, they managed to survive all that.

However, nothing, NOTHING can compare all that with what Kira had in store: a fighting session against HIMSELF. There's no handicap safe the weight their wearing, but the three had lost counts on how many times Kira beat them to the inch of their life. The Shitennou seemingly just never hold back. However, it is now they saw the benefits of all that. They've become experienced fighters. When they fight, it was as if their body moved on their own, like a well thought out instinctual complex reflexes. The three smiled knowing how strong they become.

"Anoo… The wound on your leg is quite deep. I might burn a bit of your flesh when I channeled my chakra to heal it. Would you like some anesthetics before I do so?" The explanation fell on deaf ear. The medic nin assigned to Naruto were swinging her hand in front of Naruto. The blond didn't even realize the Kunoichi was trying to talk to him as he was too transfixed on his friends and his own thoughts. Pissed, she healed the wound anyway without anesthetics. The blond didn't even flinch.

Though they to wonder, just like the rest of the team in there, what other games this Mizunari had in mind. Meanwhile, the medic nin gave them each a soldier pill. The pill immediately restored all their lost stamina and strength. And their wounds had all disappeared, as if they've not fight at all. Yukiku was quite impressed. 'Whoa… didn't know Mist medic nins were this good…'

Just then, Namimaru stood in front of the teams. "Congratulations for completing the first game. Now, we shall begin Game 2, Underneath the Underwater." The eyepatched nin snapped his finger, and then, explosions can be heard.

Outside, what's left of the eight ships which surrounded the central section were blown off and began sinking. The next instance, the ships were no more. Just then, 8 submarines appeared out of nowhere and latched itself to Central section's dock, forming the Kraken's 8 pointed snowflake form again.

"Saa mina-san, if you please look at this map." Namimaru showed the Genin teams the map of the area. "As you can see, the area has changed. But the map of the ship's interior is off no use for you. Not for the game we're about to play."

The Genin team was still eying the Jounin.

"Now, the rule of this game, Underneath the Underwater, it's a team battle royal. One of the team will be given a ball. Again, before anyone asked, it's a bomb. A bomb which you must passed, in 5 seconds time, to another player. Now, each of the team you will start from one of the 8 sections encircling this central section. The goal of this game is for you to make the ball explode when being held by another team. Balls will be supplied from time to time. You win, when you've defeated every other opposing team, aside from on your own. Note, if one of you dies, the said team will be disqualified from the game. Needless to say, ultimately, there will be only one team to get to the final game, the Combat. The remaining PKs…" At this, Namimaru looked at what's left of the PKs. There aren't many left. Mostly were beaten down by Naruto and his team and the reserve weren't so eager to get themselves bruises and cuts anytime soon. Not while Naruto's team were around. "Hmm… well, there'll be no PK this time. Only disciplinary force."

'How would that be any different?' The same thought went across everyone's head (INCLUDING the PKs).

"They will bring the remaining team off the water… and make sure to send them back home."

The teams, especially Naruto, looked skeptically at the Jounin. After the Hell they went through in the first game, why did the Mist Nins would even bother being nice at the second game?

Namimaru seemed realize the uneasiness of the situation when he said. "Very well. Let's begin. If you please follow the P… ehem…I mean the Disciplinary force to your starting point, if you please?"

Eight mist Jounin stepped forward. The eight teams followed. Though Naruto is a bit reluctant. 'More killing…'

Not a moment too long, Naruto and the others followed their Jounins outside the tower, into the dock, and finally, into the docked ship. The interior of the ship changed drastically. The ships they've used for battling earlier were quite old and ragged. All the more, the ships were patched here and there. But the ship they're in right now as quite… well, advanced. It's a bit larger then the ragged ship they were in. They continue to walk for some time, going down one stairs after another until they reached what seems to be the ship's flat lowest bottom. They stood atop what seemed to be transparent glass window and they can see the bottom view of the ship. Namimaru suddenly appeared right in front of them. "Welcome. This is Tako Giri-One. This is your starting point."

"So… how is this game played again?" Yukiku nervously asked.

Namimaru smirked and pulled a lever. The window suddenly slid open, revealing the waving surface of the sea. He three Genin stepped away immediately, but a sudden sharp sensation on their back halted their retreat. They looked through their shoulder, 10 or so Jounin, pointed their sword at them.

The so called 2nd seat jounin carrying something like a molten blob of… something. "Hold on to this please." He threw it at Naruto, who instinctively, being caught by surprise, crossed his hand in defense. The blob hit his arm… and it literally glued there. "Huh?" Naruto looked at the slimy ball thingy stuck on his hand.

"An invention we made in Mist. Sticky water bomb. Easily movable, morphable and the best of all…" Namimaru smirked before pulling a nearly identical blob and dropped it to the water. 5 seconds later, it explodes, sending burst of water everywhere. "…extremely volatile."

"…" the three Genin stared at the explosion's aftermath. Somehow, they are beginning to understand this game. Naruto became more and more reluctant to play the game. Regardless, being given a god much needed rest during the aftermath of the first game, he began giving what Kyuubi said some thought. 'Be heartless… be heartless… that's what I need. Just for today… Just for today…' He looked at the water and somehow managed a chuckle.

Namimaru smirked, seeing as the three seem understand the whole point of the game. He was about to tell the Jounins to pushed them to the sea when their expression changed. From frightened understanding to muffled laughter. This somewhat confuse the Jounin.

The three Genin finally laughed. Hard. As hard their lungs can do them. The next instance, the three jumped into the water. Not a moment later, Naruto's face popped up again. "So… basically, all I have to do is making other player grab hold of this-" Naruto showed Namimaru the sticky bomb. "-for 5 seconds… and we have to do it underwater… right?"

"Yeah… that's why it's called Underneath the Underwater… you don't seem to be surprised?"

"If you got a godlike sensei that can see the future, can you tell me what can make us surprised?"

"H… Huh?" The Jounin jaw-dropped as Naruto splashed back in.

Underwater, Naruto saw his friends, all smirking from ear to ear. Again, Kira's training had saved them.

_Flashback_

Roughly three months ago…

Kira was sitting atop a rock as he read a book (Swimming for Experts, Backstroke, Butterfly, You Name It!).

A little while later, Naruto, Neji and Yukiku popped out. Yukiku, in particular was somewhat pissed.

"You guys are late. 5 minutes." Kira closed the book.

"Can you imagine how hard it was to walk half through the village wearing THIS!?"

"Hmm?"

"Don't 'Hmm?' me now! Look, I don't mind that you told me to wear this but, be a little bit responsible, don't change the meeting place in a whim! You first told me that the meeting place is Konoha's swimming pool, and then suddenly you changed it to be here, and we have to get here in less then 3 minutes!"

"Can't be helped. I didn't know the place was booked by the academy students. Ebisu told me a **bit** late. But you made it anyway."

Yukiku was on the verge of exploding when Neji cuts in.

"So, mind explaining now why we have to wear swimming trunks?"

Indeed. The three are in swimming trunks. Neji and Naruto both wear swimming boxers while Yukiku wearing a blue one piece. Her gloves still stuck on her hand, only, it was tightened. And they just ran half through the village, Neji in particular were chased by countless fangirls who were screaming hysterically as they saw their idol with nothing on but swimming trunks. Yukiku had trouble avoiding lustful look from playboys and accidentally bumped on the peeping JIRAIYA, who happens to be around. Naruto had the least amount of trouble, but he, being the Naruto, protector of Nakama, just can't leave his friends at the mercy of human's wildest fantasies. Things are just getting better in that, they have to hand carried their weight clothes around.

"Because I want you guys to dance." Kira smirked evilly.

"…huh?"

The Shitennou pointed a finger, and then a small water ball appeared at his tip. It enlarges, bigger and bigger, floating atop the ground. "Naruto, how long can you hold your breath underwater?"

"Eh… last time I remembered… hmm… 5… 6 minutes top."

"Neji?"

"…2-3 minutes."

Kira looked at Yukiku, who answered: "4 minutes flat."

"…I see… well we need to work on that."

"Hmm… you're asking us to swim on that water ball?"

"No. Not swim. But dance."

"How would that be any different?"

"Hop in, and you'll know soon enough." Kira smirked, VERY evilly. "Put on your weight clothes, if you please."

The three thought for a moment, and they finally jumped into the water anyway after they put back their weight clothes. Once inside, they swam like a shinobi would. Unlike normal civilians, shinobis can swim quite fast. At least, faster then usual.

"Continue to swim until you get the feel on the terrain." Kira instructed.

The three nodded underwater and continue swimming as long as their lungs can do them. Neji was the first to go out. His time: 4 minutes and 30 seconds. Yukiku followed with 5 minutes and 45 seconds. It took quite a while for Naruto to come out as he get the time of 10 minutes and 55 seconds.

Kira smiled. "Be happy boys and girl. You've broke your records."

"That we did. All those marathons in the morning were for the sake of increasing our lung's capacity, aren't they?" Neji looked at Kira, who nodded.

"But this is all plain swimming boys. Sea can be cruel at you sometimes. It'll spin you, it'll twist you, and it'll crush you without mercy if you're not prepared. You guys have just shown me that you can swim in a water condition that is normal. So to speak, calm waters. But in reality, sea is not like that."

"So how do we train that?"

"Thought you never asked. Get ready boys." Kira touched the water ball. And all the sudden, it began to spin. Slow at first, but the next instance, it turned fierce. "A whirlwind just appeared 5 meters away from your spot, causing a whirlpool!" Following Kira's words, not so far from them, a whirlpool appeared and began sucking them all in. "Swim away! Swim away! If you got suck in, you're real dead!" The three Genin frantically swam against the sucking whirlpool. Suddenly, Kira speak again. "A strong wind occurred because of the whirlwind, the wind causing the wave to go higher and the water current has just increased to 3 knots per hour! The wave height increased to 3 meters!" The three Genin felt a powerful wind blowing on their face, and giant wave, two times their size kept pushing them back. As if not enough, Kira continued stating: "The whirlwind goes stronger! Current increased to 4 knots, a fierce wave coming! 4 meters tall!" At this, the three Genin struggled using every ounce of their strength to survive. Alas, the fierce wave swayed them away. Kira chuckled. "I see my little boys are now dancing happily."

Neji tried his best to at least get a feel of his body. Alas, he was tossed here and there like a ragdoll. At one time, he could've sworn he saw his whole flashes before his eyes. 'They say things like that happen before you die…'

Yukiku several times contemplated to release her gloves, controlling the water. But fearing the safety of her friends, she stayed them. Regardless, for her, the world seemed keep spinning round and round.

Naruto's eyes spinning. He's already on the verge of throwing up.

Then, as sudden as it came to pass, it suddenly stopped. The three Genin floated on their backs atop the calm surface of the water sphere. Naruto was the first who breaks the silence. "…we… made it…?"

"Just the opposite, actually." Kira groaned.

"Huh?" The three looked at their sensei.

"…tomorrow morning, the headline in newspaper will be: three Konoha Genins got drowned into a whirlpool."

"Uh…"

"If this was the real sea… you're all dead by now."

"Was the real sea really like that?" Naruto gasped.

This caught Kira somewhat by a bit of a surprise. "Of course not. Would you like to get a feel?"

"So it wasn't like that! It's way too hard!"

"Okay. Current: 5 knots, wave height: 4 meters in average going 5! There! That's the real thing!"

The three genins knew their hatred towards this sensei had just increased several notch higher as they know they were dead for Kira had given the word Devil Sergeant a whole new meaning.

_End of flashback._

Intense water training and all the fighting suck them all out of their energies. But for an acceptable prize: by the end of their six months training, Neji scores 55 minutes and 45 seconds before taking a breather. Yukiku break her 4 minute flat record by flying colors with 1 hour and 15 minutes. Naruto lasts for 1 hour and 55 minutes while he took an underwater nap.

The three Genin grinned like mad. After being tossed around in artificial waves for all this time, mere underwater swimming will be a breeze, even if you got explosives stuck on your hand.

Meanwhile, the other 7 teams had also dipped in.

-----------------

Back to the Kraken…

"That Naruto sure can punch." Namimaru compressed his sorely bruised cheek with a bag of ice.

"I suppose. Does every underwater surveillance camera working?" Fujiki said as he munched a big bag of chips. Dozens of what's left of them were loitering around his seat.

"Checking perimeters cams… all green." That said images start popping in every monitor in the room.

Fujiki looked around and immediately spotted the Konoha Genin. Just then, he spotted something out of place. "You! Zoom on this one!"

"Yes sir."

The image closing in, allowing everyone to get a clear look on Konoha's team's faces.

"They were… smiling?" Namimaru rubbed his one eye to make sure he wasn't hallucinating or something.

Fujiki chuckled. "As expected from a group of PKKs. Namimaru, ready the ink."

"Sir? I thought we'll do that halfway through the game?"

"We will, if only I can predict how this team will think. In any case, we've got to go all out."

"Yes sir. Should I start the timer now?"

"You should've done those 5 minutes ago."

"Yes sir. Sorry sir." Namimaru pressed a button.

-----------------

Down there, the bomb stuck on Naruto's hand had just start ticking.

The sound of the unpleasant ticking reached Naruto's ears. 'I guess it means Game Start.'

**Second Game: Underneath the Underwater**

**Area: the underwater, right below the Kraken**

**Goal: You will carry a bomb with you. It'll explode when being held by the same person for more then 5 seconds. You can exchange holders of the ball between your team members. The goal of this game is to make other people, aside from your own team, to hold the bomb until it explodes. If one member is dead, the other two must leave the game because Chuunin exam can only be participated with three members.**

**Currently the ball is held by Naruto.**

The three began swimming forward. Halfway to the center of the field, the clock had hit 3 seconds. Naruto began to panic. Suddenly Neji charged at him and grabbed the ball from Naruto. It stuck to the Hyuuga now. Then, the timer reset allover to 5 seconds.

Naruto blinked. 'I see… so there's a way like that…'

Neji nodded at him and they charge forward again. They suddenly noticed that other teams were swimming away from them. The goal is to make sure other people's team held the ball, not yours. So it's only obvious that they all stay away from them. Neji looked around and noticed a team, wearing Sound headband. He pointed at them, signaling the others that the team will be their first target.

They immediately swam towards the Sound nin. The Genins realized the Konoha were heading towards them. One of them signaled the other, and one genin pointed both of his palms at them. Neji immediately recognize the move as Sound's signature jutsu.

'Zankuuha!!' The water seemed bending a little. However, Neji knew, from the direction of the arm, the attack was specifically pointed at him. Unfortunately, the Hyuuga prodigy didn't have time to react, and the invisible air blast hit him full and tossed him away from his teammate, but not before he passed the bomb to Naruto. The timer was reset again. All the while, the aftermath of the air blast also scattered them, threw them off balance and in the meantime, the Sound genins put more distance between them.

Naruto growled angrily and swim as fast as he can towards the three Genin. Weight training, swimming in sea storm… the Sound Genin was shocked when they saw the angered Konoha nin heading towards them with torpedo-like speed. In less then 2 seconds, Naruto managed to close the gap caused by the ripples, steadily gaining pace 1 second later.

The Kyuubi host however, knows that he's out of time. Suddenly, Yukiku blurred passed him and in the process, took the bomb. Timer reset. Naruto looked questioningly at the Kunoichi before she smiled and blinked at him. She turned… and then she disappeared. Only bubbles remained.

The Sound shinobis were shocked to say the least. They frantically searched for the female opponent. One of them caught a glimpse of small set bubbles, popping out quickly, in a steady gait towards them. Without further ado, the first Sound nin aimed his air gun at what he thought his enemy. Shot he did, and hit nothing but empty waters. Or so he thought. For the eyes of the Sound nin, Yukiku may have disappeared. But for Naruto's trained eyes, he found himself amazed, that he could only caught glimpse of the Kunoichi's movement.

The Sound nin did shot straight at Yukiku. But she dodged away as she danced, circling the invisible air blast. In less then 3 seconds, she's already right on the Sound-nins nose. The Genin didn't realize this though, as he only see blurs. But the next instance, the molten blob that was the bomb was stuck on his head as the Haku twin's hand sticks it there. Yukiku somersault counterclockwise, beautifully, kicking the Sound nin's face with her heels in the process before she smirked and swim away with equal haste. The Sound nin, still bewildered by the surprise kick, and frantically tried to take the blob off him. The Nin end up trying to tear the bomb off from one of his hand, only to have it stuck on the other. With haste, 5 seconds pass, and the bomb explode as it should. It made a bloody mess of the waters around.

Yukiku was quite shocked. 'They really weren't joking…' She calmed herself. 'It's alright. Kira-sensei taught you. You're shinobi. Chuunin-exam is just a replacement for war between villages.' The Kunoichi looked at Naruto, who looked back. He looked… burdened. Naruto finally smiled lightly and gave her a thumb's up.

Yukiku reluctantly returned the smile. 'For a moment though… he look sad…'

The two Sound nins were shocked at the death of their teammate. They looked angrily at the girl before charging forward. Naruto and Yukiku readied themselves. Just then, 5 or so Mist Jounins burst in and grabbed the Sound nins forcibly before pulling them away, out of the waters. One Jounin saluted them, which Naruto returned with a glare, before swam off. Meanwhile Neji was finally able to catch up with them. The three nodded with each other to confirm everyone's okay.

Just then, the bottom part of The Kraken's Central part opened up. Following, thick, pitch black ink burst out. The same holds true for the Kraken's 'tentacles'. It dropped barrels, dozens of them, and each spilling doses of black ink. Not a moment too soon, everything was pitched in black. All the genins were greatly alarmed. Neji inwardly chuckled. 'Mizunari Fujiki the Octopus indeed.'

'Not that this kind of thing will disturb us or anything…' Naruto grunted. His eyes can still see things clearly, albeit it's blackened here and there. 'But now, clearly, they will use this darkness for an opportunity to put a bomb on one of us. This is what they meant by supplying the bomb'

True enough, Naruto spotted a single, extremely fast diver, all dressed in black, effectively camouflaging his figure in the blackness, carrying a familiar blob in his hand. Swift like a fish, the nin planted the bomb on a waterfall nin. The waterfall Nin panicked as he just realized the bomb was stuck on him. Unconsciously, what's with the darkness, he stuck the bomb on his teammate. Not knowing what to do and somewhat confused, the former swam away, as fast as he can. They regain their composure just a bit too late, 5 seconds had passed, and it explodes. The Waterfall team was out for the count.

The next instance, a Jounin dashed towards them, trying to stick the bomb on them. Naruto easily dodged and whacked the Jounin's head with Tenrou's iron _saya _(Scabbard), gut him, and finally kicked him off to the abyss.

Few moments later, another Jounin dived back in and stuck another bomb on a Stone nin. The nin seemed already noticed about the bomb and they were prepared. They immediately swapped the bomb among them while searching for another team to stick the bomb to. Luckily, or unluckily, they spotted Naruto's team and head straight at them.

--------

Central part…

Fujiki munched a mouthful of ramen with a bored expression on his face.

"Two teams taken out, Fujiki-sama."

"Hmm… hmm."

"…you seem… uninterested?"

"I'm bored of waiting."

"Waiting?"

"Look at the Konoha team."

"Yes?" Namimaru bent down to get a closer look.

--------

The three Konoha Genin dodged, almost easily, when stone the Nin team charged towards them blindly. The nin turned his head several times, trying to search another person in the dark before Neji mercilessly kicked the back of his head, sending him farther away. Less then a few seconds later, he immediately swapped the bomb to another one of his teammate. And again, heading towards them. They managed to stick the bomb, by sheer luck, on Yukiku.

Tough luck.

Yukiku took it, and before the timer could even restart, had already returned it in a flash on another player. The unlucky victim was a Sound Nin. The nin realized this 2 seconds later and immediately searched for another target. He found another figure, who unluckily for him was actually Naruto. The sound nin put the bomb on his holed palm, aimed it at Naruto, and shoot it off with his Air gun. Naruto's keen senses caught the sudden abnormal movement in the water and looked straight at the impending bomb, heading his way. The blond instinctively kicked his legs and dashed away. The bomb landed itself squarely on a Cloud nin's face.

--------

"…they… they have no trouble at all swimming underwater? It was as if this is not the first time."

"The way they move is no amateur. When swimming, especially in open seas, lots of things will be taken to consideration. Wave current, oxygen usage, etc… they know exactly how to predict it like the back of their palm. A seasoned Mist Jounin need years to achieve that kind of level. I'm bored… because the victor has been decided. The ink did little job hindering their senses. They truly are the best in Konoha and practically mopped the floor clean. Gah! Maybe we should've minimized the number of teams that can pass the first test… maybe we should've make it 4 or 3… the winner of this game is clear."

"Do you want me to stop it?"

"If I do that, the other team will not be satisfied… they'll complain to Enshin-jii and I don't want that on my conscious. Let's just wait."

--------

Meanwhile, after series of failed attempts at them, the remaining teams came to an unspoken agreement to best stay away from Konoha teams. They've began to recognize Naruto's blond hair and nodachi, Yukiku's giant long head cleaver, and Neji's twin blade in the midst of the darkness. Mostly prefer to stay away and look on another target rather then had to deal with them. Just then, a cloud nin was trapped by vines with the bomb stuck on him. The grass nin who trapped him grabbed the vine, spin him several times before throwing him towards a group of stone nin. The stone Genin was caught off guard as the Cloud nin hit one of them just when the bomb's timer had reached zero. The blast took two of the Stone nin's team. Cloud and Stone are out. Only 4 teams remained.

However, the last three teams realized sooner or later, they had to face Konoha team. Knowing this some of them even had lost hope.

The same thought also crossed Naruto's mind. 'I had enough with this butchery. Fujiki, if you got brains you should know this too… it's over. We won this game. It's our victory.'

Much to the blonde's chagrin, by the sounds of people swimming frantically in the darkness and subsequent clock ticking, the game still goes on. 'GRAAAH! IS there no way to stop this STUPID GAME!?'

**THERE'S A WAY. **

'How?'

**WELL, FUJIKI ENJOY WATCHING US DYING RIGHT? THEN DO WHAT YOU DO BEST. MAKE HIM IRRITATED. MAKE HIM ANGRY.**

'Angry? Irritated? Hmm… Kyuubi… three guesses… what do you think will make a man, who watched a butchery while sitting conveniently, comfortably, inside his luxurious private yacht, go completely pissed off?'

Kyuusei's answer was evil chuckles that mimicked Naruto's inward laugh.

Naruto zoomed everywhere, sharpened his ear to the maximum extent, searching for the faintest beep, the dimmest light of the bomb's ticking in the middle of pitch black seas. Not too long, a Jounin dived in, heading towards an unsuspecting Sand nin, not ten feet from him. With a grin he dashed, much to the bewilderment of his teammates. With speed unlike anything Fujiki has ever seen, Naruto suddenly appeared right between the two nins. The Jounin was bewildered, caught off guard. Snatching the chance, Naruto grabbed the bomb. The clock start ticking and Naruto slammed the bomb on the Jounin's stomach. It stuck, but Naruto held his hold on it, and the timer stopped.

Naruto grinned. He grabbed the Jounin's collar and start swimming towards the ship's hull.

Namimaru was confused. "What is he doing? He's ruining the game!"

Fujiki blinked. 'Wait the minute… Naruto has shown dislike to my game since the beginning… if I am him… judging by the situation… then his target is most likely…-' "Oh crap! INCOMING!"

Naruto stopped a few meters away from the Kraken's Central part's hull. He looked at the horrified Jounin and mouthed: 'Nice knowing you.' Stamping 3 amplifiers on the Nin and formed a half stage Rasengan before slamming it at the Jounin. Rocket him towards the hull. Meanwhile, released from Naruto's hand, the timer starts. The poor Mist Jounin got shot up and slammed the ship's hull. His head went through the wall and he stuck there, unconscious, whilst the bomb still ticking non-stop in his chest.

5 seconds later.

KABOOM!

The whole ship rocked off.

Naruto smirked. 'Oh yeah. He's definitely gonna be pissed.'

Neji and Yukiku had their eyes opened wide. Five disciplinary forces dived in and looked at the smirking Naruto.

Atop the ship… all hell of panic breaks loose.

"HULL'S BREACHED! Water pouring in sector 5!"

"Impossible! Our explosive shouldn't be this strong!"

"Starboard side began to sink!"

"We're doomed!"

"SILENCE!!" Fujiki's thunderous roar silenced everyone. The crewmen looked at the ship's captain's diminutive figure. "NAMIMARU!"

"Yes, sir."

"Who we are?"

"Crewmen of MIzunari Fujiki's ship, the Kraken."

"And as the crewmen of such ship, has there been a condition where we were reduced to sail with twenty holes in our hull?"

"Yes sir."

"Has there been a condition where we have to stay without food for days, with enemies bearing down on us?"

"Yes sir."

"Then why, are you people making ruckus, just because of ONE DAMN HOLE!?"

Everyone was silent. Fujiki calm himself and began giving out commands. "Operator! Get the mechanic to sector 5 immediately! I want that damn hole closed 3 minutes ago! Which area got flooded the most?"

"Sector 7, sector 8, sector 9, sec-"

"That does it. Seal off all chambers from sector 12 to sector 14! Operator the mechanic to get to the damage area through the pipeline."

"Sir." The operator saluted and do as commanded. Order immediately restored as people start working and moving but in a better carried manner.

Fujiki turned to Namimaru. "Namimaru, get the players out of there. The game's over."

"What of Naruto?"

"The winner is clear."

"Of course." Namimaru nodded.

--------

**Teams that has passed:**

**Sound **

**Grass**

**Sand**

**Konoha**

**-Second Game: Underneath the Underwater: (Forcibly) COMPLETED!-**

-----------------

The four remaining team was brought out to the surface immediately and placed on the deck of the central dock. Naruto in particular was restrained by 5 jounins. He was smirking from ear to ear satisfied with what he had done. Neji just looked at him and shook his head, whilst Yukiku scratched her wet hair.

Everyone was looking at Naruto's team and somewhat astonished. Just then Namimaru appeared in front of them all. He looked at Naruto, who still smirked happily.

"Impressive… Naruto-kun. Normally, when a nin ruined the Octo-triathlon, the unofficial rule will be, that person must be killed. But my compliments, you certainly turned death sentence to a chance of survival… though it's very small." Namimaru waved his hand, and the five Jounin let Naruto go.

Naruto flexed his body.

"Fujiki-sama has come to honor your team's valor; also, the winner of this second game was quite clear, which is your team. Hence, you've won the right to fight in the final game, the Combat. The final game… is quite explainable… in fact it is something you've been expecting Naruto-kun."

The blond looked at Namimaru as if asking for a reassurance.

"Yes. As you expected. The last game is a mano a mano match. A fight to the death, against Mizunari Fujiki-sama himself."

"Mano a mano huh…" Naruto frowned.

"And one more thing, Fujiki-sama wishes to reward you, for you have entertained him so much during the first two games, he will grant you a wish."

"A wish?"

"Yes. Anything… as long as that is something he can grant you of course."

"Right. Let me ask you, what will happen to the other team who didn't win the game?"

"Well… there should only be one survivor from the second game-"

"Then I want them to be spared, and granted safe passage to Mist." Naruto cuts in.

"Ah… very well." Namimaru nodded. "Now please gather with your team and let our medics heals you."

Naruto walked back to his team. Neji and Yukiku looked at him. Too stunned to talk to him.

The blond simply sit, completely silent. Neji decided to break the mood. "That was reckless of you, Naruto."

"…I guess."

"Don't say I guess. I mean, good god, you've wrecked a ship of a Mist's Village Devil Swordsman. You think this will go unheard amongst the Kiri-nins?"

"Well I had to stop it somehow…"

"Have you forgotten our mission, Naruto? We've attracted more attention to ourselves now."

"Yeah… you're right."

Neji sighed and exhaled a long breath. "I never knew you could be this wild…"

"…Oi, Neji… about the mission… well you see…"

"Ssshh… their medic nins are coming!" Yukiku silenced them both.

And they have their wounds (if any) tended.

---------------------

I'm going to Malaysia, so I might not be able to update for some time. Please enjoy.

Part 1 end

Deidara's days in Interrogation

Minichapter 6:

Welcome to the Club

A week earlier…

"Don't even think by handcuffing me with a chakra neutralizing iron, you can actually torture me with another sound torture, buddy!"

"Hey, I'm not trying to make you help me; I'm trying to get you to help yourself!" Athrun pushed Deidara throughout an alleyway. "All you had to do is answering some of my questions. What's so hard about it? Like, for a hundredth time, who funded you people?"

"I'm not talking."

"Suit yourself." Athrun opened a door and pushed Deidara inside. "I'll be back after a week. I hope you got some good answers."

Athrun walked away, leaving the door which has its name written just above it:

'The Ultimate Gay Germo Club, Girls are not welcome!'


	26. Octo Triathlon Part 2

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": special case**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA: Giant creature speech **

**Chapter 24.2:**

**The Octo-Triathlon**

**Part 2:**

**Combat**

Naruto had been sitting agitatedly together with his teammate for a greater part of an hour. Sitting there doing nothing gave him a great deal of time to rethink of the things he had done before and after he got the assignment from the Mizukage. He had killed an army amassing of tens of thousands, butcher a ship filled with armed mafias and alike, and now, he blast a hole through a Mist devil swordsman's ship. The assignment had required them to remain unnoticed. But now, as he sees it, it's too late for him to remain disregarded. All the Mist nins will have their eyes at him at this rate. Inwardly he laughed at the irony. Back then, in his village… god, what would he give to be watched by others. And now, just when stealth is what needed most, he made himself watched by others. 'Damn, I'm truly a baka.'

Now, what's done is done. He's attracted too much attention to himself. '…or maybe…'

Just then, Namimaru appeared in front of the three. "Uzumaki Naruto. If you please come with me? Fujiki-sama waits."

"He already chose me from the beginning… didn't he?"

"Yes. After all, you are the dominating figure in the whole game."

"…suppose… if I die… what will happen to my teammates?"

"Well, I thought it would be obvious. Chuunin exams require 3 people to be done. You die, the other two must resign."

"…I see." Naruto nodded and start walking.

Neji still looked somewhat unapproved, even though he had seen this coming.

"Naruto wait." Yukiku suddenly grabbed Naruto's shoulder. She immediately whispered to Naruto's ears. "Look. I know how strong you are. Heck, you've beaten the shit out of a pack of Hellhounds. But right now, you don't have those Onijutsus. You can't even enact a summoning jutsu right. How are you supposed to defeat Mist strongest swordsman with just Taijutsu?"

Naruto turned and looked at Yukiku's face. Her eyes widen. The fox host nodded once and let Yukiku's hand off before continuing his march calmly.

Yukiku backed away. "Neji… Naruto's face…"

"No cloud in his eyes."

"…it's like he's saying: Leave the rest to me…"

"…" 'Naruto… what are you up to?'

----------------

Naruto was brought to a hall. A large circular hall. He could barely see the ceilings. Then again, he could also see minuscule cameras spiraling across the walls of the room. 'He doesn't plan to test me again now did he?'

"Yo, Naruto-kun!"

"Hm?" the blond looked around and saw, much to his surprise, a giant table with assortments of dishes atop and the boy who once offered him food was eating in the same manner as when they first met. "You? What are you doing here?"

"Well as you can see. I'm eating."

"Here?"

"Why not?" He ripped a lobster to two.

"For your information, there's gonna be a bloodbath here soon. Well… I think."

"Sit down and eat."

"Oh no, thank you. I'm full."

"Are you sure? You gave the Kraken quite a pounding, took out quite a lot of PKs on the way, and you're not tired?"

"Well… tired is one thing I'm pretty bad at. You see… I got this insanely huge amount of stamina… so I'll be fine."

"That's quite a confidence."

"How did you know what I've done to this ship anyway?"

"Hey, I'm mist Nin, I watched it all." He opened a can of coke and took a sip.

"You… watch? Along with Fujiki?"

"Yeah."

"Oh good… then perhaps you can tell me, where is he now? I wanna give him the pounding of his life."

"A pounding of his life, eh? Why did you hate him so?"

"Why? Well you've seen what he had done, and you asked why?"

"…what?"

"He forced us, a bunch of genins to slaughter each other just for the fun of it, all the time."

"So what? We're shinobis, are we not? We're killing machines. That's what we're supposed to do."

"Yes, and we kill at a whim, I've heard that rhetoric crap before. Now let me tell you what I think. We're humans before we are machines. And humans have heart. I'm not saying I'm a saint or anything. I'm a killer. I'm a murdering bastard no doubt about that. I've killed countless people before I get here. And to be perfectly honest, I don't give a damn about sympathy for them. But to me, killing is not entertainment. But I can and, at times, I know it must be done as long as there is a reason for it."

"Really? And what is your reason to fight and kill all those PKs?"

"That I want to stop that madness. That man, Mizunari Fujiki, is thinking dying as entertainment. NOW, I'm gonna make him do the dying, and then let's see if he still consider it fun! Now where is he?"

"You know… I admit… that sometimes… Fujiki is a bit… too much… I too sometimes am getting sick of it." The boy wiped the dirt on his face before stopped eating altogether.

"…"

"But then again… Naruto… you want to become a Hokage, did you not? How do you suppose to become one… without killing anyone? Oh yes. You are a murdering bastard. But you kill for reason. Shinobi world… is cruel, Naruto. They care not for reason. Those who are weaklings are immediately swept aside by the fierce wave of competition. Only the strong survive."

Naruto blinked. "And does that mean… that the weaklings had to stand by and waiting to be killed?"

"…it is… inevitable. Sad… but true. A ruthless world we live in. The one thing that can push someone forward is the ambition. The will to become strong. That is what, I think, many people, or to be particularly precise, you, lack."

"You know… I have a friend told me that once."

"Uh-huh… and?"

"And I haven't been able to reply his statement… until now."

"And your reply… is?"

"…SCREW. THAT. I once made a promise. I will become a shinobi that just follow the way I see fit. It'll be a shinobi my own way. If I made a vow, I'll keep it even if I die. That's my nindo."

"…the world didn't revolve around you. You keep jabbering those nonsense, and one day the world will come crashing down upon you, and you're just be embittered by the facts of life."

"Be that, as it may, I will do it my way. Call me stupid, but that's the way I want it to be."

"…"

"Now then… if you've finished with your meal… I suggest we get on with it… Mizunari Fujiki."

"You know… before we begin, I want to correct some of your statement." Fujiki then cleaned all the plates and dishes. "Death… is not entertainment. No. I dislike dying. More so when I saw my men dying. But I do not deny that I like fighting. Especially, powerful adversary."

"Uh-hum…"

"Unfortunately, the Octo-triathlon, is one way for me to find such powerful adversary." He snapped his fingers and suddenly the whole giant table went spiraling down and down. After a while, the table had sunk back to the darkness, layers upon layers of metal doors slide in, closing the big hole.

"I see… but you've chosen me ever since we met that night… have you not?"

"Ku, ku, ku… Facts my friend. Facts are what I want to see. I will not simply choose you just because of what some blabbering words in the news said about you. A boy slaughtering 60,000 shinobis? Now that's just… unbelievable."

"Word got around fast huh?"

"Too unbelievable, I want to see it and feel it myself."

"Right. Then before we began fighting I want correct several things too."

"Fire away."

"You said, it is inevitable that the weaklings will be swept aside by the strong, correct?"

"Your point?"

"My point is, just being born weakling, given the chance; it is possible for the weak to overcome the strong."

"For your information, I didn't think you a weakling; otherwise, I wouldn't choose you."

"Newsflash: I got the lowest score in written tests, can't do proper Bunshin, Henge, or even Kawarimi jutsu, and failed my academy thrice. And now look how strong I become. Now less talk, more fight."

"OOOOKay."

----------------

Neji was somewhat restless. Several times he stood, rethought his doings, and then he sit again. Finally he resolves to fidgeting and flexing his fingers. All these made Yukiku somewhat annoyed. Then again, she too can understand why. "Hey, Neji… was Naruto used to be this reckless?"

"…I… I don't really know… you see, in actuality, we don't belong in the same team. Initially he belongs to team 7. I've read the record of his missions and he told me about it too… he had done one A-class mission, and several D-class missions… but I don't really know how he does his things in missions."

"He's reckless, stubborn, hardheaded boy who often draw more spotlight to himself." Suddenly a voice sounded from Neji's back.

"Huh?" Neji turned his face and Kira was right in front of him both of his eyes are curving. "Yo! Finally I managed to catch up."

"Kira-sensei! How did you get here?"

"Shunshin. How else?"

"Riiiight…"

"Hey you're not allowed in here! This area is off lim-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" A Mist Jounin got electrocuted when he tried to push Kira away.

"Whoopsie! Ehehehe… sorry about that mate. Careful. I still got a few hundred thousand volts from the last ride. So mind your fingers. I'm their sensei." Kira pointed at Neji and Yukiku. Namimaru looked at Kira and finally gave the other shinobi a sign to let it go.

Just then, Neji noticed something was bulging and trembling beneath Kira's baggy cloak. Kira chuckled and opened up his cloak. "Come on, get out, we've landed."

Neji and Yukiku bulked their eyes. "RENALD SAN?"

It is Renald. Trembling head to toe, holding to Kira's black clothes for his dear life. "H… h… help…!" and he fainted.

----------------

Naruto grabbed his Tenrou. "I heard you're swordsman… but I don't see any swords…"

"Oh please don't worry me over your sleep. In fact, I'm the one who should've asked you. Are you not going to unsheathe that instrument?"

"Don't feel like it… yet." Naruto get to his fighting stance.

"Okay… so it's up to me to get you into the mood." Fujiki simply stood calmly.

Silence.

----------------

Meanwhile, outside…

"That man is CRAZY! He… he… jumped… I thought I was gonna…"

"Calm yourself… at least you're still alive." Yukiku patted the journalists' shoulder.

"So… I take it Naruto's already fighting Fujiki now? Mano a mano."

"Yes." Neji looked at Kira. "You've been watching, haven't you?"

"Not exactly…" Kira raise his finger and Torii landed on it. "…I know. Then again… I know _everything._"

"Every… oh."

"Yes, even the '_oh'_."

Meanwhile, a TV screen popped out, showing what happened inside the arena.

Naruto and Fujiki both stood still.

"What's wrong? They haven't started yet?"

"No… quite the opposite… they're already at it…" Kira smirked.

----------------

Inside, truth to be told, Naruto and Fujiki were moving extremely fast, so fast, they barely left an afterimage. Blows were exchanged, dodged, released, catch, and parried in naught seconds. After several more blows, the two clashes and finally backed away.

Naruto landed with a thud. "I see… so that's your 'sword'."

"Heh." Fujiki smirked. An extremely long double edged sword, without any handle or hilt. Its length is probably one and a half of that of Tenrou. The most terrifying fact is, it jutted out from Fujiki's palm. Then slowly, it retracted back to where it came. Frighteningly, Fujiki didn't show even a single ounce of painful expression.

Naruto sighed. "Just one question… What kind of monster are you?"

"That question, I throw it right back at you!" The swordsman grinned. The next instance, he flickered and appeared right in front of Naruto, sending a roundhouse kick. Naruto easily dodged the attack… or did he? Few steps behind, blood splattered out from a slash on Naruto's chest.

The boy looked at the wound. It's a sword cut. 'Oh I should've known…'

Fujiki showed his leg: the same double edged blade jutted out from beneath his heel before it sank back in. He dashed forward again, this time, seemingly sending a backhand towards Naruto's face… but midway, it changed its aim Naruto's stomach instead. The blonde step aside and parried the slash with Tenrou. The blade retracted again and suddenly extend back, almost drilled an air hole through Naruto's stomach. It scratched his side instead. Roaring in fury, Naruto swing his nodachi in a vertical track and retaliate by aiming at Fujiki's shoulder. The boy smirked and dodged it easily only to be surprised when Naruto's fist met his face. The blond had closed the distance the instant the slash attack was dodged. The punch truly caught the swordsman by surprise. Normally, getting shoved a punch by the current Naruto, specifically an extremely angry one, will result in the unlucky victim get thrown for a few meters off the ground, with cracked bones here and there… in this case however, much to Naruto's bewilderment, he's the one being thrown back instead, for his fist bounce back.

"W… wha…?"

Fujiki simply smirked. Utilizing Naruto's a moment of pause, the octopus placed a well aimed stab at his face, it missed but managed to nick a bit of his cheek. The blond returned the wound with another punch with the same results again. Punches after punches, no matter how many times he landed his punch it just keep bounce back. In fact, it seems Fujiki didn't even bother defending let alone dodging. Finally the swordsman grabbed Naruto's hand. "Ok enough the cannon fodders. I handpicked you from a batch of 240 Genins. Don't disappoint me and gimme some muscle."

"Muscle? How bout some IRON?!" As he said that, Tenrou's metal scabbard slammed Fujiki's face, sending him crashing towards the wall, raising some smoke. "RAAAAAAH!" Naruto ferociously give chase. Through his eye he saw, much to his frustration, his opponent's face is still intact despite the fact he got hit by one load of solid iron on his face and now, the blonde want to make sure to give the swordsman a few more whacks. And so, he slashed the sheathed blade, only to have it caught by Fujiki's left arm midway. Naruto gasped at what he saw. Fujiki's left shoulder joint and his elbow joints were practically REVERSED. His left hand caught his nodachi, with his BACK facing Naruto.

"That attack on my face is surprisingly… painful." Fujiki turned around to face the shocked Naruto, coupled with an unpleasant sound of joints and bones twisting, and his left shoulder and elbow joints returned to normal human position. The swordsman smiled at the shocked Jinchuriki and aimed his palm at the boy's face. The blade burst out and slammed Naruto's face and went through his head… or so it seems. "My, what a strong teeth."

"Shuddup." Naruto bawled as he gnawed the blade with every muscle his jaw could afford.

Fujiki chuckled. "Well, I don't want saliva on my blade so please let go?"

Naruto gave him a middle finger.

"Your choice." The blade extends again and slammed Naruto against the wall, finally forcing him to let go with a grunt. The blade retracts. Fujiki observe the spot where Naruto bit his blade. "Aww… look what you did." He rubbed the blade before it sank back in. "You're not sick or anything do you? I'm a bit germophobic."

"Shut up. You don't need bacteria or germs to be a freak."

"Oh, you mean these joints of mine?" Fujiki demonstrate his body as he twists the joints of his shoulder on both of his arms and legs in an almost humanly impossible way. "A little accident during my mission. An adversary of mine think it'll be fun to break all the bones in my arms and legs… our next encounter, he still somehow managed to break a bit of my spinal cord here…" Fujiki twisted his waist to almost a 270 degree turn. "…as I break his neck with my new 360 degree dislocatable joints."

"Who is this guy? I really need to pay him respect."

"Pish posh. It's all in the past during the Ninja world war. I was young and still pathetically weak. But I really had to thank him. Thanks to him, now, I have the ultimate flexibility." Fujiki demonstrate his arm get all, well, in Fujiki's term, flexible. Not only can the joints spin in a 360 degree, his bones actually curved.

"The only thing that guy gave you, is the ultimate freakiness."

"Well, after that accident, I've trained myself and my muscular strength… now; every bit of muscle in my body has rubber like quality."

Naruto blinked. 'Rubber…!?'

"I see that turn some lights on. My muscle is now like impact dispersion full body armor. After several years of training, my bones just got affected along. Everytime you punch me, the impact will be dispersed allover my body, just like how rubber works." Fujiki smiled. "Now then, warm up's over. Let's raise the level a little bit." In a flash, Fujiki had finished a seal.

'SHIT! I was hoping it didn't come to this!'

'Suiton, Suiroudan (Water Prison Bullet)!' A ball of water burst out from Fujiki's mouth. It enlarges and shot out at Naruto, who immediately throw a Fuuma Shuriken at it. It went in… and stuck there. Naruto immediately jumped away. The water ball just went on and hit the wall with a splash. The fuuma shuriken entrapped within it shatters from impact. Naruto gulped. One wrong move and…

"Suiroudan. A modification I made to our famed Suirou jutsu (water prison)."

"Nice jutsu."

"Thank you. Now it's your turn."

"Wha…?" Cold sweat pouring down on Naruto's back.

"Come on. Show me your jutsu! I want to see the jutsu you used to wipe off 60,000 sound nin in an instant."

"Instant? Wowwow… they weren't that many. Only 30… or 40,000… and I get help!"

"Same story different version. The fact remains you actually had the power to repel a nation's worth of an army. THAT is the power I want to see from you."

"That was six months ago."

"And you definitely become stronger. Good. Then show me."

"Err…"

Fujiki sighed. "Alright. Looks like I have to force you again." This time, Fujiki's throat inhaled to a great extent.

'Uh oh.'

And he fire spheres after spheres of water prisons. Naruto ran to the side, avoiding all the water balls of doom. One water blast greased his back. 'That was close.' Before he can celebrate, one big water ball headed straight to him. It's too huge to dodge. Except… 'Kage Bunshin!' A clone appeared and grabbed the original one's arm and tossed him out of the way. The clone weren't so lucky though, nor does it matter. Another on its way. Left with no choice, Naruto formed a half assed Rasengan and slammed it, hoping, praying to every god and devil, up and down there, the ball won't go through. Much to his horror, it did. Perhaps it's a streak of luck or whether his chakra control truly sucks, the half stage rasengan chose that moment to explode, blowing away all the water that almost swallowed Naruto's arm. 'That was close.'

Fujiki whistled. "Cool jutsu. Finally you show something."

"Wanna feel it?" Naruto called out a Bunshin. 'Come on, I'm begging my body! Work with me will ya!'

"I could hardly wait."

Naruto began creating a rasengan the old fashioned way. The result were quite good… if he may say so himself. "Here we go!" One Bunshin grabbed him and start spinning him before throwing him towards Fujiki, rasengan first.

"RASENGAN!" And so the attack landed, much to Naruto disbelief, on Fujiki's chest. No attempt from the said target to actually protect himself. And soon, Naruto will learn the hard way the reason why.

"HAAAAAH!" Fujiki screamed. Bystanders would probably think, as he was the one being attacked, that he was in pain. But Naruto know better. By the end of Rasengan's spinning vortex of destruction, the swordsman is still standing, his upper clothes which is very few, was torn apart, but above all, his body is practically unscratched. It was then Naruto felt immeasurable pain coursing throughout his arm. Sickening cracks echoed from Naruto's now obviously broken arm.

"GRRT!" The blond gritted his teeth as he made barely audible grunt. Naruto went rolling on the floor, holding his broken arm. "What the hell was that trick!?"

"Hmm… that attack… what was it supposed to do? Grind me to death?"

"Short of. It supposed to shoot you all the way before blow you up."

"Cool… So why it didn't happen?"

"Excuse me; you're not the one with a broken bone here. That's definitely MY question!"

"Well, as I've said before, my muscle has been trained to reach a rubber-like quality. These muscles work more then just armor. They are also my weapons to defeat my opponents. Anyone try to attack my body must be prepared to accept an equal amount of their own force in return."

"What!?"

"At the moment your attack hits me, I explosively contracts my muscles, repelling your attack by its force. I called it… Muscle bomb."

'This guy… That means I can't hit him with direct physical attacks!' Naruto grunted. Just then, another Suiroudan headed straight at him. The blond immediately jumped to the side.

"Naruto, I was wondering." Fujiki shoot another Suiroudan. "That blade of yours is VERY heavy. I know because when that sucker hit me, it was as if someone jacked my brain with a sledgehammer." Naruto just dodged another barrage when Fujiki finished his sentence: "Still… don't you think it's time you unsheathe it?"

"I told you before… I really don't feel like it."

"…I see… fine then." Fujiki's smile vanished, replaced by a face filled with killing intent. The next instance, his leg whipped (literally) a deep cut appeared on the wall, but its just a few millimeters from the tip of Naruto's spiky hair. The blond inwardly gulped.

"Lit'l shit…" Fujiki glared straight at Naruto. "…to spat those words like 'I don't feel like it' at me…" His eyes filled with a mixture of anger and bloodlust. "…who the hell you take me for?" Then, for the first time, he actually gets to some short of a fighting stance. "…Captain of the Kraken, the 4th Swordsman of the Mist Seven Devil Swordsman, Mizunari Fujiki…"

A pair of cuts suddenly appeared on Naruto's shoulder. The blonde looked at it with a shock. He didn't even see the blade appeared!

"…here to chop you to pieces!"

----------------

"You know how Octopuses eat their prey, gentlemen?" Namimaru commented as everyone watched the battle. Neji and Yukiku turned to their host. Namimaru finishes his explanation: "By strangling and breaking them from every corner."

----------------

Naruto readied himself. But again, before he could react, 3 more cuts appeared, this time from his chest. Instinctively, he jumped back. Much to his surprise, 5 more cuts appeared on his BACK! He turned around to see nothing. 'What?'

"You know Naruto?"

The blonde was too shocked to turn around; as he knows Fujiki hadn't moved from his spot, but 4 pair of blades protruding from the palm of his hands, riddled with blood.

"…in Mist, we were taught to introduce our full name before we battle, and then let them introduce themselves."

7 cuts appeared on his chest, shoulders and legs.

"The reason being, we can at least let the opponent know who killed them."

4 on his back, 3 on his shoulder, and another 5 lining his chest, ripping the weight jacket. For once, Naruto was kinda thankful his weight jacket was very resilient.

"…but you know… I don't think I need to remember your name."

3 stabs, 6 slashes. 'Damn… DAMMIT!'

"SINCE YOU WON'T LEAVE A SINGLE CARVE ON ME ANYWAY!!"

Fujiki jumped and in an instant, his hands flickered, almost disappearing. 'Tako Hachitouryu… (Octopus Eight Sword Style)'

"SEN UMIGIRI! (Thousand Sea Hunters)"

Naruto's eyes widen. Hundreds upon hundreds, if not thousands of slashes, cuts, and stabs rained every part of his body from every corner. Blood burst out like rain from every inch of his skin.

----------------

"Naruto!" Yukiku shrieked.

Namimaru smiled calmly. "Game over."

Yukiku's eyes widened as she saw their strongest team member turned into a bloody pulp. She had contemplated to dash in along with Neji, beat the shit out of everyone dare to stop them, and give Naruto any help she can. The Haku Twin had almost carried it out if not for a grip on her shoulder. She turned around and looked at Kira. The sensei gave her a blink as he pointed on a certain figure in the TV screen.

Yukiku looked at Kira and then back at the monitor. Again her eyes widened, followed with a smile.

"Namimaru-san. Do you know?" Neji who was calm the whole time, muttered.

"Hm?" the addressed looked to the speaker, who's just smiling, reminiscing his own battle experience.

"There's only one thing Naruto bad at."

"Oh? And that is?"

Neji smirked. "Being a loser."

Namimaru mused for a moment before turning his attention to the monitor.

----------------

Fujiki walked away from the bloody lump that was Naruto, when he felt a dark, black claw shaped aura grabbed his neck. In a fits of what he would discern as sheer terror, he scored 2 dozens of slashes on empty air. 'Wha… what the hell was that?'

"Fu…"

"!!" He looked at Naruto's direction.

"FujiIIII….KIIIII!!!" Naruto stood up again. The dripping blood on his body, much to the swordsman disbelief, began to halt. Fujiki could've sworn he actually saw Chakra flowing out from every hole that was Naruto's wounds, of which by the way, are steadily closing.

'The fact that the chakra was actually visible… it means that's some major ass chakra he burst out… and the wounds are regenerating…' Fujiki smirked. "Show it to me…"

Naruto, enclosed in his yellow chakra, grabbed Tenrou, inadvertently, enclose it with his chakra as well.

"Show it to me… THE YOU THAT IS THE DEVIL!!"

The reply? Blood burst out from Fujiki's diminutive shoulder as one big cut appeared, courtesy of Naruto, slashing the Tenrou, still on its sheath. Fujiki stared, wide eyed at the gushing blood pouring from his shoulder. Naruto, still somewhat in a complete blind rage, prepared for a horizontal slash. Fujiki immediately extend his blade and whipped it at Naruto, intending to give him a head on blow. Alas, the blond grabbed his wrist with his left hand and my, what a grip!

"HAAAAAAA!"

Fujiki didn't have the time to react; a big slash scored his chest perfectly. It hit him hard, forcing him to back away a few meters off.

Meanwhile, the last attack seem brought Naruto back to his senses a little bit. His body began to tingle. A familiar energy that he had long lost seems returning. But it's seemed faint. So minuscule. But he felt it. He looked at his hands. Only a few scars left and they're also disappearing.

'It can't be… Kyuusei?'

Deep down in Naruto's mind…

Kyuusei was chuckling. "Kukukukuku… damn you Kira, you got me this time."

----------------

"It seems… the reason for me being miscalculated… is the fact that I've underestimated the effect Kyuusei has for being inside Naruto for so long." Kira smiled.

"What do you mean?" Yukiku looked at their sensei.

"Naruto gave me some sketchy information about your new seal… we spar after that… and I already had my suspicions." Neji gave their teacher one dark look. Yukiku looked at Neji and then back at Kira.

"What suspicion?"

"…the nine dragons didn't seal Kyuubi's chakra… it seals Naruto's chakra… is it not?"

This caught Namimaru's interest. 'Seal?'

"Ah-ah… No, no, no. It seal Kyuubi's chakra… however… to maintain that seal… it sucks Naruto's chakra instead."

At this Neji was furious. "YOU CRAZY SONNOVA!! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL HIM? OR US?"

"Because it's temporary. Pretty soon the seal will be self sustaining. After that, there won't be any need to suck Naruto's energy."

"You're mad! He'll die out there!" Yukiku also protested.

"If he dies now… then it means that's all he can do. BUT… dying here… I believe that is not all he can do."

"…" Neji quieted down. He turned back to the monitor. "…Why did you do that? Why did you have to give him a seal that is so… detrimental?"

Kira took a deep breath. "Human body… is a terrifying work of art. Naruto probably didn't realize this… but in truth, in the cases of the Jinchuriki, the final product of bonding is not the hybrid of human and demon… it is the way human body adapts to deal with the foreign substance. Neji, remember what I told about how Chakra reject foreign things?"

"Yes. You said they will try to reject the existence of foreign chakra in their body. And also, there's a system in our chakra that resemble blood cells."

"Exactly. Leukocyte, or white blood cell, is the blood cell that responsible in doing so. At times however, when the interference is severe, Leukocyte will mold together or at times… multiply."

A realization hit Neji. If Chakra is the same as bloodcell, then if being faced by a huge amount of foreign chakra it will also multiply to adept. "Kira-shishou… Are you saying…"

"I've never underestimated Kyuusei's strength. His power had reached godlike level. The nine dragon seal is the strongest seal… Designated the most forbidden kinjutsu, used correctly it can even bind gods. In fact I really don't know how long that seal will last. But I do know this. This simple… yet terrifying fact: Naruto… has underestimated… his own chakra capability."

"…" Yukiku gulped. She knew Naruto had insane amount of chakra… but huge enough to even… equaling godlike level creatures?

"All this time… the Shiki-fuuin and the eight trigram seal used to seal Kyuubi… are manmade. But, it managed to do its job: sealing Kyuubi… and keeping Naruto's chakra level within human boundaries. But unfortunately, it didn't last long. Had Kyuubi hadn't suppressed his Youki for so long… Naruto will die, not because of Kyuubi's chakra… but by his own. Once the nine dragon seal self sustain it will drain out most of Naruto's chakra, keeping them in safe 'storage'… until the time when Naruto's physical body gained enough strength to manage such power."

"…But by the look of things here… it seems his chakra's leaking out." Neji pointed out.

"Yes… I missed this one out. Kyuusei had often healed Naruto's body whenever he's wounded. So often… he body had the ability to regenerate on its own. It became some short of… instinctive reaction. Whenever he got wounded, and wounded bad, his body will automatically search for a source of chakra and then start healing itself out, though probably it'll be done in a slower rate. The fact Naruto's body has also changed might help in that matter-"

"Excuse me?" Namimaru suddenly interrupts. "I didn't quite get… about this seal… what exactly are you talking about?"

"Oh that? Well, to put it simply… Naruto has an ultra bazillion amount of chakra. So much, it threatens to destroy himself. Unfortunately, he's pretty dumb in chakra and anger management. Bursting off chakra first chance he gets pissed. So I put a seal on him… cutting roughly about… 90 percent of his usual output." Kira explained simply.

"90 PERCENT!?" The mist 2nd in command's eye almost jumped out.

"Yeah. Exactly. Now, to continue my explanation where I left it off, right now, as Naruto's body sustain heavy injure, the instinctive regenerative power sucks up Naruto's chakra to heal… in the process however… it draws the chakra that is supposed to be sealed, fortunately, brought about a massive amount of chakra he needed for this fight."

Namimaru's face can get paler than it already has.

Neji sighed. "Long story short… the more Fujiki injure Naruto… the more powerful he becomes… correct?"

"Bingo!" Kira answered with a smile.

----------------

'Kyuusei… you didn't help me now did you?'

**IF I DID, THAT OCTOPUS WILL BE TAKOYAKI BY NOW.**

'But… my wounds are regenerating… and I feel so much… chakra!'

**LOOK, I REALLY DON'T HAVE TIME TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO AN IMBICILIC LIKE YOU WHO NEEDS TO BE TOLD AT LEAST 10 TIMES TO REMEMBER A SINGLE HANDSEAL, ESPECIALLY IN A HEAT OF BATTLE. I SUGGEST YOU USE THIS POWER OF YOURS AND GET THIS OVER WITH!**

"…yeah." He looked at his hand and grinned. With this kind of level of chakra… oh just how much jutsu he can do! "This time, I will follow your tradition, and announce my name to my opponent whom I will kill."

The addressed looked at Naruto, panting as he held the blood pouring from his wound. "Future Rokudaime Hokage of Konoha, Currently Genin, Uzumaki Naruto…"

Naruto suddenly appeared right in front of Fujiki. "…here to whip your ass!" No less then 5 slashes hit his thigh, chest, arm, back and stomach. Fujiki gasped and backed away, but his opponent immediately cast a jutsu: 'Fuuton, Kaze no Ryuuga!' A dragon shaped wind flew from Naruto's arm, cutting the Octopus' shoulder. At this, Fujiki finally fell to the ground on his back.

Naruto landed a few meters away from the fallen Swordsman. He pointed his sword at him. "Get up! I'm not done yet!"

"I don't get it."

"Huh?"

Fujiki start getting up.

"I don't get it… how is it your wounds regenerating?"

The blond readied himself.

"I don't get it… but screw that." Fujiki suddenly flickered and reappeared in front of Naruto, sending another slash at his face, which Naruto blocked with his nodachi.

"I don't get it at ALL! HOW IS IT YOU SUDDENLY BECOME SO STRONG?" He sent another sword lash, aimed at the stomach. Naruto step on Fujiki's arm and jump over him, somersaulting and gave him another cut on his back. "Your attacks are so sharp, your speed increases… I DON'T GET IT AT ALL! BUT YOU KNOW WHAT: I DON'T CARE!" Fujiki retaliates and sent a roundhouse kick, with 4 blades jutting out from the bottom of his feet, nicking Naruto's thigh. The blond retaliated and this time, he responded full force: 'KATON, KARYUUU ENDAN!' A fire dragon, whose size are worthy of Naruto's chakra, burst forth from his mouth, catching the Octopus off guard, the blast literally burn the hell out of him.

Covered in smoke, Fujiki immediately moved away only to be welcomed by Naruto, who nicked his back. He jumped to another spot, 3 Naruto tried to stab him. 'This is!?'

"Ninpou: TAJUU KAGE BUNSHIN!"

At least 100 Naruto dashed forward. Slashes and stabs rained at the swordsman. Some of them he managed to dodge, while the rest, he had to defend. But quality aside, the army of Naruto outnumbers Fujiki by at least 92 blades, by Naruto counts, since now he has 100 blades and Fujiki had 8. They finally managed to interlock Fujiki's blades. The octopus immediately retracts them, but Naruto immediately present an uppercut on his chin, effectively sending him to the air, although it probably didn't hurt one bit. Regardless, his goal achieved, Naruto clone throw themselves up, heading straight at Fujiki, Tenrou ready to rend.

"ORAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Fujiki's arms flickered again. 'Sen Umigiri!' the 100 Naruto clones were reduced to cloud in an instant. The Octopus landed in the midst of smoke, when a familiar whirling sound echoed. He turned around and saw two Naruto, with a bigger, better, perfect rasengan formed in between their hands.

"No way."

"Consider this an honor." The first Naruto spoke.

"You're the first opponent that's going to taste my new perfected Jutsu." The second continued.

The two Naruto dashed forward.

"Come on!" Fujiki challenged.

"OODAMA RASENGAN! (Big Ball Rasengan!)" The two Naruto shoved the attack at him, full force.

Like before, the attack went undisturbed. But unlike before, this time, Fujiki found himself shocked at the strength of this Rasengan. The last rasengan only spun for a good 5 seconds flat. But now, it actually keeps on spinning, and it gets faster and stronger with each rotation. "GRRRRGGHHH!"

"URAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

'No! I can't lose like this…!' Fujiki roared as he contracted all his muscle to its max. "GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

The rasengan finally disperse, along with Naruto's clone. The real Naruto pants and gasps, the last attack had taken its toll on him. Then again, for Fujiki, defending against the attack cost him just about the same. He looked at Naruto and grinned. He was about to move forward when he felt something. The next thing he knew, it was as if someone had detonated tons of bombs allover his body, the back of his clothes were torn apart as an invisible spherical energy burst through his back and goes on through the walls. The energy burst practically grind everything in its way, effectively force its way out of the combat dome. The spectators moved away in panic the invisible energy burst forth. Some of the shinobi who were unlucky enough to be in the rasengan's path of destruction got pushed overboard, screaming their lungs out.

Fujiki gasped one more time before throwing up, holding up his stomach, which, upon closer inspection, were burnt badly, along with every part of his back. The swordsman finally fell to his knees, but managed to prevent his body from falling flat on his face with one of his hand… 'K… Kami-sama… what the hell was that attack… it was as if every bit of my cell got blasted.' "Urk!" 'What? Oh no… at this rate… I won't be able to maintain this form any longer…'

Naruto, seeing that Fujiki still breathing, immediately catches his breath and begin gathering his chakra again, and fortunately, there are still plenty of them.

Fujiki slammed the ground with his fist. 'GODAMMIT! I'm NOT gonna lose like this! Not yet!' "Okay… Naruto… that was incredible. Totally amazing. I really thought I was gonna die."

"Please don't. I still have a lot more to go."

"Heh, heh, yeah? Well, so am I." Fujiki crossed his arm and grunted. Just then, eight long blades protruding out from his arm, his shoulders, and snaking allover his chest. It rotated and slither before one by one, it dropped to the floor with the sounds of heavy thuds.

"H… huh?" Naruto looked at those blades. "What the Hell are those?"

"These? You've been fighting this thing all the time."

"I know those are blades… but why did you drop them off?"

"These blades are actually restrictors. I limited my muscular motion with these things." Another eight burst out and dropped off from his legs. "Each of them weight about… 50 kg or so."

"I see… So… these nasty bastards are the things you've been using to fight me right? So… what are you going to fight me with this time?"

Fujiki grunted again. He readied his hand and then, much to Naruto's disbelief, plunged it on his other arm. It went in, and this time, he draw out a massive serrated sword like thingy. Three serrated blade encircle a round axis in a triangular fashion. Its length made the first sixteen looks laughable. But like the first sixteen, this one doesn't have any hand guard, heck; it doesn't even have any handle. There are 8 long holes lining below the blades, in which he places his finger in, grasping its axis firmly. Regardless, the blade, when you compare them to the size of the user, it was so unwieldy long. It's probably longer then Tenrou by 1 meter.

"When a Mist swordsman was initiated, he or she was given two things: the sword that suit their fighting style, and a contract with a beast that best describe them." Fujiki places his sword right in front of him. "This is my blade: Yondai Kiritou, Kuroumi (Fourth Generation Mist Steel, Black Sea)."

"Kuroumi eh? What, should I introduce the name of my blade too?"

"In exchange for you not unsheathing that thing… you better."

"Still upset about it?"

"Knowing you can still kill with it sheathed, I'll let you off with that."

Naruto laughed. "Gimme a sec." The Kyuubi Jinchuriki walked rather clumsily at the hole he blasted off with his Oodama Rasengan. "OOOi, Kira-sensei! You're there right?"

Out there, Kira heard Naruto called him and respond. "How did you know I'm here?"

"I remembered the pattern of your breathing and your voice as well. Tell me… what is the full name of my sword?"

"AAAh? Why did you ask?"

"Some formality between swordsmen thingy…"

"Heh… okay. The full name is: Yondai Kitetsu, Tenrou. (Fourth Generation Demon Slayer, Heavenly Wolf)"

The whole Kraken piped down upon hearing the name.

Naruto took no notice and turned towards the wide eyed Fujiki. "Yup. That's the name: Yondai Kitetsu, Tenrou."

The swordsman's expression can only is discerned in one term: total shock. Still in that state, he began chanting a poem:

_A sword smith enraged by world_

_Four blades he crafted_

_Their sharpness unsurpassed_

_Their fineness unquestioned_

_When he encounters men_

_Men was cut_

_When he encounters demon_

_Demon was cut_

_When he encounters god_

_God was cut_

"?"

"…that was the opening poem of an old tale."

"Old tale?"

"The story goes that the first blade made was used to exorcize demons, the second and the third were used to dominate the dominion of men, and the fourth was used to slay gods. We were always been told that story when we first study Kenjutsu. Told to… watch out when you came across them."

"Oh please. What kind of Swordsman are you? Bested by childhood story? How would we even know if this is an authentic blade? A blade that can slay gods? Be serious already!" Naruto laughed. But inside… 'DAMN YOU KYUUSEI! What kind of god slaying bigoted blade you gave me!?'

**I THOUGHT YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN THAT KIND OF STUFF?**

'Kyuusei… please just tell me this blade isn't authentic! LIE to me!'

**OKAY. IT'S NOT AUTHENTIC TENROU. IT'S THE ORIGINAL ONE.**

'How would that be any different? Now the whole goddamn village will set their eyes on me!'

**BUT ISN'T THAT A GOOD THING… FOR YOUR PLAN THAT IS.**

'Shut up! Just shut up!' "ANYWAY. Enough with bedtime stories! Let's get on with it and be done with it."

"Okay. Ikuyo!!" Fujiki appeared and immediately slashed Kuroumi, missing Naruto's shoulder by a few millimeters. Naruto retaliate with a slash to the stomach. Fujiki demonstrate his flexibility again by practically curved his waist to the side, resulting in Naruto's attack missed by 1 meter from the target. "Kuso!"

Fujiki grinned.

----------------

"In any case… how did you know that the blade in that boy's hand is the infamous god-slayer?" Namimaru looked at Kira.

"It isn't? How would I know? I just found that thing loitering somewhere, and somebody just told me that thing's name was Yondai Kitetsu Tenrou. I'm just passing the word."

"Hooo…? So it's not real?"

"Think. How am I supposed to check it? Find God and then see if it can cut it? Get real." Kira let out a laugh.

"A… otto… I guess you're right." Namimaru scratched his head.

Yukiku nudged Kira and whispered: "Oi, did Naruto really hold an authentic God Slayer?"

"Beats me." Kira's verbal answer and his facial expression simply answered Yukiku's suspicion.

----------------

The Octopus charged forward and sent a stab which Naruto barely dodge. Using his Tenrou as leverage, he hopped high to the walls and threw a pack of Shurikens. Fujiki spun the Kuroumi to shield himself. After the last shuriken was tossed away, he thrust Kuroumi towards Naruto. The black blade extends, dislocates itself into 8 joints, and nearly pierced through Naruto's stomach. The blond blocks it with his Nodachi. Fujiki gave chase and step on the extended Kuroumi, ran on top of it straight at Naruto. Midway he jumped and landed a perfect kick on Naruto's face, sending him crashing against a wall. Fujiki followed with another handseals, and the next instance, he shot half a dozen Suiroudan at Naruto. However, a gigantic Fire dragon-like creature exploded from Naruto's spot. It vaporizes all 6 suiroudan upon contact.

"What the-" Fujiki creates and even bigger Suiroudan and managed to rival Naruto's flames. Not for long, unfortunately. The water did manage to block the fire… but a typhoon burst through and headed straight at him. Fujiki grabbed the Kuroumi and encircle it upon himself, creating somewhat of a shield. It managed to block the attack, but the resulting blast tossed him to the ground. Meanwhile, the smoke cleared, revealing Naruto, preparing another handseal. He slams the floor. "Tetsuton, Kinzokuken! (Iron Element, Metal Sword)" The ground cracks, and pieces of razor sharp iron blades burst out, heading towards Fujiki. The Swordsman jumped off as metal blade bursting out from the ground. Stepping on it, the Octopus dashed towards Naruto. During the process, he interlocks the first 4 segments of Kuroumi into one contraption. Pulling the other half, the chains that connect the two segments extend greatly, forming a mace. The swordsman was spinning the weapon as ran towards the shocked Naruto. The blond managed to hop away as Fujiki brought the mace down. The resulting impact shook the whole arena. Naruto stuck to the wall and observe the damage. A crater can be seen in the place where Kuroumi had landed.

"That's a pretty unusual way to use a sword."

"Heh. Don't underestimate Kuroumi now." Again, Fujiki dislocate the mace contraption and again, the weapon assumed the long black blade form. "This guy has many uses." The weapon dislocates again and the octopus began swing and spins the weapon around him in a speedy and fluid motion, and then suddenly, one segment shot out towards him, which the target immediately deflected. In an instant, Fujiki pulled it back and swing 3 first segments in a giant roundhouse slash. Naruto immediately defend. Bad move. The moment the attack made contact, it slithers, spinning rapidly around Naruto and completely wrapped him the next instance, with 3 razor sharp blade segments encircle him, fortified with a few layers of chains. Naruto managed to block one segment with his Tenrou, but he can feel the other two are pressing his back, trapping him in a literal death-lock.

"An octopus never stabs his prey." The Swordsman pulled the sword, tightening the grip on Naruto. The blade that tied the blond also began to sink in. Fortunately, his weight jacket could prevent the two blades on his back to chop him off straight away. But how long it'll last? However, a cracking sound from his backbone hit Naruto with a realization: being cut to pieces is the least of his worries. Fujiki grinned. "I see you notice." The swordsman strengthened his pull. Naruto was practically squeezed in the middle. The pressure from the chains encircling him is crushing his bones. The swordsman smirked. "Don't worry." He rolled a bundle of chain in his right hand. "Whenever I had a fight, I'm not a big fan of torturing people." He pulled he chain a little bit more, and the iron wrapping gets a little tighter on Naruto's ends.

"When I pull this chain one more time…" Fujiki showed the chain bundle on his arm. "The chains surrounding you will squeeze and splinter your flesh to small pieces, cut through your muscles, and completely crush your bones. I assure you it's not as painful as it sound… In fact, I intend to make it as painless as it can be."

Naruto smirked. "In any case… I hope you got plenty of suntan, buddy!"

"Eh?"

Just then, smoke began to appear around Naruto. The chains immediately turned red. Burst of fire shot out from the small holes of the chains. "HuWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" A gigantic explosion burst out from Naruto's spot. The explosion power was enough to knock Fujiki off his feet. The swordsman was pushed back a few steps as the smoke arose. The fire still burst fiercely from where the explosion had occurred. 'He blew himself up?' Just then, Naruto's hand burst out from the smoke and grabbed Fujiki's face.

Naruto finished a one hand seal as he yelled, "Katon, Gokyaku Ken! (Great Inferno Blade)" A bundle of flames from the explosion gather up on Naruto's arm, who proceed to slam it in a vertical arc, right at Fujiki's stomach, generating one line of giant burning wave that charge forward, scorching just about everything in its path, including Fujki, whose defense just do too little to no effect. The attack continues to push him backwards and stopped once he hit the wall, in which the attack ended with an explosion.

"You're one freakin crazy bastard alright." Fujiki cough some blood from his mouth. His stomach was pretty much scorched out. "What was that jutsu? The one you used to knock off Kuroumi, that is."

"No jutsu." Naruto showed his trick: a red explosive tag.

"The explosive tag you used to scare away the Iwa nin? Damn, that wasn't a dud after all eh?"

"Not all of 'em."

"Che. I suppose." Fujiki coughed several times. He held his burned chest. An expression of great pain plastered allover his face. But he didn't even grunt. Such was his resilience as one of Mist Seven Devil Swordsman. He managed to stand though, somehow. He looked at Kuroumi. He pulled it back, and somewhat glad that his weapon was still intact… but boy, what kind of explosive that brat used? The part of his blade that received direct explosion was scorching wicked red hot!

"Hey, hey, still with me?"

"Yep."

"Good. Cuase you know what? I think I just figure out."

"What?"

"Your greatest weakness, that is."

"My greatest weakness? Oh I'm petrified!" Fujiki grinned, though this time, a bit nervously. A few moments later, he dashed forward attempting a head on blow. However, Naruto already finished a set of handseal: 'Fuuton, Dafuuba! (Great wind glaive)' Naruto blew a burst of strong wind that, midway, turned into a chainsaw like contraption, headed straight at the charging Swordsman with speed. Two of them scored a hit on his thigh and shoulder. The swordsman immediately rolled to the side, but Naruto had already cast another jutsu, 'Raiton, Raikouben (Thunder Whip)' Electricity gathered on Naruto's shoulder, channeling through to his finger, in which he swung in a roundhouse arc, creating a whip like thunder. The resulting burst of electricity literally whip Fujiki's back, giving him quite a shock.

Fujiki landed with a thud and an aching back. 'Oh no… it can't be… he really…!'

Naruto smirk seem confirmed his sudden horror. "You better cast another ninjutsu aside from that Surioudan! I still have a lot more pending for you!"

The swordman roared furiously. A huge murderous aura burst out. Even for Naruto's standard, it was enough to send shiver down his spine. Regardless, somehow, he managed to maintain his cool. Fujiki's fury had proven **his** assumption, and the fact the swordsman knew that _**he**_ _**knew**_ was enough for Naruto.

----------------

"Goodness, Fujiki-sama is angry now." Namimaru looked at the monitor with concern.

"…there are two instances for great hunters to show their fangs." Kira suddenly commented again. Namimaru looked at the Konoha sensei. "…the first being of course, when it hunts. The second…"

----------------

Fujiki got smashed into a wall when Naruto shot a 'Fuuton, Fuuryuhou (Wind Flow Cannon)'. But before he can react, a large 'Katon Karyuu Endan' crashed him head on, creating an even larger crater. An explosion can be heard from the said crater as Fujiki jumped from the rising smoke. He shot another Suiroudan at Naruto, who simply grinned.

Naruto slammed the ground: 'Raiton, Raimono! (Thunder web)' electricity flowed allover the metallic floor, and then continue to surge upwards. Fujiki, caught by surprise, receive another dose of electrocution of the day. The thunder web, as the name implies, continuously stick on him like a spider web, and he was hung a few dozen feet off the ground, completely sitting ducks.

-----------------

"The second is, when he's completely backed into corner."

Namimaru frowned. "Do all Konoha Sensei speak in riddles?"

"Not really. But if you want me to be perfectly blunt…"

"Naruto figured it out already eh?" Neji caught the point.

"Yes."

"Figured out what?"

"…he's deadly weak against it… Ninjutsu, that is."

BINGO! Namimaru gulped. Kira hit him dead center.

"…Mizunari didn't cast any other jutsu aside Suiroudan. It wasn't because he didn't want to nor he didn't know how… he just… CAN'T do it."

Yukiku chuckled. "He's so dead."

Neji on the other hand was kinda reminded of Lee.

Namimaru gulped. 'They've figured it out. But still!' "Excuse me lady, but your presumption is too premature."

Yukiku looked at the 2nd in command.

"Fujiki-sama had encountered countless enemies. Most of them have more jutsu then you can imagine. Fujiki-sama had faced them all, and won."

"Too true… but tell me, just how much ninjutsu do you think Naruto knew?"

"…20?"

"…if you know even half the amount of jutsu he knows, your head will explode."

-----------------

"Tajuu, Kage Bunshin!" 5 Naruto appeared. Fujiki, who's still stuck midair, can only gasp. 'Oh crap…'

As suspected, a rain of Ninjutsu of various elements burst out:

"Katon, Karyuu Endan! (Fire Dragon Blast)" A blazing dragon burst out from Naruto's mouth.

"Raiton, Raikouben! (Thunder Whip)" A ripple of electricity whipped away from Naruto's fingers.

"Suiton, Suirouga! (Water Fang)" A large swirling water mass burst upwards.

"Doton, Doryuuhou! (Earth Flow Cannon)" A mass of earthen fragment blasted out.

"Tetsuton, Kinzo dzuchi! (Metal Hammer)" A metallic cylinder of massive proportion erupted from the floor.

Five elements, five attacks, all hit him dead center, all ninjutsu, and every last one of them are insanely powerful. Fujiki found it a miracle that after such a blow, he still had a bit of consciousness left. Unfortunately, his consciousness was seen by the blond. But perhaps because the state he was in or perhaps Naruto need time to catch a breath, the blond didn't continue. Meanwhile, he's still sitting duck high above, hung like a blackened butterfly in the electrifying (literally) spider web. Fujiki looked at the boy. Was that pity he saw in his eyes?

"Naruto… you're freaking idiot…" Fujiki made a barely audible groan, which Naruto mistaken as a pained grunt. He released the Raimono jutsu, sending Fujiki plummeting to the ground. The boy landed with a loud thud.

Naruto observed the purple haired boy carefully, concluding he fainted; not dead, as he's still heaving up and down, breathing heavily. He made a move towards the hole he made earlier, intending to call for medic. That is, when he heard a scream on his back. He turned around to see Fujiki stood up; his Kuroumi was on a familiar position: the preparation before the Tako Hachitouryu Sen Umigiri (Thousand Sea Hunters).

"That was VERY stupid of you Naruto!" The furious Fujiki began spinning Kuroumi segments around and around. "It is a death match, remember!?"

Naruto frowned.

"A death match is never over, UNTIL the enemy is dead! To show pity is truly FOOLISH!"

"I really seriously think to kill you all the time."

"One more blast of a ninjutsu back then would kill me… and you didn't do it."

"You were lucky. Also, I don't intend to lay another assault on those who no longer capable to fight."

"And you thought wrong, Naruto! Now reap the reward of your stupidity! Sen Umigi-AAAAAARGH!?" Blood splattered from every part of his body. "W… What!?"

"…I failed my exam three times. I need to be explained 10 times about a single handseal. But, I'm not idiot enough to let someone as dangerous as you unguarded. Fuuton, Hanemono! (Feather Web)"

Fujiki gaped and finally realized. He was completely surrounded by a formation of nearly invisible wind feathers, surrounding the swordsman in a web like formation, with him at the center. The swordsman grinned. "When the hell did you…"

"When I set up Raiton Raimono, I secretly cast Fuuton Hanemono, overlapping the two webs altogether."

The swordsman chuckled. "You don't seriously believe to imprison me like this now do you?"

"That was a very good idea."

"Very funny." Fujiki gritted his teeth. Grabbing Kuroumi, he began spinning the blade, ignoring the searing pain as the wind feathers generate cuts allover his body. The spinning gets faster and faster. "Tako Hachitouryu…!"

"!!" Naruto gasped.

The spinning went faster and faster. The wind generated from the spin began to corrode the wind feathers. "…Sandai… KURO ARASHI!" (…Third…Black Storm!) At the point where the spinning seemingly reached its top, it resembled exactly what it was named. A black storm. Naruto was so enthralled that he almost forgot to dodge when the black storm suddenly changed its direction and head straight at him. Naruto jumped to the side and the attack drill its way through the wall, creating a second hole on the Kraken. The Jounins outside immediately moved out of the way when the storm burst out. The storm crashed on the ship Tako Giri 3, and thankfully it stopped there. The end of the extended Kuroumi can be seen sank deep to the ship's bridge, whilst the other end was still in Fujiki's hand. He swordsman immediately pulled it back. The blades retracted to its original length.

Naruto gulped. "What the… you're still hiding a Kenjutsu like that?"

"Excuse me; I've fought various kinds of Ninjutsu powerhouse. You are the worst. First fire then water, then fire again, and then thunder, then earth, then wind, and then twice fire… I'm not the one who had thrown at least about 20 jutsu with 6-7 elements in this brief 5 minutes. How many jutsu you know?"

"You want me to write you a list? Sorry, never good at remembering things. I just throw the first jutsu that came to my mind."

"In any case, I think I'll just slam you again. This time you won't be so lucky. That web of yours diluted the concentrated power of Kuro Arashi. The next will have the strength and speed 6 times the previous. Don't hope you can dodge this one!"

"Dodge?" Two Naruto answered. The two began creating one big rasengan in the middle of their palms. "Who said about dodging?"

Fujiki grinned and say no more. He began spinning his Kuroumi again when a sudden mysterious surge flowed throughout his veins. 'Tch… hang on… just one more hit… hang in there.' The spinning went undisturbed. A few moments later, it reached critical speed. At this, Naruto couldn't even see Fujiki's arms anymore. They simply vanished. Only black swirls are visible, enclosing the boy. "Kuro…"

Two Naruto pressed their hands; the Rasengan had reached ultimate compact form. A miniature typhoon was condensed in a solid and transparent wall of spherical chakra. "Oodama…"

"ARASHI!"

"RASENGAN!"

Black Iron storm met Blue Chakra typhoon. The two attacks collided and extreme gust of wind burst out. The rubbles in the arena were pushed against the wall, easily pulverizing the metal wall. Some of the floor's metal palettes were even ripped off its frame. Naruto's clone was puffed out, but the original remained. The pressure of the wind can be felt even by those outside the arena. The cameras that supposed to monitor the fight can no longer do its job. The lens was broken and the whole thing got squished flat due to the pressure.

Namimaru simply gasped. 'All the history of Fujiki-sama's fights, no one has ever gone to this extent!'

Meanwhile, the two attacks still on a stage of stalemate, but slowly but sure; the Black Storm began to pierce its way through the Rasengan Sphere and continued to drill its way. Naruto noticed this and frowned. Fujiki grunted and continue to charge forward. 'Just a little bit more… I'm winning!'

Naruto held out. Just then, he felt the black storm began to slow down. The two combatants realized this. And Naruto doubled his effort. But the Rasengan was getting smaller and smaller. It's losing its rotation as well. Then again, the same can also be said to Fujiki's black storm. The grandiose wind that once accompanied the collision of the attacks was slowly dying down.

And then, just suddenly, the Rasengan explodes releasing a burst of gale before disappeared, gone. The black storm finally went through, and crashed on Naruto's left palm. Blood splattered allover Kuroumi. But before the blade can go through any deeper, the rotation stopped. Fujiki grunted. He was too late. Kuro Arashi had lost too much of its potent destructive power coping with Naruto's Oodama Rasengan. Naruto used this chance and grabbed the blade. In fact, he purposefully let some of its jagged blade to sink into his flesh. More blood flowed from his palm. But Naruto doesn't care. He had gone through more disastrous pain then this. With a roar, he pulled the blade towards him. Caught by surprise, Fujiki got carried along. Halfway through the extended Kuroumi, Naruto let go his grip. His body started falling forward, as if he's about to faint. Fujiki, who lost balance, took a few steps forward. By this time, Fujiki was just a step away from Naruto. The blond suddenly stomp his right leg forward. The swordsman caught the sound of a typhoon from below. He widened his eyes.

Naruto grinned. Another, smaller yet perfectly formed Rasengan was just inches away from his stomach. "Here's an extra."

Fujiki didn't have time to gasp; Naruto slammed the Rasengan full at his stomach.

The attack twirled his rubber like stomach, but only to an extent. The exploding force of the attack finally tossed him away, spinning him like a twirling twig before smashed him up to the wall.

Naruto heaved and panted. Kami-sama! Ain't he tired or what? He looked at Fujiki. What kind of monster is he? He didn't seem to have another demon sealed within him. Nor was he trained by some half god like Itachi… he didn't even show any possession of some bloodline limit. He walked carefully; pick up Tenrou which he had randomly tossed when he wanted to create the Rasengan. Slowly he approached the crater where the swordsman lay. And there he saw it. Fujiki, panting, blood poured from his head and every wound he had given him. But above all, much to Naruto's shock, he's still awake.

"O… ouch… that hurt… a lot."

"…am I supposed to be happy?"

The swordsman laughed. "Dunno…URP!" the Jounin suddenly went rigid, shocking Naruto.

"Wha… what now?"

Fujiki grabbed his chest. Veins suddenly began appearing, and his muscles began bulging in an abnormally fluctuating rate. He grasped both of his forearms. His shoulder bulged about thrice the size it once was. His hand inflated, his thin fingers bulked like balloons. Following, his chest enlarged into two mounds of chest. His diminutive stomach inflated, and it's about 100 times… or probably larger then its previous state, folds of stomach appeared as his undersized pants tightened. His slim and long legs extend a bit, but the thigh immediately enlarges to the size of Naruto's waist. Fujiki's head also changed. His neck and chin melded, and his thin cheek bulged. By the time everything is over, the thin, cute kid that Naruto's been fighting was no more. Instead, a huge, extremely obese purple haired man with wounds allover him, lay in front of Naruto.

"Fujiki? What in the world are… you?"

A loud sound of stomach growling echoed from the man's stomach. The swordsman groaned. "F… Food…"

Naruto wiped his shock. He went outside and yelled for food through the holes they made. A moment later, the door to the arena opened, and Namimaru, with a dozen Jounin carrying various kinds of food barged in. Neji and Yukiku were among them.

"Naruto!" Neji ran at Naruto whose hand still dripping with blood. But the holes in his hand began to close slowly as Chakra sip out through them. But Naruto paid no heed. He looked at Fujiki, who began eating the meal brought to him.

A few minutes after, the fat-man had already gulped his twentieth ramen along with his fifth turkey when he noticed Naruto. He chuckled. "It would seem…" Fujiki put down his empty bowl. "…an explanation and a supper are in order. Namimaru, if you please? And invite their sensei as well."

"Yes… Fujiki sama. But I don't think the sensei won't be joining. Back then during the climax, he jumped off from the ship. Saying he had some errands. Minna-san. You can pick whatever you like from this pile." Namimaru pointed at plate of dishes.

The three suddenly realized how hungry they were. Without further ado, the three walk slowly, took whatever food they like and sit in front of Fujiki as they eat.

The swordman wolfed down three more steaks when he started speaking. "As you well know, in the past, our village was called the bloody mist village. When we initiated from the academy we were put to test by killing our comrade in a deathmatch. That way, we have ensured to create the most ruthless assassin in the world. Although since Zabuza case it was no longer performed, the byproducts are still lingering around. And as you've guessed, I'm one of them. When I fight Naruto, I may looked like in my 13. But no. In truth, I'm already 25. I've invented a taijutsu technique which contort and fold fat within my body. Naruto, in case you're wondering where I hid all that weapons, that's your answer: I hid them within the folds of compressed fat."

Naruto nodded. Now it started to make sense. The 16 weight whipblades he used to lashes him can be bent and slipped within the folds of his body. The Kuroumi can be extended and encircled allover the folds of his body as well.

"But… why did you become so fa- oops." Yukiku spluttered.

The fat man heaved. "…when I killed my teammate during the graduation, I also suffered a grievous injury, an injury that mounted to an infection, and then a seemingly incurable disease. This disease robbed me of my strength. My body over utilize the calories, making me tired ever so easily, forcing me to consume large amount of Hyorogan in hourly basis to last the day. Overdose in the substance finally resulted in me being a total junkie by the time I was 9, already a Chuunin, forming a sadistic tendency and uber-megalomania behavior and a bit of sadomasochism. And finally, two months later, I got suspended, forbidden from entering any mission and was put into a tight rehab in some mental hospital. After two years, I regained my sanity. Although as you can see, when we fight, some of the old behavior tends to resurface."

"Is this… Octotriathlon thingy was also the result of your… old behavior resurfacing?"

"…no. The crazed old me is one thing, this Octotriathlon thingy is another. I'm perfectly sane when I designed the games."

"You call a battle royal; with bombs on our necks, an underwater tag game with a bomb, sane?"

"I have reasons in which I can convince you otherwise. Anyway, I'm still scared at the time. Afraid of what I will be if I am to get out of the hospital and return to my junkie self. It was during this period, instead of consuming hyorogan again, I resolved to eat a grotesque amount of food. The hospital off course, realized I'm eating the portion of 10 men for breakfast. They finally arranged a program of diet and physical training… I got on that program for 5 years. And perhaps a miracle, I was, somewhat, partially cured from my massive calorie overuse, albeit not entirely, for I still need to eat a lot to maintain my body metabolism, but I'm able to get a healthy 3 (large) meals a day and survived. Unfortunately, by the time I was ready to enter another mission, I was faced with another fact: few years off the action and grotesque eating habit had affected me, and by the time I was out of the hospital, I'm an overweight equaling that of a baby whale and I'm also incapable of performing even the simplest jutsu. Somewhat heartbroken, I almost jumped back to drugs again. That's when… I invented… no, was taught this jutsu. Initially, I used this jutsu to shrink my body. Further training, and now I'm able to alter my appearance as well to that of my 13 year old appearance, the form that I found most effective and comfortable to use in a fight. However, this jutsu used a lot of energy to maintain. As the result, I again had to resolve to eat large amount of food again."

Two nodded, understanding the swordsman situation, but Yukiku still a bit… perplexed. "Sorry if I seem annoying, but you've undergone a five years long diet program. While I'm happy that you've healed of your calorie overuse… don't you feel regret that, now again, you had to eat at insane amount… and gaining weight again?"

"Typical girls. But years of eating had turned me into quite a gourmet person, and I enjoyed it. On the other hand, imagine if you have to choose between being a lunatic sadist with acute masochistic compulsion every minute, and being a big fat happy nin with an attitude. And on a side note, I had not gained a gram above 350 kg ever since I mastered this jutsu."

"Okay. Point taken." The girl relented.

Fujiki crunched a lobster before swallowing it up full and belched. "Awwwww… But damn, you're strong Naruto. Freaking strong. But dumb."

"…are you inferring about back then, when I turned you only half dead?"

"Why didn't you promote me to full-dead?"

"Look. I seriously want to kill you back there. But you survived, and that is your luck."

"I don't believe in luck. And there's definitely pity in your eyes back there."

"So what do you want? Rematch?"

"I still have a few more jutsu up my sleeve! Of course I want a rematch!"

"Speaking of which, how many days we have left?"

Fujiki blinked. 'Oh yeah… my bad habit resurfacing again.' "Let's see… you guys came here on day 2, this is day 3. The Kraken can get to Kirigakure in 1 day. Don't worry. See? Plenty of time."

Naruto groaned. Just then, the ship suddenly shook. Everyone lost balance, and the food went flying to every direction. Fujiki, recovered from the shock almost immediately, transformed into his 13 year old self. "What happened!?"

A jounin came running answered: "Central section's western hull got hit! We're under attack!"

---------------------

End of part 2

Deidara's days in Interrogation

Minichapter 7:

Therapy

A week after…

Athrun dragged the somewhat comatose Deidara on tow. The sand trio looked at their prisoner. Now, they pity Deidara a lot more. He was mumbling gibberish, something along the lines of madman, strippers, gays, and dicks.

Tenten stared at the downtrodden Akatsuki. She gulped. "Anoo… Athrun-sensei?"

"Yep?"

"Can you give him a break?"

"Why, I was thinking the same thing. I admit the last one was a bit too early."

Shikamaru sweat dropped. "What are you going to do to him now?"

"Well, I'm going to give him a therapy. Hopefully, we can get his head out of the clouds by then."

Few moments later…

"Well, I said head out of the clouds now… did I?"

"Out of the clouds… yeah right." Gaara looked up; as he saw the almost vomiting Deidara performed his nth bungee jumping from a 4000 km tower Athrun made with Alchemy.

----------------------

Just one more part to go!


	27. Octo Triathlon Part 3

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": special case**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA: Giant creature speech **

"_Journal no bla bla": Renald's writing_

**Chapter 24.3:**

**The Octo-triathlon**

**Part 3:**

**Game Over, All Aboard**

"What do you mean we're under attack?" Fujiki came running into the command center. Namimaru immediately answered.

"Torpedoes sir. 3 of them. They hit us straight at the hull."

"3 torpedoes? And how the hell we didn't notice those things before they reach point blank range!?"

"Sir!" Another jounin called. "We've used the seismic signal!"

"And?"

The jounin pointed at a screen. Fujiki turned towards the monitor. A green shape beeps and heading straight at the center of the screen. The Swordsman gasped recognizing the shape. "Good god… it's the Ray!"

Namimaru gulped. "Excuse me sir… THE Ray?"

"How many submarines in this world are equipped with a perfect stealth camouflage!?" Fujiki went running to his seat.

---------------------

Meanwhile, underneath the sea…

"Aw damn, they've used the seismic sonar."

"Alright. Turn off the camo, we got our surprise."

From the empty blue sea, a figure suddenly began took shape. Blue shockwave pulsated allover the ship's surface, revealing the submarine's shape as its invisibility generator turned off. The ship's frontal section was pretty much flat and gray in the overall color. Two large, wide thick 'wings' can be seen folding out just behind its frontal section. The wings had a pair of massive turbines spinning non stop. A long thick 'tail' swishing on its back. Two bulging sections can be seen just above the head. A giant writing of Manta Ray and an Illustration of a shark impaled by an Anchor were painted on the ship's lower hull. However, compared to the Kraken, the Ray was much, much smaller.

Aboard the ray…

"Load the torpedoes!"

"Loaded!"

"Fire no. 1 and 2!"

Two torpedoes shot out from the Submarine's hull.

---------------------

"Release the chaff!"

The Kraken dropped a pack of decoys that swim to various directions. One of the torpedoes fell for it and chased the decoys. But the other one went straight ahead and ram itself on another spot, shaking the whole ship once more.

Everyone aboard the Kraken was having a hard time to remain standing. Some of the crews were even thrown off their seat. Fujiki grabbed his armchair to prevent himself from falling. Namimaru issued another order. "Retaliate, ready the torpedoes!"

"Aye!"

---------------------

"Now we've pissed off every shinobi on that ship they're going to retaliate. Close the wings. Evasive maneuvers."

In one fluid motion, the wings fold back in. 5 torpedoes were launched from the Kraken. The Ray immediately turned and like one giant serpent, it avoided direct impact with the underwater missiles. During the process, its tail swished, releasing a pack of decoys. All five torpedoes fell for it. The ray was already far from harm's way by the time the torpedoes exploded.

---------------------

"God-damn it. We missed! Prepare another volley."

"No!" Fujiki yelled. "It's a waste of ammo!"

"But sir!"

"Do not underestimate the second fastest ship in the whole Water Country! You can shoot a whole load of them and she can still laugh at it."

"Then what should we do?" Namimaru asked his captain.

Fujiki thought for a moment. "For now, repair the damages."

"Aye sir." Namimaru bowed and then began shouting orders.

The swordsman frowned. 'Something's not right. This is not his style. Shoot first ask question later… what are you thinking?'

--------------------

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWN! What was all that ruckuses?"

A man with brown ponytail and goggles on his head just yawned and scratched his head. He opened the door from his room. "Hey, heeey! Can somebody tell me what's going on?"

A man immediately came to attend. "Excuse Captain for waking you up, but we're attacking the ship as scheduled."

"As schedule? What schedule?" the Captain asked almost absent mindedly.

"Well, you know the schedule for resupply?"

"…what did you say again?"

"Resupply, we're attacking the Kraken now."

"…who told you that?"

"…Reifuku did."

"Are those people have no BRAIN!? Stop the attack! We still got enough provision for half a year!!"

--------------------

"Oi, Fujiki! What happened?" Naruto with much difficulty as the ship had just shaken again, come running towards the swordsman. Neji and Yukiku followed closely behind, with Renald tagging along. The journalists were left behind by Kira, refusing his offer of another lightning fast trip.

"Pirates."

"W… What?" Renald stammered as the ship shook again.

"Pirates! I said PIRATES! P-I-R-A-T-E-S! There! I spelled it out for you!"

"W… Whoa!" the ship shook again. They just decoyed another volley of torpedoes by sheer luck.

Namimaru climbed the stairs and shouted. "Sir! Permission to deploy the Hunters!"

"NO! This is not what they want! They want our provision!"

"Then why they keep firing at us?"

"I don't know." The ship shook again. Objects flying through the air as it go.

--------------------

Aboard Ray, the captain dashed through rooms and finally got to the bridge. There, a slightly thin man wearing a yellow jacket can be seen shouting orders. His hair are black dreadlocks, but two rows were colored blond. "Prepare another batch. We'll slap 'em again!"

"REEEII!!"

The thin man turned and welcomed the Captain with a smile. "Oh hallo captain! We're going through our schedule right now!"

"YOU NUMSKULL! We don't have another scheduled attack for the next 6 MONTHS! I told you at the meeting!"

Everyone stopped. Reifuku gaped. A sweat dropped at the back of his head. Then he turned to the Captain. "…are you sure?"

"AHA! I knew it I was right!" A girl with short blue hair suddenly yelled and pointed accusingly at Reifuku. "I KNEW IT! YOU JUST MAKE THAT ONE UP!"

"Shut up, Saika! Your fault didn't tell me about the right schedule!"

"Well I did, 20 minutes ago before you going on frenzy: 'We're out of food! We're gonna starve! We're gonna die!'" Saika mimicked Refuku's face mockingly.

"Well, you're the chef here! Why the hell did you leave a outdated schedule on the pantry!?"

The said person growled. The captain finally yelled. "SHUT UP! Cease fire immediately!" The Captain walked immediately to his seat. "Unload the torpedoes. Open the com."

"I can't sir."

"Why?"

"I think the last blast hit their communication line."

The Captain sighed. "Bravo Reifuku. Bravo. We just opened fire at the largest and one of the most foreknown Battleship in Kirigakure because of an outdated schedule."

--------------------

"How's the communication line?" Fujiki asked one of the Jounins.

"It'll take days to fix it." The report came.

The boy sighed. "Great. That means we're gonna be stuck here for days."

"What? Why?" Yukiku frowned.

"Part of the Kirigakure's naval rule, we must be able to send signal that show them that we're one of them. Every ship has a certain signal which they must be able to send, otherwise they'll be considered intruders, and risk being shot down."

"Can't you send the message in different way? Hand signals? Summons?"

"I can. But this is the Kraken. This the biggest ship amongst Mist armada made from 9 ships conjoined to one. To move something this big around, a fast coordination between each sections is necessary. Delivering messages from each section by word of mouth will be impossible and took a lot of time. With our communication line busted, we're as good as being stranded here."

"But… that means we're also stuck here! How the hell we gonna get on the village now?" Naruto gulped.

"I'm thinking…" Fujiki massage his temple, frowning. He looked at Naruto, smirking sadly. "This is definitely not good time for a rematch eh, Naruto?"

"How can you be thinking about rematch now?"

"No. I'm sorry. I'm just trying to ease our situation-" Naruto suddenly grabbed Fujiki's shoulder and looked at him straight on the eye.

"Listen! For you this maybe just some stupid preliminary; but I'm different! I have my own reason why I should get on that exam. My friend is in that village and either he's in trouble or he will be. We never choose to be stuck in your crusade against these so called Pirates. So be a little more responsible and help us!"

"…" Fujiki looked at Naruto. "Namimaru."

"Yes?"

"…is the Ray still on the screen?"

"Yes. She's encircling us. But she didn't fire another torpedo yet."

"You hear that?" Fujiki smiled.

"What?"

"Your ride is still out there."

"Eh?"

"I've got an idea. But put me down first."

--------------------

Aboard the Ray…

The Captain massaged his temple. 'Enshin-jii-san gonna kill me if Fujiki report this to him.'

"Captain?"

"What?"

"The Kraken… just tossed something off the hull."

"Hm?" the man raised his head. Cylinder pods were launched from the bottom of the ship.

"That's?" One of the crew asked.

"…supply pods." The Captain answered. "Prepare to haul them."

"Aye."

--------------------

"You sure this thing will work?" Naruto entered the pod filled with supplies. Neji and Yukiku were already inside.

"I'm sure. If I know the captain of the Ray, he's not the irresponsible type. Even if he didn't get you, these pods will float eventually. And there's enough food for you guys to reach the village."

"Okay." Naruto took another step inside when Fujiki called him.

"Naruto."

The blond turned.

"…I won't take back my words. That was very stupid of you back there Naruto."

"It was my stupidity that keeps you alive, Fujiki."

"Yes. But you are lucky that I find it despicable to attack an opponent from the back. Back then, if I didn't yell and attacked you discreetly, you'll die."

"…what are you trying to say?"

"Thank you. I haven't enjoyed a fight like this for quite some time. As a token of my gratitude, allow me to impart some of my hard-earned lessons."

A few moments later, Naruto stepped inside the pod. The pod's door closes in. Fujiki sighed. "Namimaru, gimme some Waterproof ink."

"Sir." Namimaru gave a pen to Fujiki, who proceed to write something on the pod. Once he was done, "Launch the Pod!"

The pod dropped in to the water below.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Fujiki-sama?"

"Back then, during my fight with Naruto… I realized something."

"What?"

"…I've awaken something within him. Something definitely not nice. The wounds I suffered were the result of a mere yawn of the awakening beast. Even if we have a rematch, the result would probably be the same."

"Fujiki-sama…"

"The half awakened beast within him… Imagine the mayhem he'll give to the Ray's crew. Ha!" Fujiki smirked and nudged Namimaru, who also smiled.

--------------------

Naruto, Neji, Yukiku and Renald were sitting inside the supply pod, which was filled with canned meat, instant noodles, canned drinks and etc. It was somewhat silent, until Yukiku breaks it. "Oi, Naruto, what did Fujiki said to you, before you get in?"

The blond looked at her and then recite everything Fujiki said: "Don't be irresolute when you attack the enemy. Never hesitate when landing the killing blow. We are killing weapons. Not all the enemies you will face have honor. Some will do whatever necessary to win. More then anything else, don't pity them up to the point of showing your back at them! Such act is out of question! This is the whole point of this Octo-Triathlon!"

"_When the lot of you came here, most of you are still whiny brats with conscious on your mind. With this Octo-Triathlon, I want you guys to leave your heart here, be as wicked as demons. I'm tying to teach you guys… something that I have learned the hard way." Fujiki sighed and looked at his arms._

_Naruto frowned. "Those… bones…"_

"…_I… smacked him, with 5 Sen Umigiri. He was one bloody lump. Though obviously, when I saw his chest, humping up and down, I know he's still alive. I got carried away, and I turned my back… and… well, you see what I've become."_

"_But do all this blood spilled necessary?"_

"_Can you tell me a better way? I know, when I made that game, a lot will be killed. But it must be done, because it'll be necessary. It's a cruel world, Shinobi world is. And these bones of mine had a done a wonderful job: reminding me!" _

"…"

"…_I really like you Naruto. That's why I give you this advice. I would hate to hear you got killed just because your conscious got in the way. So stay alive. You owe me a rematch, remember?"_

_Naruto smiled. "Yeah."_

_Fujiki smiled. The two finally shake hands. _

Naruto sighed. "And that's the story."

Neji nodded. Then he whispered: "But, Naruto, did you notice anything suspicious about this guy?"

"Do you? We are supposed to be suspicious of everybody." Naruto whispered back.

"But if he's one of the traitors, we are so screwed!" Yukiku gulped.

"The Kraken is very huge. We can't search the whole thing in an instant." Naruto grunted.

"We didn't even get the chance. In any case, let's prioritize on getting on Mist first."

"Okay."

Renald, unable to hear their conversation decided to write everything that had happened in his journal. "Let's see: Journal Entry…

"…_number 35, month 5_

_Pirates. Now that's surprising. I didn't expect to actually encounter one in here. Makes you wonder what kind of people these pirates are. But they truly got a nerve to actually shoot at a swordsman's flagship. While I do understand Pirates are no joking matter, I do hope to write about these eastern sea underlords… and survive the day. _

_Regardless, Fujiki's flagship do caught my interest. Hell, I don't even think our country has a better warship then these people do. I guess our scientist's opinion that the people of the eastern continents were uncivilized barbarian is one great mistake. Anyway, right now I'm in a supply pod. I think I know Fujiki's plan. My Prayers to god, nothing goes wrong._

--------------------

Meanwhile, aboard the Ray…

"What THE…!" Reifuku growled as he looked through the screen.

"What is it?"

"One of the pods got something written on it."

"Hm?" The Captain turned to the screen. One pod stood out from the rest. A big black bold writing plastered on the said pod:

**EAT ME DIPSHIT. **A big black middle finger symbol can also be seen below the writings.

The Captain sweat dropped. "Yep. He's definitely pissed."

"Should we blast them again?"

"And be made enemy of the village? Let's just haul those pods in. I had enough trouble for one day."

"Aye."

The Ray marched forward. Its frontal hull suddenly opened in a manner that resembles a whale's mouth. The submarine swam up at the pods, and in one 'gulp' swallowed them all. The Ray closed its mouth and swim away. During the process, it folded its wings to the back and retracted its tail. The next instance, the Ray disappeared from sight as it turned its camouflage on.

--------------------

Aboard the Kraken…

"Well, it's quite a mess… though I figure it's quite an understatement."

"Don't say that." Fujiki chuckled as he picked up an empty leftover noodle cup. "It's quite worth it."

"Well… it'll take days for us to fix all these mess."

"Then it'll be days. Lucky that Kraken is a frigate designed to support other ship. We have all the materials we need to fix this ship and plenty of provision. Now come on. If we fast enough, we can still see the second Chuunin exam by the time we get to Mist."

"Aye."

--------------------

Ray…

"Captain, we swallowed 4 pods. That is to said, we swallowed all of 'em." Saika gave her report to the Captain.

"Pump the water out of the 'mouth'."

"Pumping." Reifuku flicked a switch.

In the mouth section, which was completely flooded with water, the four pods were floating aimlessly. Hatches opened, and the water level began to decrease as the water was drained out. The room was dry a few moments later and the hatches closed in.

A door opened and the Captain, Reifuku and Saika, along with several other crews went in. Reifuku immediately barged towards the most stood out of all 4 pods. The one with the writings. "Now I wonder what's inside here." The thin crew grabbed a coal bar and began latching the door open. Few moments later, it opened and when the Pirate crew looked at what's inside… "Huh? Who the-"

Reifuku's sentence was cut short as Naruto smashed his jaw with his fist, sending the thin man flying across the room.

The whole crew gaped.

Naruto with his Tenrou at ready stepped out of the pod, followed by his team. "Bring it on you Pirates!"

The captain gaped. "…Naruto? Uzumaki Naruto?"

"Huh?" Naruto looked at the Captain. He seemed familiar. "You know me?"

"Hey? It's me!" The Captain showed a red broadsword. Naruto recognized it in an instant. It's the sword that saved his life back in Diablo's Kitchen.

"Shu? Shu the Stingray?"

Shu the Stingray put his sword back. "What are you doing in Fujiki's food pods?"

"He told us to get in here!"

"Oh no. He trapped you in the Octotriathlon again now did he?"

"Yes… how did you know?" Neji blinked.

"We were… eh… old acquaintances." The Stingray pulled his collar nervously. 'Wow… Fujiki, you were really pissed off, you sent Naruto in to beat me to death? Oh dear…'

"Captain, we got people in here too!" The other crew spoke. Other pods were opened, and there were Shinobi teams inside too.

"Aw man! He sent shinobis from other country as well? What are they, infiltration team or something?" a man with spiky hair whined.

"No. We're Chuunin exam Participant." Yukiku answered.

"Chuunin exam participants huh? Then what are you guys doing in Fujiki's flagship?"

"Preliminary!"

"Preliminary. Right, the Octotriathlon. Yet there are so many of you." Shu looked around. There were 12 Genins.

"There were." A sand genin stepped forward. "There were 240 of us. We're the only one left."

"And how many, of those 240, were really shinobi, I wonder?" Shu chuckled. "When I saw the number of people preparing to go to the Chuunin exam, I recognize the numbers are swollen high. I bet that 40 of them were all mercenaries or thugs. Don't worry. The death rate is still normal."

"Are you saying that the deaths of our friends out there were just?" A grass nin growled.

"Make no mistake buddy. It's Chuunin exam. A ninja war in disguise. Death is obvious."

"In any case, we need to get to the Kirigakure." A sound nin spoke.

"Wow. Hold on there. This is a Pirate Submarine, not a bloody cab."

"Well, you blow up the Kraken's com-system. Without it, the Kraken is sitting ducks and we were unable to commence with the Chuunin Exam, THANKS TO YOU!" Yukiku glared at the Pirate Captain. "Don't you think it is your obligation to take responsibility?"

Shu gulped and sent a death glare at Reifuku, who suddenly found the ceilings very interesting. "Now listen here…"

Naruto shoved Tenrou to Shu's face. "Take a good look: I almost cut Fujiki's arms off with this. Wanna know how it feels?"

The Captain looked at the bloodstain decorating the tip of Tenrou's scabbard. His eye twitched slightly before he shoved it away. "Now listen here Naruto, even though you slaughtered Royal Skull gang in a day, that doesn't mean you can go your merry way threatening me." Shu glared at Naruto.

"I'm not threatening you. I'm just saying, you gotta be more responsible. Let us hitch a ride to Mist, and then you're home free."

'You think the road to Mist is that easy?' Shu whispered inaudibly. "The submarine will sail as the captain commanded." The stingray was engaging a glaring match with Naruto as he said this. "And the Captain command is…" the Captain sighed. "…turn the ship. Next stop, Kirigakure."

"Aye!"

A series of 'ayes' and 'yes sirs' later and most of the crew left the room, only a few stays: a big man with a giant compo on his shoulder, a small girl with short blue hair, a tall, somewhat thin man with black dreadlocks and two rows of blonde ones, a dark skinned man with spiky hair and a bandana, another person with a very long hair, people can barely see his eyes, and finally Shu himself.

"Anyway, I think an introduction is necessary. Minna, meet the Sea Slayer's founding members:"

The small girl yelled cheerfully: "MOSHIMOSHI! Umimaru Saika! 15 years old! Chef! YOROSH-KU ONEGAI SHIMATSU!"

The giant man with a compo: "Otogi Ganju. I'm Sonar Expert and Navigator."

Dark Skinned man with spiky hair and a bandana: "Sako Tomojin. Mechanic and carpenter. Got anything broken just talk to me!"

The man with a long hair: "Bishou Umimoto. Doctor."

The thin man with dreadlocks: "Reifuku Tetsumaru, or Rei for short, first mate, vice captain… and weapon specialist."

"Ah! Speaking of which, Rei, don't you have anything to say to these Shinobis?" Shu gave the weapon specialist demonic fake smile.

Rei gulped. "Err… eh… that urm…"

"Come on Rei, don't be shy now!" Shu's smile becomes more demonic. In fact, he made no attempt to hide it.

"Erm… well… you see… when I feel hungry, I went to check on the storage, then I saw the timetable schedule, and… uh… I didn't notice that it was outdated… and urh… well… I thought we should be running out of food anytime now… and uh… we did… erh, exactly how we do things… you know… typical pirate stuff."

"Long story short." Naruto cuts in. "He's the one who shoot the Kraken."

"Correct." Shu nodded.

Rei could sense 12 pairs of lv. 100 deathglare were staring at him.

Renald was the only one who didn't join the glaring contest. Rather, he was fascinating himself as he observed the Submarine. "My goodness… what an incredible submarine! It's so advanced! Unlike some of the ships I've came across before!"

Sako's ears perked up and smirked. "YO! Ossan! You really know good stuff eh? You are inside the Manta Ray, the greatest ship in the whole Kirigakure!"

"There are sensors implanted on the walls… and these hatches… I presume it is used to detect breaches?"

"You really know your thing! Who are you Ossan? A western mechanic?"

"Mechanic? No. I'm a journalist."

The Sea Slayer's gang gasped.

"I came across many scientists in my life and so I know a thing or two about enginery… something's wrong?"

Shu sighed. "Naruto… is this… journalist your friend?"

"Pretty much. He came to write about Chuunin exam and about our life in general."

The Captain frowned. He whispered to Naruto: "I hate to be the bearer of bad news… but Journalists are off limit in our ship."

"Well-"

"I can guess what you're about to say." Renald suddenly spoke. "I've interviewed Pirates before. Both in jail and in their ship. If its money you want, I can give you a check."

"It's not about money, Ossan. It's about-"

"Secrecy? Well, my lips sealed. I'll just write it in the column: Eastern technology level, from anonymous resources. How's that sound to you?"

"Well what if-" Shu was about to say something but Renald raised a finger.

"Let me show you something." The journalist bagged his tools and then pulled his sleeve up. Everyone gasped. There were cork holes and deep scars loitering his forearm. "This was just a glance of a whole fresco they've given me. You see, for Westerners, you Easterners are still shrouded in mystery. That's why, for this job, they sent me. I've had enough taste of life to understand the word secrecy." Renald raise his hand up and showed his scarred hand to everyone in the room. Naruto flinched. It reminded him of Ibiki's head, Konoha Interrogation squad.

Shu frowned. But he finally relented. "Very well… however, I want you to report to Sako when you wish to wander around okay? Some of the rooms in this ship are totally off limit to everyone. You know, places like control room and weapon storage."

"Of course." Renald bowed down.

"The rest of you…" Shu stared at the Shinobis in the room. "…since you'll be staying with us for a while, I expect you to give us something in return. Not money, before you ask."

Everyone gulped.

"But services. I want you guys to work in this ship as crewmates until we get there. Understood?"

"Wait a minute! We're shinobis! Not sailors!"

"Then perhaps you prefer to swim? Otogi!"

The large man spoke. "Kirigakure is an aquatic fortress with enough natural fortification to hold an attack from an army."

"Natural fortification?" Yukiku frowned.

Otogi nodded. "There are a set of Maelstroms encircling the village, and the sea currents were unnatural. It was like nothing else. If you're lucky enough to get pass them unscratched, prepare to face a thick mist that'll limit your vision like nothing else, keeping you from noticing the coral maze."

"Coral-what?"

"Coral maze. There's a set of mind-boggling maze made from gigantic corals. The current will have you smashed to the rocks if you swim there recklessly. And then there are sea monsters…"

"Okay, okay! We get the idea already." One of the Grass nin was trying to calm his teammate who were trembling head to toe.

"…with all that, how are you supposed to get to Kirigakure in less then 3 days? Can this iron canoe made it in time?" The Sound nin, however, still look skeptical.

"You underestimate the Ray, kiddo!" Sako's turn to speak this time. "You underestimate her greatly. Tell you what, you mop the floor, and let us worry about getting in Kirigakure on time."

"Mop the floor?" The Sound nin almost yelled in protest, but Shu cuts in. "ANYWAY, you guys can start work tomorrow. I'm betting with the way you guys are now, none of you gonna last a day. Otogi, can you bring our new crewmates to their room? Saika, get something for them to eat."

"Ramen!" Naruto yelled in an instant.

Saika chuckled. "Okay!"

The group then walked around the ship with Otogi at the lead. They arrived at a corridor with four doors. "There, here's your room. There were four beds in each room. I'll leave it to you to pick the room."

The Grass and Sound immediately picked their room, went inside, and closed the door, no questions asked.

"Right. I think I'm going to look around the ship before I get some sleep." Renald start walking.

Naruto blinked. "Are you sure?"

"Don't worry. You three better rest. You need them more then I do." The journalist threw one last smile and walked away. "Now… where's Sako-san I wonder?"

Just then, a Suna nin stood and began walking towards Naruto. The Konoha team tensed themselves.

"Easy. I meant you no harm for now." The suna nin raised both his hand. He has brown unruly hair and green eyes. His body was quite tall and well toned for a Genin. "Just wanna ask. Are you Uzumaki Naruto? THE Uzumaki Naruto?"

"And you are?"

"Guccha of Sunagakure. Gaara-senpai told me about you."

"Gaara… I see. How's he, by the way?"

"He had made Chuunin in the recent Chuunin exam done in our village. Also, the exchange Shinobis you sent also did extremely well… especially the girl with buns on her head… what was her name? Penpen or… kenken…"

"Tenten." Neji corrected, rather loud and annoyed.

Guccha chuckled. "Yes. Tenten. She was mopping the floor clean till she fights Temari-sama. The two fought to stalemate until they finally blackout."

Neji nodded silently. Inwardly he muttered. 'Good for her.'

Naruto sighed. "Anyway… what would you like to talk about?"

"Not really. Gaara-senpai is currently the strongest nin in Sunagakure, what's with him training with that westerner seem increases his strength within leaps and bounds with each passing day. When we heard that you've beaten him before. I just want to see myself what kind person Gaara senpai regards so highly."

"Ah, I see."

"Gaara-senpai also tells me, he looked forward on fighting with you again."

"Yeah. Tell him I'll be waiting anytime."

"Will do." Guccha bowed once and walked away.

"Well, it's a nice change of atmosphere. At least we found some friendly competitors for once." Naruto finally chuckled.

Neji and Yukiku agreed with a smile.

--------------------

Meanwhile, at the Kraken…

"By the gods… what happened here?" Hiko just landed on the Kraken's bridge.

"Oh? You're looking at the aftermath of the greatest Octo-triathlon match I've ever had." Fujiki grinned widely.

"What kind of Genin who can create two 10 feet hole?" The grey haired swordsman gulped.

"Oh? Well, the first one was from me. I used Kuro Arashi. It missed and… well." The Octopus lifted a hefty iron pipe with one hand.

"You used Kuro Arashi… and YOU MISSED!?"

"Yo. Easy. I got my eyes blurred a little."

"What about your body? Obviously you were wounded!?"

"Ah, this? Don't worry. I'll live."

"ARE YOU AN AIRHEAD!? If that person can wound you, he/she can KILL you!"

"So I noticed." The swordsman looked as calm as ever. "Hiko, could you grab that hammer please. Thank you."

Hiko followed his fellow swordsman to the ravaged Combat dome. The Kraken's crew were fixing the floors, took out the flattened cameras and repairing any damage they came across.

"It doesn't look so bad now, is it?"

"Bad? It was as if a typhoon and a tornado had a meeting here!"

Fujiki whistled. "You're almost right. A maelstrom did come here."

"A maelstrom?"

"A big, wild, maelstrom."

"Huh?"

"Anyway, why are you here? Definitely not to check up an old friend?"

"Err… well. No. Enshin-sama wishes to know the current headcount of the Genin teams?"

"Headcount… well… 240 genins…" Fujiki chuckled. "Or to be exactly accurate: 60 infiltrating impostors… 100 mercenaries and thugs… and 80 genins."

"Again… huh?" Hiko sighed. It's not a new thing anymore. Mist village was located in a middle of an ocean. Children born there must be trained as avid sailors. But being a good sailor was not enough. That's why; the greatest minds in naval science gather together and strive to create the best ships in the world. The Kraken was one of many results of Mist Naval geniuses. After Wave become a giant city, wealth, culture, and most importantly, technology poured through, and further Mist naval advancement. Obviously, many countries would be dying to know the source of Mist's naval technology. Saboteurs, spies and thieves are a long standing tradition. The fact that mercenaries, thugs, and assassins suddenly get involved doesn't make much of a difference.

"The surviving team: Leaf, Sound, Grass, and Sand."

"Four teams this year?" Inwardly, Fujiki sighed a relief. 'Leaf passed? Wow. Wait till Enshin-sama hear this.'

"This year's a good one. Anyway, what's wrong with the _Marlin_?"

Fujiki pointed at a long dark blue ship docked in between two Hunters. The ship has a long upright fin extending from the middle of the bridge all the way to the back. Cannon turrets lined along its lengthy, somewhat thin frontal part. It's shape reminiscent of that of a swordfish. It's pretty much larger then Ray, though less bulky, but it's still dwarfed by Kraken's massive size.

"Oh nothing. I just need a checkup. It's been awhile since I last checked her. And I need to re-supply too."

"Okay. Namimaru, tell hunter C and D to change the carburetors and the left propelling cylinders. They're already outdated. Also, clean the turbines and get the fin's checked."

"Aye. Aye." The eyepatched Jounin bowed once before puffed away.

Hiko smiled. 'To notice those things just by glancing at my ship… No matter how crazy he was, Fujiki's still a naval genius among the 7.'

"Now, while the Hunters do their thing, how bout if you help me fix the ship?"

'Or, he just made all that up to hold me up here and help him repair the damages he caused.' Hiko sweat dropped.

As Fujiki and Hiko left, clanking sounds can be heard from the two ships that enclosed the Marlin. Several dozens of large cylindrical pods jutted out from the ship's left and right side respectively. The pods extended as mechanical arms move the pods as smaller mechanical arms appeared on the pods and several shinobis can be seen standing on the pods and performed their repair on the Marlin.

--------------------

The next morning… at 3 O'clock.

Aboard the Ray…

"RISE AND SHINEEEEEEE!" Saika's squeal echoed throughout the ship.

"WAAA-OUCH!" Naruto's head slammed at the bed above him in shock. Neji jerked up as someone headbutt his butt, sending him headbutting the metal ceilings with a clang. "OW!"

Yukiku also jerked up, although without the headbutting accident. "What the hell was that?"

"A wake up call, I think." Naruto massaged his temple. Neji grunted as he massaged both his temple and his butt.

Few moments later, a loud banging can be heard from their door. "Get up crews! Wake up call has been sounded. Wakey-wakey!" It was Shu. Naruto rubbed his face several times. His ear also began to focus. The sound of people running can be heard from every part of the ship. It seems everyone was already awaked. "One minute!" Neji responded, almost drowsily. "Come on, let's get our gear."

The three searched the room… only to find they have none.

"W… What? Where's our gear!?"

"You won't need them while you're in this ship." Shu chuckled. Neji, now fully awake, opened the door and come face to face with the Stingray.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"You are not a guest here. You are a part of the crew. Though only temporary, the rule of this ship applies to you. And the rule says no one but the captain can bring weapons around without the permission of the master of arms. Oh and by the way, we can't take out those black jackets of yours, so we left them intact."

"Is that a threat?"

"No. That's a fact. Go around the ship and see. No one in this ship carries weapon. Except me. Don't worry. If you need it, we will return it. And when we arrived at Mist, we'll return it to you. But for now… let's eat. Breakfast's ready!" Shu grinned.

Neji still look somewhat disapproved. But then again, they relied on this man to help them to get to Kirigakure. Arguing with the captain of the ship simply won't help them. "Ok. Give us a few seconds."

"Okay."

Neji get back inside. Naruto and Yukiku looked at him, asking explanation. "He got our gear. He said he'll return it when we arrive, or when we need it."

"Just don't let them do anything funny to Tenrou. Dangerous as that thing maybe, I feel naked without my weapons."

"That makes the rest of us." Yukiku nodded. She turned to Shu, who's still outside. "If they even leave a scratch on my blade…!"

"Hey, hey, relax! We're not gonna do anything to Zabuza's head-cleaver, okay?"

Neji blinked. But he nodded. "Okay. Come on guys."

Shu banged the other doors as well. Like them, the other Genins were obviously still sleeping, and might fall back to sleep again after the first wake up call. They got out and most of them sounded muffled protests and annoyed groan. Their eyes still red and sleepy, just like Naruto and his team.

"Come on. Saika cook some fish for breakfast."

"Ok, ok…" Naruto groaned.

The group followed the said captain to what supposed to be the dining hall. The crews were already here, eating, chatting, and laughing. Saika hopped around here and there serving food.

Naruto, Neji, and Yukiku sat together. Saika squealed as she gets to their table. "And today's breakfast will be Fish and chips!" The cheery girl dropped down their meal, which is kinda small.

The three murmur a silent "Itadakimasu." And start eating.

During their meal, Neji whispered. "Guys. You notice that?"

"Yeah." Yukiku nodded. "I never tell him my blade's name."

"So?" Naruto mused. "What are we gong to do?"

"I think we found the start of our investigation." Neji huddled the three together. "We'll let him assign us to our post. Then we start checking his ship. Carefully."

Naruto and Yukiku nodded.

Then Shu suddenly stood up and yelled. "Alright mates! Listen up! Our next destination is Kirigakure. You got 5 minutes to finish your breakfast!"

"Aye, Aye!"

--------------------

--------------------

--------------------

End of Three part Chapter 24

--------------------

Deidara's days in Interrogation

Minichapter 9:

Sand Chuunin Exam

This happened a few moths ago, during Sand's Chuunin Exam.

First test:

"This is not funny, yeah." Deidara grunted.

"Relax. So what if some of the Genins in Sand interested to try Alchemy?"

"Oh, is that why you were in charge of the Chuunin exam, yeah?" One of his legs was thumping.

"Well, Gaara gave me permission, and the Sand Councill thought it'll be a good idea too."

"Oh, and what's this test is all about, yeah?" His arms were at his back, handcuffed.

"Simple. I just want them to transmute at least three different objects."

"So I noticed, yeah." The stone nin almost roared as a genin placed an earthen cooking pot, a set of armor, and a statue of Gaara's gourd.

"What?"

"I think your explanation is not specific enough: you mean transmute three objects and placed them unto my back! That's what you mean yeah!?"

"Not really. But I do need someone to carry them around."

"I hate you. Really."

"At least I didn't question you this time?"

"How would that be any different?"

"I didn't ask them to make 6 items?"


	28. Shu the Stingray

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": special case**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA: Giant creature speech **

"_Journal no bla bla": Renald's writing_

Disclaimer: I own nothing… except the plenty of OCs in the story. The Pirate's life song is owned by Walt Disney, taken from Pirates of Caribbean's. Drink Up me Hearties yo-ho!

**Chapter 25:**

**Shu the Stingray**

Naruto scrub the Kitchen floor for the nth time, as hard as he could, as he tried to shake the smell of food tickle his nose.

"_We scrub, we scrub, we scrub, and we scrub"_

What's with this song the other crew repeated in monotonous tone? They keep singing it time and again.

"_With mop we scrub, with our backs we scrub, we scrub!"_

He was assigned to mop the floor in the kitchen with the other 5 crews he didn't recognize. It wasn't such a hardwork, really. But having to resist the scent of the food is simply torturing. And having to listen to that awful song… it's just too much. "Hey… guys?" The other mopping crew stared at him. "Look, I don't want to annoy you or something but… can we please work in silence?"

"Sorry savvy… can't do that."

"It'll be a bloody bore without a tune mate."

"Then, can you sing something else? For the love of god, that song bore the hell out of me."

"Hmmm… ya'know, our little lad is right."

"Come to think of it, with such a tune, can't blame the kid that the song was bad."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, what I mean is the song was out of tune?"

"Excuse me, are you referring to ME!?" The crew's face was red.

"No. I'm just saying-"

"You wanna know what I had to say about YOUR voice?"

"Hey what's THAT supposed to mean?" the two crew shoot daggers through their eyes.

Naruto gulped. "Hey guys?"

"Shut up! We're fighting! Now where were we!?"

"You wanna know what I HAD to say about YOUR VOICE!?"

"Now you're getting me down!"

"Well, get THIS!" The crew stabbed the other end of his mop stick on the other crew's leg. Bellowing in pain, the crew retaliated by grabbing his water bucket and throwing it straight to the crew's head. Unfortunately, the crew missed, and the bucket hit the other crew's head instead. The said crew counter by grabbing a salmon from the fridge and slammed the crew that dodged the water-bucket with it. A few moments later the whole mopping crew suddenly had an all out brawl using various fishes as clubbing weapon, while Naruto watched the whole thing and tapped the side of his head. "These pirates are crazy."

"WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT!?" Saika the Chef suddenly stormed in. Upon seeing the ship's chef, the whole crew stopped dead in their tracks. In an instant, they get in a straight line. The of the mopping crews, as Naruto noted, are hulking masses. Size wise, the chef was obviously dwarfed by the crew. But Saika's annoyed face seem made them all shrunk. "Who started all this?"

5 fingers pointed at Naruto. The blond sighed. "I was only commenting their singing…"

"And what did you say to them?"

"I ask them if they can sing something else. And they start fighting for no reason at all and…"

Saika turned to the bruised crews. "What did you sang?"

The crews recite their mop the floor song.

The chef shook her head. "I see… well that won't do boys. If you want to sing, sing something that invocates our pride as a pirate!"

"Invocate our pride as pirate?" the crews looked to each other. Puzzled.

"_Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me."_

"Huh?" the crews, Naruto included, looked at the chef.

_We pillage plunder, we rifle and loot.  
Drink up me 'hearties, yo ho.  
We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot.  
Drink up me 'hearties, yo ho._

_Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me.  
We extort and pilfer, we filch and sack.  
Drink up me 'hearties, yo ho.  
Maraud and embezzle and even highjack.  
Drink up me 'hearties, yo ho. _

Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me.  
We kindle and char and in flame and ignite.  
Drink up me 'hearties, yo ho.  
We burn up the city, we're really a fright.  
Drink up me 'hearties, yo ho.  


_Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me._

_We're rascals and scoundrels, we're villians and knaves.  
Drink up me 'hearties, yo ho.  
We're devils and black sheep, we're really bad eggs.  
Drink up me 'hearties, yo ho.  
_

_Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me._

_We're beggars and blighters and ne'er do-well cads,  
Drink up me 'hearties, yo ho.  
Aye, but we're loved by our mommies and dads,  
Drink up me 'hearties, yo ho.  
Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me_

Naruto and the crew were speechless. It would've been an awfully good song… if only the singer's voice was as good as the song. Some of the crew couldn't help but to muffle their laugh. Unfortunately for them, Saika noticed this and growled. "Did you just laugh at me!?"

"Er… well-" an eel was lashed on his face electrocuting the said crew, turning much of his hair stood on end. In retaliation, the crew punched through one of the other crew's laughing face.

"Ouch! Hey, why did you punch me?"

"What do you expect? Me punching a frail little girl?"

"WHO DID YOU CALL FRAIL!?" Saika exploded. And out of nowhere launched a giant hammerhead shark to the group of five, Naruto excluded. The next instance, the brawl started again with Saika and her hammerhead as new entries. Naruto tapped the side of his head. 'These pirates are really crazy.'

Naruto continue his mopping duty while taking a good observation on his surroundings. "Then again… I don't see anything worthy of suspicion in the kitchen…" His advanced sense of smell caught the smell of iron, fish, meat, spices, typical things he would find in a kitchen. 'They got good song though.' And, as he resumed his mopping, with the brawl right next to him, Naruto recite the song: _"We're devils and black sheep, we're really bad eggs. Drink up me 'hearties, yo ho…"_

Suddenly, someone knocked the kitchen's door. Given the kitchen crew were too busy fighting with each other, Naruto took the liberty to open the door. It was Shu. "What happen? I heard Saika scream and…"

"Then perhaps you can stop them? They're having a fish fight over there."

"Ah. I see. Well mind them. It happened often. In any case, here, take this."

"Hm?" Naruto looked and notice Shu was dragging something. A closer inspection and it was Tenrou.

"Hurry up and grab this sucker will ya!? This thing weigh a ton!" the man was holding Tenrou's handle with both of his hands with much effort.

"Oh sorry." Naruto grabbed the sword without much difficulty, having used to its sheer weight. "I thought we aren't supposed to bring weapons?"

"Rule no. 2: Every time we surface, every crew must hold his own."

"Surface? What, we arrived already?"

"Not yet. But Ray's solar panels needs to be recharged. And during such time, we're quite vulnerable."

"Very well then… however, what about those idiots?"

"Leave them be. It'll be over in a few hours."

Just then, a life octopus smacked the back of Naruto's head. The ink sprayed from the sea creature blackened the red mad face of Naruto. "I think I need to return this." Grabbing the octopus' tentacles, the blond joins the battle.

"Just don't kill my crews will ya?" Shu smirked.

The pirate closed the door just in time when a swordfish went through the door. Thrown by an angry Naruto no doubt.

Shu walked pass a grumbling Sound nin, who is mopping the floor. "Oi, you missed a spot!"

"I just cleaned that part! Can't your men keep things clean for 10 minutes!?"

"We're pirates mate."

---------------------

Hull… torpedo rack…

"Watch out with those warheads, it cost a fortune each!!" Rei grumbled. As two grass nin staggered under the weight of the 10 feet long torpedo. Yukiku looked around the room. They were told to move half of the torpedoes from the storage room to arms maintenance, Rei's workshop. The whole room, as she counts, held 20-30 torpedoes of varying size and shape. Rei barked at her. "Oi! No idle hands!"

Yukiku sighed. "Okay, okay." The girl looked at the torpedoes, measuring its weight and size.

"Need a help little cutie?" A large crew with some tattoos on his arm snorted looking at Yukiku's thin arm.

The said little girl glared back. No man. NO MAN can call her a little cutie! 'Let's see… this thing probably weight about what, 20-30 kg?' Yukiku unlatched the weight on her right arm. She grabbed the torpedo fin… before she lift the whole thing over her shoulder altogether. She smirked at the gawking crew and replied his previously unanswered question: "No thank you."

She turned to Rei. "Where do you want me to bring this?"

"The Arms Maintenance room, et-tu it's along the corridor just 2 doors from here." Rei scratched his cheek nervously.

"Okay." A few moments later, the storage was half empty, just as they were instructed. The nins, not used to the job, were gasping and wheezing for breath… except Yukiku, who already latched her arm weight back before yawning. The girl took her time to observe the room again. Nothing, as far as her advanced sense can tell, is wrong with the room… until she notice a set of torpedoes which are different from the rest. It's black and flat, its side fin was wide, stretching from the frontal part of missile all the way to the middle, and its large upper fin had a red scope planted at the base of its fin. What picked her interest is that they were placed just below the torpedo rack inside a cellar with a trap door with iron net, painted black, to prevent anyone from seeing through. Anyone without an advanced sense of sight, no doubt. 'Apparently they don't want us to know about that particular torpedo… why, I wonder?'

"Yukiku-chan."

The said girl sent daggers to the speaker. It was Shu. He was carrying the head cleaver with one hand on his back and a bag on his other hand. "Here."

Shu tossed the hefty blade to Yukiku, who caught easily. The other crews were hardly surprised. The girl had actually lifted hefty torpedoes in one go ever so easily.

"What-"

"We're recharging the Ray hence we surface."

"Oh… I see."

---------------------

Meanwhile, in the middle of the violent sea, the submarine Ray suddenly burst out from the sea, head first.

In the bridge, Neji was assigned to mop the window when the scene turned from underwater to white sky. The sudden change startled the Genin a little. "Oi… what happened?"

"We surfaced." Otogi replied as he put down his compo.

"Surfaced? Then… we've arrived on our destination already?"

"No. But Ray needs to be recharged. It's a solar powered submarine after all."

"Solar powered? Isn't that a little bit high tech?"

"We have a highly reliable technological source." Shu answered as he came in. "If you remember we own one third of Wave city. That place is also a great source of veritable patented technology from the unknown corner of the world, legal or illegal."

'Illegal?' "I see… but… we're getting out of the Mist. Does this mean we've passed the mist or…"

"Oh no. We left the Mist. The sun can't reach us in the middle of the tick mist. We need to recharge before we can go." Shu smiled. "Anyway, here." The Captain tossed the twin dragon to Neji. "Maybe you know, we're quite an easy target right now… if we're under attack… you're on your own."

"I understand." The Hyuuga caught the weapons. "…by the way, how long are we going to stay here?"

"Not long. 2, 3 hours top."

"And then we charge in to Kirigakure?"

"Pretty much. We will take the Great UnderWave current. Then we have to cross the coral maze."

"When will we arrive at the village?"

"You have five days, yes? Well, you've spent three days getting to Fujiki's ship. This is a pirate ship. In order to get pass the security, we have to take some long way around. However, if everything goes well, we should be arriving in Mist by tomorrow, at daybreak."

"You seem to know your way around."

Shu laughed. "I'm a man of the sea, Hyuuga-san. If you call those stuffs we've mentioned about Mist's sea as trouble, we call it sport."

"Hmmm…"

"Why not go up to the surface? The air below is quite refreshing."

"I'd rather stay here." 'I need to keep an eye on him…'

"Suit yourself." Shu suddenly went away. "As for me, I'm going out."

'…I hope the others are doing well.' Neji inwardly sighed.

Just then, a beeping sound can be heard from the radar. Everyone turned their eyes towards the source of sound. Otogi grabbed his compo and listened to it intently.

"What is he doing?" Neji asked rather pointedly at Otogi.

"Well, he's doing his job. A sonar expert determines the location of the enemies by the sound of ripples they made on the sea surface."

"I see… just like bats… Yep. I can figure that. Then why did he listen to his compo, instead of the sonar?"

"My compo is connected with Ray's main sonar detectors. Average submarine sonar detectors can only detect ripples coming from large objects in water, this compo here will give me the remaining details. Heartbeats of the crew, engine type… name it. This compo gives me all the information I need."

"Impressive. And you must've trained your ears well?"

"Not exactly. My ears are normal. What do you mean by trained?"

"Then I suppose you don't know that my friend is fighting some of your crews in the kitchen… I hear his voice, mixed with some others I do not recognize. With some punch ups and broken teeth."

Otogi looked at Neji, and then checked the cameras in the Kitchen. The last scene it transmitted including the flying face of a mackerel up close. "Oh this… fish fight. It happens often in Kitchen."

"Often?"

"Well… the cleaning boys in the kitchen are a bunch of hot heads. They can't stand cleaning a room that smell fishy… one joke after another and its fish bash time… one crew try to hit the other with a fish, it hits the wrong target, and you got your fish fight."

"Well…" Neji gulped. "Putting Naruto there… could be a bad idea… he's hothead… but more importantly he's not a type of a guy who you'll want to piss."

"Maybe that's the point. If your friend is so dangerous maybe he can help the crews behave."

"Hmm… maybe…"

"Wait, hold on, hold on… okay I got' em. Give me the radio." Otogi caught a headset from one of the crew. "Shu, ten 18' pounder on each side, four engines, black iron double-coated ship… You see em?"

Up there, in the Ray's deck. "See 'em. It's reddie alright. He's coming from the port side. I can see his sail and colors."

"Who's reddie?" Shu almost jumped when the voice sounded on his back. He turned around and saw Naruto with a bruised head standing right behind him.

"Whoa… what are you doing here?"

"Knocked all your crew unconscious and it took me a while to take care Saika."

"Of course you are. She's one of Sea Slayer gang's founding member. Anyway… reddie… is Redbeard."

"Redbeard?"

"Yeah… a pirate newcomer. Claim himself hailing from some land called Caribbean."

"Where in the hell is that?"

"Beats me. But he's pretty good. If I can I prefer just to sail away… it's not like his ship can outdo mine anyway… although… he may not think so."

"Hm?"

"Lookie-lookie… he head straight at us."

"What are you gonna do? Fight em?"

"Fight em? Hell no. I'm no troublemaker. They've only four engines. Their max speed is what… 30-50 knots? We can go faster then that. We'll outrun them."

"You sure?"

"Yeah why?"

"Because they just deployed this… huge ass rocket or something at the side… and man, I tell you again it's huge." Naruto's advanced eyes saw two large sized (almost half of the said ship) rocket boosters were attached at the side of the ship.

"What?" Shu grabbed a binocular and looked at the ship. "What in the… Otogi, you're getting this!?"

"_I hear it… there are ripples coming on the ship's sides what the hell was that?"_

"They put two giant rockets from Hell on the bloody ship… they really wanna catch us!"

"How bout ramming us!?"

"Huh?"

Naruto's ear caught the sounds coming from the pirate's ship. The pirates from the ship are talking to each other. And Naruto can hear it clearly, thanks to the wind blowing their way and his advanced hearings.

"So, me hearties… you know what to do?"

"We ram em as we chase em, board the ship and kill everyone! Easy."

"Now listen here me hearties… these two boosters cost us a fortune. Make use of em. Got it!?"

"I wanna fuck that chick… last time she stab me arse with a swordfish!"

A raucous laughter sounded from the other crew.

"Don't worry me hearties… you're all gonna get yer chance… I just want the ship for me taking. With it we'll rule the seas!"

"AYE!"

Naruto heard enough. "They wanna take over the ship. Fuck Saika, kill the lot of you… all that jazz."

Shu looked at Naruto, dumbstruck. Just then, Otogi's voice sounded from the com.

"_Shu, they want to-"_

"-take over the ship. I know." Shu finished the sentence. "How the hell did you do that?"

"Training." Naruto smirked.

"Shit yeah… training…"

"So… whatcha gonna do?"

"…" Shu frowned, thinking hard. He looked at Naruto… and then smirked. "Naruto… have you ever participated in Naval Battle?"

"Eh?"

The next instance, Naruto, Neji and Yukiku were already on the deck of Ray, which was speeding towards the Reddie's ship. The three were armed to teeth and ready to fight like every shinobi would.

"Could you tell me, one more time, why are we here?" Neji looked annoyed.

"Because Naruto had beaten the hell out of six crews of mine, one of them is a founding member. In regards to this event, I feel you three must replace the fighting force that I've lost."

"Then… why only the three of us were sent to deal with this pirate friend of yours?" Yukiku grumbled.

"Because that same friend of yours slaughtered an army, butchered a gang, and beaten down a Mist Elite Jounin in his own game. Did I miss anything? You guys worth a fighting force of a million men. Surely a measly pirate crew is of no problem?"

"So I presume you wouldn't be joining us?" Naruto stared at the crew of the Ray. It seems most of the crew, if not everyone, had their eyes at them through the windows of the bridge.

"The rest of us are just gonna enjoy the show. Don't worry. Reddie's not as tough as he looks. You just have to avoid his cannons."

"How very encouraging." Naruto made no attempt of hiding the sarcasm.

"Anyway… Rei, hard to port!"

"_Aye-aye, hard to port!"_

And Ray turned to the left, heading straight to Reddie's pirate ship.

Meanwhile in Reddie's ship…

"Well-well shiver me timbers boys… the Ray's heading towards us!" a man with thick red beard and an eyepatch stood at their starboard side. He looked through his scope. "By storm and thunder, they employ kids to fight us!?"

"They must be running out of men!"

"Prepare the boarding party. First I'm gonna kill those kids, and then deal with Shu."

Back to the Ray, Shu commandeer his ship with a steady gait on Reddie's pirate ship.

"Hey Capt'n, look, are you sure this is a good idea?" Rei looked somewhat skeptical.

"You weren't there… Rei. You weren't there when that kid reduced Zhuya the Executioner to a worm."

"He's a kid, for the love of god."

"Yes. And because he's a kid… who would suspect him?"

The two ships continue to close their distance until finally; they were both side by side. Naruto and his group met face to face with the redbeards. Every pirate of all sizes and shapes and colors aboard the enemy ship are all putting their scariest face whilst the three were completely unfazed.

Silence.

"…who are you people?" The redbeard spoke.

"Red beard. Are you the boss?" Naruto asked.

"What, you don't know me? I'm the famous Redbeard from the sev-"

"Right. Let's get this over with. We don't have much time to begin with." Naruto immediately board Redbeard's ship.

"DON'T YOU DARE TO CUT MY SENTENCE YOU-"

"Then cut to the end. We don't have time to hear your speech." Neji also board the ship.

"QUIEEEEEEEEEEEEET!" The Redbeard's face was just as red as his beard.

"What's with all this riff-raff? Just get on with the punch up and then we're off." Yukiku followed.

"Listen here you smart mouth-"

"Oh for the love of… be quiet and get on with it!"

"THAT'S IT! FIRST WE'LL CUT THEIR TONGUE! AT EM ME HEARTIES!"

"AYE-AYE!"

Redbeard head straight towards Naruto, pulling out his sword and slash it at Naruto. The blond tilt his head to the right, it missed. Reddie slashed again, and this time Naruto tilt his head to the left. Miss again. The blond suddenly grabbed the Pirate's beard and pull it down several times. "Girdy-locks, girdy-locks, funny-funny girdy-locks." The Redbeard's face was shook up and down. "Why you…" In anger, the pirate swung his fist… and miraculously, hit Naruto squarely at his face. Unfortunately, that was a BIG mistake.

Naruto was stunned. He turned his face and touched the spot where Redbeard's punched him.

"Naruto… you okay?"

"Now that's funny… I don't feel a thing… guys… don't worry… his punches… they're no big deal."

The redbeard stared dumbly at the blond and then to his fist.

"You sure?" Yukiku asked again.

"Hell yeah. Sakura punch harder then this."

And without ado, Naruto proceeded to return the punch to the captain in the face, squarely. The punch instantly knocks out the captain, sending him plummeting towards a line of the crew.

"What the… they're not so tough are they?" Naruto looked at his own fist.

"Then I guess that's all the more reason we shouldn't dwell here for too long."

"Well… what was it he said? AT EM!!!" Naruto yelled.

"CHAAAARGE!!" The Pirates yelled back.

30 pirates versus 3 shinobis… unfair…for the pirates. Yes. Unfair… with Naruto bash just about every head he come across. Halfway through Naruto tossed the Tenrou somewhere else and start punching his way through. Fortunately, they found much luck with Neji, who fortunately found it too troublesome to use Souryuuga and decided to use the pirates for training dummies for his Taijutsu, or with Yukiku, who simply prefer to toss some of them overboard. A large black skinned crew immediately ran up to the top of the mast when Naruto grabbed Redbeard's beard and swung him around like a mace. "Oi, one's escaping."

"Just cut the damn mast!"

"Okay." Yukiku proceed on chopping down the wooden mast. A few moments later… "TIMBEEER!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" The poor sailor got smashed at the front as the mast fall.

"How did a classic wooden mast with a crow nest cut-in in a motor powered ship?" Naruto commented.

"Must be to cut off some budget…" Neji replied.

"Whatever the reason, they don't cut out to be a pirate." Yukiku shouldered her massive blade.

"Could you cut us some slack please?" One of the half conscious pirates begged.

"Oh cut it." Naruto finish the pirates off with a kick. "Should we scuttle the ship?"

"Nah… it's too troublesome. Dealing with these people was hardly any training. Let's just go back to the Ray."

"Right." The two nodded and left. Naruto groaned. "If this battle serves anything, it serves to tell me that my chakra still messed up."

"Still can't cast any jutsu?" Yukiku asked.

"I tried a simple Housenka no jutsu, and I only shoot five packs of smoke."

"Have they left yet?"

"I think… stay quiet. Play possum."

"Sssshhh… the lot of you shut up! Once they don't know anything else, we'll light up the rockets and ram the ship. We'll catch them by surprise." The redbeard whispered.

"Aye, aye, aye!" every crew responded.

The sound of Naruto and his teammates' footsteps began to fade away.

"Chotto matte." Just then, Naruto's voice sounded as the footsteps ceased.

"Nanni?"

"I… I think I left Tenrou somewhere…"

"Geeze… talk about absent minded. Hurry up and find it!"

"Gomenne…" Naruto looked around the deck. The long black iron scabbard was nowhere on sight. 'I must've dropped it somewhere…' Naruto scanned his surrounding to no avail. 'It may have fallen somewhere around the lower deck?'

The blond jumped down. "Where is it… where is it…"

"Oh geezes. Oi, Naruto, hurry it up will ya? We don't have all day." Yukiku reminded him.

"Hai, hai…" The blond looked around. 'Ah there it is.' With his advanced sight, regardless of how dark it was, Naruto can immediately discern the said katana. 'Yosh, let's get out of here.' Naruto grabbed Tenrou and lift it up… only to find it is surprisingly light. 'Ara… why is it so light? And it's stuck? Kusoo…' Naruto pulled it as hard as he could; instead, he broke the damn thing! 'Cho… Chotto matte-bayo… this isn't Tenrou…' And indeed it isn't. Upon closer inspection, it was in fact… a black lever. A broken black lever. 'Lever for what? In any case… ah there it is.' Naruto finally found the nodachi when suddenly; the whole ship began to rumble. 'Eh…?' And the next second, the ship rumbles again… this time harder then ever.

Neji and Yukiku also felt the same thing. "Naruto… what is he doing down there?"

Naruto meanwhile, decided to look around a little bit more. The whole place smells with black powder, steel, charcoal, oil… and did he smell something burning? Suddenly, the place felt somewhat hotter. Moreover the temperature doesn't seem to show that it will decrease anytime soon. "Tch… oh well, better get the hell out of here."

Naruto jumped out unto the main deck. "Guys, we better get the hell out of here."

"What did you do?" Yukiku sighed at Naruto.

"Beats me."

"Alright. Let's get out of here." Neji concluded.

The trio immediately jumped away from the ship, whose rumbling continued to escalate.

"Shu! Let's get the hell out of here! I have a bad feeling about this!" Naruto yelled at the bridge.

"Gotcha! Hard to starboard! Full speed!" Shu immediately yelled some instructions. And the Ray began moving to its starboard side before bursting away at speed.

Once there's enough great distance between the two ships…

"Alright me hearties! Ready the cannons! We'll shoot them down!"

"Er… Captain?"

"What?"

"The booster's on."

"W… what? Turn it off! Somebody go down there and pull the lever back up!"

And a bunch of people haphazardly jumped into the lower deck which Naruto had hopped into. A few seconds later, the trembling had reached its peak; the boosters were just seconds away from ignition. Agitated, the redbeard screamed. "PULL THE DAMN LEVER!"

"THIS IS THE DAMN LEVER!" One of the crew showed the horrified Redbeard the black lever. The BROKEN black lever.

Five seconds later…

"Well, well, those pirates disappear just as fast as they appear." Naruto observed the ship which burst out of the sight to some ocean, with Redbeard and his crew screaming their lungs out.

"What have you done?" Neji sighed.

"Beats me."

"Lucky nobody got hurt…?" Yukiku muttered… before she reassessed what she just said. "Nobody hurt… well… maybe some people do…"

The whole crew of Ray simply gulped. Everyone make a mental note never; EVER get on the trio's bad side.

Shu smiled satisfied as he grabbed a headset. "You three okay?"

"Still in one piece." Naruto's voice replied.

"Alright, Get down here. It's lunch time."

"Okay. Come on guys."

A few moments later the three are having their meal in the lounge along with other crew. The sound of chattering and laughing filled the hall.

"We really had to hand it to you boys. That was some way to deal with Pirates." A crew patted Neji's shoulder.

"It's a piece of cake!" Naruto smirked while munching his food.

"They look scary… at first… but second impression… they look more like idiots." Yukiku remembered back then on the ship, a pirate tried to stab her… with a spoon. The girl rubs her head. What on earth were they thinking?

"Pirates are nothing but thugs on the boat. Nothing we shinobis can't handle." All pirates on the lounge stopped chattering and set their eyes on the speaker, a sound nin. Everyone glared. "Am I not correct?"

"Says the guy who didn't do any fighting." Naruto chuckled and slurped his drink (tea, while other crews drink beer or sake). "Ignore it guys. Sound nin's main weapon is sound, that's why they got such a noisy big mouth."

The tension was broken, replaced with ceremonious chuckle from every people in the room, except the sound nins.

"I know you. You are that so called blond who wiped out our army aren't you?"

Naruto laughed. "Yeah. So… how was it? Thousands of your best warriors outdone by a 13 year old boy. I wonder if there's enough trash cans to hide your face."

Another sound nin, a girl growled. "Just you wait! One day we'll crush your village, look at its ruin and smile."

"Why wait bitch?" Naruto growled. His fist cracked the tea cup he's holding. "I suppose when I sent that 'message' (the lone survivor) I made it clear if you even think about it, you die!"

The Sound nins in the room stood up, just as the Konoha nin stood. Enmity was clear between the two teams.

"We will avenge the lost warriors here!"

"I beg to differ. You guys attacked our village twice! The second one becomes OUR retribution!" Naruto retorted.

"You spoke as if we've done terrible things. We may have killed some who may be close to you. But now, let me ask you, how that would be any different in what you have done to US!? How do you think the families in OUR village, mourning the family members they will never see again?" Neji growled.

"You attacked us twice; both caused disastrous casualties on our part, regardless on who wins. You guys were the ones on the offensive. Then what would you have to say if in the future it's our turn to ATTACK your village next?" Yukiku followed fiercely. She was there on both attacks.

"Lookie here. At the first attack we merely support the Sand-"

"DON'T YOU DARE MENTION OUR VILLAGE!" Guccha of the Sand banged the table as he and his Sand team rose from their seat, entering the fray. "YOUR KAGE MURDERED OURS AND TOYED OUR VILLAGE! We have as much bone to pick from you as the Leafs!"

The crew realized the tension suddenly rise greatly. The once cheery atmosphere is now dominated by rising killing intent of all shinobis inside. Then again, those who know better, namely the Sea Slayers founding members, are somewhat unaffected. Reifuku stood up and just then, a killing intent unlike any others swept everyone's attention. "If you guys please calm down for a second?"

The shinobis paused and looked at the Master of arms. "I'm talking to you, Sound nins. We are more then aware of your natural enmity with Konoha, which the way I see it, had sank down to your bones. But remember that right now, you're in our ship and in our ship…" Rei snapped his finger.

The Sound nin felt a sharp cold item pointed at his throat. Saika appeared right on his back and pointed a dining knife on the nin's throat.

Neji's eyes widen. 'That was Shunshin… A pirate knows shinobi basic tricks?'

"Wait, they started it!" The Sound nins gulped.

"I don't give a shit, on what you said. I give a shit on what I've seen, and I see you started it. We maybe pirates, but we're more than thugs, and we have our pride to consider, so shut the fuck up, and use your damn mouth for something productive!"

"And in case those thick skulls of yours haven't noticed, you are horribly outnumbered. You Sound nins seem to have a knack of making enemies." Otogi followed.

The sound nin grunted. Indeed. They were outnumbered. The Suna, their Kage were murdered by theirs and eager to avenge, the Konoha, their sworn enemy, and they bring about the best in their ranks: the monster of a shinobi who butchered their army. Knowing this, the Oto-nin decided to sit down and eat in silence. But not before Naruto have a final say. "Oi, sound nin I wanna ask you one last thing."

"What?" One Sound nin halted.

"Do you know anyone by the name of Uchiha Sasuke?"

"Know? Hell yeah, of course we know. Orochimaru-sama's new golden boy."

"Golden boy?"

"Private lesson with either Kabuto-senpai or Orochimaru-sama himself. Many Oto-nins would kill for that opportunity."

"I… see. And? How was he?"

"Never saw him fight… but… he reinstated Sound Five, comprising himself as the leader and several other freaks…"

"Freaks huh… sounds like something like Orochimaru would like indeed."

"What's the deal with that guy anyway!? I could take him in one go!"

"No you can't." The Sound nin looked surprised upon hearing the answer flowing from Naruto's mouth. The blond continued. "That guy, Uchiha Sasuke, is the only person in your village that has even the slightest chance of beating me. Other than him, no one in Sound, not even that snake loving pedophile or that four eyed asshole Kabuto, can ever hope of even knocking me unconscious."

Perhaps the only thing that made the Sound Nin unaware that Naruto had openly insulted two of the most prominent figure of the Otogakure was the fact that, Naruto's expression broke into a serene smile. As if he was remembering a good friend. The Sound shinobis were so taken back; the only reply they can think of was a dumb: "O-okay. That's all." And they get back to their seat, along with everyone else. The tension was gone few moments later, and the chattering filled the hall once more.

"In any case, we may have to face them again in the exam. It doesn't really matter much if we upset them or anything…" Neji sighed. The two others simply nodded.

"Oi, Naruto—o!" Saika called the blond.

"Huh?"

"Can you get this to Shu please?"

"AaaaaH? Why me? I'm still eating!"

"'Why me?' you asked? How bout because you knocked five kitchen crews of mine, and that prized black bass you smashed me with has become inedible!"

"Inedible?"

"YES! Do you know how much I had to get through to catch it? And now it's ruined, gone! You're gonna have to pay!"

Naruto sweat dropped. "Oh well… fine, fine, where's his room?"

"Second corner to the right of the third corridor. Here take it." Naruto grabbed the food palette and bring it along, grumbling as he left the dining hall.

"Hmmm… come to think of it… where's Shu-san? He wasn't with you guys?" Yukiku pondered.

"Oh no. It is customary that the Captain always eats in his own quarters. He only eats with the crew if there are some special occasions."

"Special occasion?"

"Yeah well like… birthday, Christmas, new year, Ray's anniversary… Saika's monthly period…"

"WHAT?" Yukiku gaped.

---------------------

Naruto is still grumbling when he realized he was lost. 'Oh my god… where was Shu's room again? Third corner to the left of the second corridor?' After several minutes of walking around, he finally asked one of the crew and arrived at the destination. The so called captain's quarter look no different from the outside, save for the writings saying: Captain's Quarter, trespassers beware.

"……" One thing that piqued Naruto's interest was the fact that the door is half opened. After contemplating for half a second, the blond decided to go in anyway. Inside, he found a room, with plenty of navigational stuff, but the so-called captain was no where to be found. "What the… where is he?"

Naruto put the food on the nearby table and look around the room. Map, navigational charts, compass, scope, binoculars. Naruto sighed. 'Truly a pirate…' He also notices a large picture frame position just behind the Captain's chair. The picture shows Shu standing on the front with the rest of the Ray's crew stood behind him. Wait. The rest of the crew? Naruto took another look at the picture… He saw Reifuku the weapon expert, Saika the chef, Otogi the sonar expert, Sako the mechanic, Bishou the Doctor… and Fetaru Hiko of the Swordsman? Naruto flabbergasted. He definitely remembered the grey haired person and his name. Fetaru Hiko, the retainer of the Mizukage. 'A guy like that… was once a pirate too?'

However, upon better observation, Naruto began to notice things that aren't supposed to be in a Pirate Captain's quarters, such as a set of fuuma shuriken, Mist style Kunais of various sizes hanged neatly, and then a headband, with a slashed Mist symbol are placed on a multi-storey cabinet at the top level. Below the headband are a set of photos. Photos which, given the yellowing paper, are ages old. Naruto took one picture.

The picture shows an elderly man, a shinobi, stood behind three genin. The first genin has gray hair and smiling wildly, showing his white teeth. The second has, somewhat, familiar fierce eyebrow and an equally fierce look. And finally, the third rested both of his hands on his back, has brown hair and also smiled.

Naruto recognized the pattern all at once: This is a genin team. He looked at other photos. There are also three other pictures with such pattern.

The first shows a brown haired man, which looks awfully a lot like an older version of Shu, ruffled the hair of a genin stood in the middle, a small girl, with blue hair. Next to the girl, a boy with glasses calmly stood, without a smile. On the leftmost of the picture, another genin smiled slightly. Compared to the other pictures, this one was relatively new, given that the paper hadn't yellowed much.

The second picture, unlike before, in which he didn't recognize any of the people in the picture, Naruto instantly recognized the man with fierce eyebrows all at once: this was Kirimaru Enshin, in his younger, beardless, days. He also immediately recognizes a genin, holding a snack on the leftmost of the group. It was Mizunari Fujiki. The boy look kinda sickly and his smile seem forced at best. Then, he looked at the other two. One, with brown hair with a goggle, smiled widely and the other with grey hair pocketed his hands and solemnly smiled.

Things finally start clicking together for Naruto. The boy with brown hair was Shu in his younger days. The person that is now pirate was once a shinobi: a genin under the teachings of the current Mizukage, and teammate to The Octopus Mizunari Fujiki. 'Then… who was the other boy in grey hair?' he looked again at the boy. The lines look awfully familiar… then he finally finds out: the grey haired boy was the young Fetaru Hiko. 'So… those three were teammates…' Naruto smiled and put the picture down. That's when he noticed a piece of somewhat crumpled paper snuck out from the edges of the picture frame.

"?" Naruto took the piece of paper and pull it out. It was quite crumpled, but the writings on it are still readable. And what Naruto read made his heart stop beating for one second.

**Dead List Six**

**Kirimaru Enshin**

**Fetaru Hiryuu **(dashed AN: it means the names are scratched)

**Hoshigaki Kisame**

**Momochi Zabuza **(dashed)

**Kaguya Ryuuzaki **(dashed)

**Murakumo Shougo **(dashed)

Naruto's hand trembling at the little piece of paper in his hand. Every ink written in the paper worth his life a thousand times over. A solid lead of their secret mission now rest firmly in his hands. The blond gulped and grabbed a pen and some random paper. Quickly, he copied the content, word per word. He made sure he got all the Kanji's right. No mistake. He made sure he included the important gashes on the names: Fetaru Hiryuu, Momochi Zabuza, Kaguya Ryuuzaki, and Murakumo Shougo. Gulping, Naruto reinserted the crumpled paper back to the picture frame. He took a deep breath, calm him self down, and finally take a look at the final picture.

A man with a grey, wild, spiky hair cross his arm before his bare chest, smiled somewhat nervously and in front of him, two genins stood.

This Picture was different from the rest due to the fact that, the place where the third genin should've been was ripped off, so only two students featured. But Naruto somehow recognized the two genins. The first one has shark jaws in his grin instead of normal human teeth. Although the shark-like quality was quite apparent, the young Hoshigaki Kisame, as Naruto sees it, was much more human compared to his current older self. And although it was hard, Naruto managed to recognize young Momochi Zabuza's somewhat wicked smile beneath his mask.

'This picture… so this is Zabuza-san's face when he was a kid…'

"Like the pictures?"

"WAAAAAAA!" Naruto yelled in shock. He turned around and come face to face with Shu. The captain smiled calmly.

"I remember I put the word: 'trespassers beware' at the door."

"Haa, haa, but you don't remember to lock the damn door!" Naruto panted up and down.

"Ah… my bad." The captain scratched his hair.

"S… So… what are you gonna do to me now?"

"Curiosity isn't a sin. Relax." Shu smiled as he walk to the cabinet and pick the picture of him and his teammates. Naruto's heartbeat peaked as the Captain examines the edges of the picture's frame.

'Don't realize it… please don't realize it.'

"Say… Naruto…"

"Y-yeah?"

"…you sound nervous."

"S-sorry… gotta catch my breath, you surprise me back there you know."

"My bad. By the way… Naruto, you recognized any of these people?"

"…I… I only recognize your picture… and your teammates… the rest… I don't really know. That was you right? And next to you was…"

"Yeah… I was a team with Hiko and Fujiki. The three of us somehow survive the passing academy requirements… and then we became new friends in our team."

Naruto nodded somewhat dumbly… "What passing academy requirements?"

"Fujiki didn't tell you? Well… Mist academy students are required to kill their friend during the academy graduation. Hiko, Fujiki and me, the three of us were subject to such procedure. It was ended… after Zabuza here…" Shu put down his picture (much to Naruto's relief) and took Zabuza's picture. "…butchered all the graduates… but surely you know this, right Naruto?"

"Eh?"

"You were there… you were there at the moment of Zabuza's death… did you not?"

"Yes… I did."

"How did he die? Did he die as some lapdog to some rich-guy or s-"

At this, Naruto shoved his fist at Shu's face, in which the latter caught.

"You spoke like that again of him, captain or no captain, I'll kill you." Naruto growled.

Shu frowned and relaxed his fingers as Naruto retracted his fist. "…he was known as the Devil in Human's form. And truthfully, as a former Mist Jounin, I kinda agree. But after knowing that he was the antagonist in the events that transpire in Wave Country, I lost little respect I have for him."

"Respect?"

"He lowered himself into hired assassin of some scum of a businessman. How can I respect a swordsman who lost his pride like that?"

"…maybe you're right… he lived as a demon… but he died like a man."

"Is he?"

"I was there. In the end, he chose to be human again. And that scum of a businessman? Well, he killed that scum of a businessman without using his hand. And he died honorably as a man. So don't insult him."

Shu looked at Naruto's face for a few seconds before sighing. "Alright. I'm sorry. I take back my word."

Naruto relaxed. "…still… Shu-san… who was this man in the picture? He… looks a lot like you."

"Oh…" At this, Shu's look saddened. "…he's… my father."

"Your father?"

"Yes." Shu took the oldest picture, the first one that Naruto had looked at. "This is the picture of him when he was young. Together Enshin-jii… and him, they make a team."

"Him? The guy with the grey hair?"

"…yeah. Anyway… this guy, he's Zabuza's and Kisame's sensei. You know Kisame too right?"

"Oh yeah… I met him several times in the past."

"Really? Where is he now?"

"Beats me."

"But he's alive… right?"

'…he tried to extract information about his target… still if it's that shark bastard…' "Last time I see him. Yes."

"Where?"

"…you seem interested?"

"Missing nin stick together." Shu grinned.

Naruto forced a chuckle. "Wave City."

"Eh?" Shu's grin faltered slightly.

"That's where the last time I saw him."

"…I see." Shu's look darkened.

"Anyway… I gotta go, I need to scrub the kitchen again."

"Right."

Naruto walked out of the room, and once Shu lost sight of him, he ran. Ran like some devil was chasing him. After several turns, he stopped and looked at the paper rest firmly in his hands. Six names, four dead. Zabuza died during his first A-class mission. There's no questioning about that. But the other three… Fetaru Hiryuu, Kaguya Ryuuzaki, and Murakumo Shougo were already dead? And then, at the very top of the list, the name of the Mizukage, Shu's former sensei. The said person's life was almost ended had it not for their intervention. 'But… why? Shu admitted to me he was also a missing nin… AAArggh! I don't get it at all! Anyway… I have to show this to Neji. He'll know what to do.'

Just then a voice sounded from every speaker on the ship.

"_Solar panels fully charged. We're going to dive and then went straight to the great current. All hands get to their station, ASAP."_

---------------------

Every crew she saw was running to various directions. One was heading to the engine room; the other was heading to the bridge. Yukiku simply don't know where to go. Besides, they were not part of the crew in the first place. So, she stayed on the spot while Neji go look for someone who can help them. That was when Naruto showed up, his face somewhat pale.

"Naruto! What happened? You look pale?"

"Where's Neji? We need to talk! It's urgent!"

"Neji's gone to know what happened. You heard the announcement, did you not?"

"Yes I did. But this is very important for us! Where is he?"

"Naruto, Yukiku!" Neji came running towards them.

"Neji listen!"

"Later! We have to get to the bridge. We're entering the Great UnderWave Current!"

"The Great what?"

"Just hurry!"

The three ran all the way, crossing corridors and finally arrived at the bridge. Shu was already there. "Ah welcome folks. Get ready for a ride of your life."

"What happened?" Naruto was the first to ask.

"Well, we're entering the Great Underwave Current. It's the only illegal way in to the Kirigakure territory."

"What's the Great Underwave Current?" Yukiku asked. Suddenly she had a bad feeling about the answer.

"It's a gigantic and extremely powerful current. We're gonna ride on that current and then sneak past the Kirigakure border. No one in Mist would suspect anyone coming from that current."

"And why is that?" Neji frowned.

"Well… because the current is practically non-existent on the map, given its geographical position. And another thing is…" Shu smiled.

"No one ever survive sailing in that current." Otogi finished calmly.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?" All three Shinobi yelled.

The pirates seem took no notice. Shu, somewhat excited, hold the controller more tightly. He grabbed the com-link. "Sako! Ready?"

"Ready when you are!" Came the mechanic's reply. The ship suddenly shook again.

That's when the three finally see it: they were on a collision course to a gigantic underwater wall of rock! It was so huge; the three could barely see the top!

"You're insane! That's a wall! Turn around!" Naruto yelled.

"Yes it is! But if you look at it closely, there's a hole in there, see? All the water flow into the hole, creating a powerful current and then they came out on the other side. Otogi if you please."

"Right if you look at the map here. Water Country is composed of many islands. The Great Underwave Current will take route here." The sonar expert showed a line that WENT THROUGH an island.

"We're going to… sail through an island?" Naruto gulped.

"Under the island will be more correct. The current will take us through. That's why it is called the Great Underwave Current."

"But then we're gonna be smashed to the rocks!" Yukiku panicked.

"And you said no one ever survive sailing in that current." Neji paled.

"No one, except our captain." Otogi smiled.

"Hieeee!?"

"Turn around! There's got to be a better route then this!"

"Too late. We're caught by the current. Soon we'll be sucked into it. No use in escaping. Now kindly grab hold on to something. It's gonna get rough!"

"You're crazy! The lot of you!" Yukiku grabbed a chair and hold for all the good its doing her.

"Thank goodness we are. Otherwise it'll never work! We're going in! EVERYBODY HANG ON!"

"TO WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-!!!!!!!!!!" Naruto was too late. The moment he tried to grab on something, his entire body jerked backwards and gets slammed to the wall behind him.

The Ray got sucked into the hole at great speed. Once inside, the whole submarine somersaulted twice before following the current through a hole. Inside the hole, the ship continuously twists and turns.

"Speed: 100 knots!"

"Sako! Starboard 30 degree, 40 percent output!"

"30 degrees, 40 percent!"

The starboard side of the Ray lowers itself by 30 degrees, avoiding several razor sharp rocks by a few inches margin. "90 degrees, 90 percent, port side!" At this, the ship twisted again, this time, the portside raise itself by 90 degrees, effectively turning the whole ship.

"Speed: 150 knots!"

"CAN'T YOU SLOW DOWN? WE'RE SPEEDING UP!" Neji yelled.

"I CAN'T!" Shu yelled back.

"WHAT?"

"THIS AIN'T SPEEDING UP! IT'S OUT OF CONTROL! RAY IS NOW FOLLOWING THE UNDER CURRENT'S SPEED! AND IT'LL KEEP INCREASING TO MAX UNTIL IT REACHES THE EXIT!"

"WHAT'S THE MAX SPEED?" Yukiku shrieked.

"600 KNOTS!" Otogi yelled.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAA-hogehogehogehoge!" Naruto was tossed around from one wall to another as the Ray continued its daredevil maneuver at insane speed. At one time the ship spin around in a hole that barely fit for the said ship. Another time it make a underwater drift turn which made it dangerously close to the rocks.

"250 KNOTS!"

"180 DEGRESS TOPSIDE!" At this, the whole ship was turned upside down.

"GRRRRHHRGH!!" Neji gritted his teeth as he used chakra to stick to the floor and grab hold a seat to prevent him from being splashed to the wall. "AGAIN! 180 DEGREES!" The ship turned back to normal position. After another death defying stunt which include the ship spinning wildly like a pinwheel, the speed already boosted to 400 knots. At this point, Neji no longer wonder how on earth Shu can still control the ship like that with a smile on his face. He wonders more on how on earth they could survive that long.

Naruto's vomit can no longer be distinguished from his tears. He was tossed here and there, slammed to the walls, the floors, the ceiling… everywhere.

The only thing that prevented Yukiku from crying out loud like any girl is simply her pride and the fact that, if she uttered another word at this speed, she may bite her tongue off.

"WE'LL. BE. REACHING. TOP. SPEED!!" After some time, Shu yelled his final order: "AT. MY. MARK! FULL. POWER. AT. 90. DEGREES!"

"550 KNOTS!"

"READY!!" Ray was speeding like mad. Just then the whole ship made a sudden descent.

"MAX. SPEED. ATTAINED!"

"NOW!!!"

At that, The Ray twisted both sides of the ship simultaneously tilted by 90 degree with the main body as its axis; the starboard side went up as the port side went down; sharp rocks went pass them with paper thin margin. Despite the speed, the crew can see a light. The exit: a steep, narrow hole barely fit for the submarine. The Ray, maintaining its position, continued its charge towards the exit. With another burst of speed, the submarine went through the hole by small margin and finally escaped from the effect of the current; this is marked by a sudden rapid deceleration that throws the still vomiting Naruto to the window screen. The blonde's face was plastered on the Submarine window.

"HAHAAAAA! Ain't that fun or what!!" Shu yelled. He looked at his guests… and his wide grin was replaced with nervous laugh. Neji's legs were trembling, but his eyes were the look of a demon ready to kill. And the worst of all, Yukiku's veins were twitching, her fingers were itching to strangle him. No. They were fine. No bruises or any visible external injuries whatsoever. The thing is… both, Yukiku in particular, are covered in vomit; the vomit of a certain unconscious blonde who's completely stamped on Ray's window screen. Then again… the two didn't have time to be angry either… as they throw up all the content of their lunch a few seconds after.

"…a bath… is in order." Shu declared, with a giant sweat drop at the back of his head.

---------------------

"God… this is gross… my body smells like… ramen…?" In the woman's bathroom, Yukiku groaned as she took a sniff on her arm while the water showered down to her white skin. She groaned loud enough for her two male companions in the man's bathroom to hear.

"Why didn't you use chakra to stick to the ground?" On the other side of the wall, Neji was also trying to scrub the ramen smell off his long hair.

"Gomen. I was caught unprepared. Still… that guy sure can drive."

"You're right. It seems he had done this often."

"He's quite familiar with the territory. He must've been here for a long time."

Naruto frowned, and then remembered his findings. "…Neji, Yukiku, after bath meet up in our room. I have a very important piece of information to tell you guys."

Both Yukiku and Neji look at the direction of Naruto's voice. He sounded very serious. "What information?"

"Too critical to discuss in a place like this."

"Understood. We'll talk about it tonight as we discuss about our investigations." Neji concluded.

"Agreed." Naruto and Yukiku nodded.

---------------------

Neji went back to the bridge, where some of the crews were wiping the floor clean of the last trail of their vomit.

"Yo." Shu greeted him.

"err… Captain, I apologize for this mess."

"Naaah. I got report from every part of the ship. Every first timer suffered the same thing. We got some major vomit breakout throughout the halls… although; none of them include bouncing around the ship."

"I'm sorry."

"Well, anyway, here. I always forgot to give the newbie this."

"Huh?" Neji received a paper bag. "For vomiting?"

"Yep."

"But I thought…"

"It ain't over ya know. We still gonna do this… 2 more times. And then we get to the coral maze, then you can relax."

Neji paled. He had enough experience of being tossed around like a rag doll during Kira's turbulence underwater training. Regardless, he's in no mood for another explosive turns and violent twists.

"You don't like it do you? Well I'm sorry. But like I said, this is a pirate ship. We have to pass through illegal non-existent routes to avoid the coast guards. Consequently, we have to endure the danger of such route, such as the underground cave."

"I… see…"

"I suggest you give this to your teammate as well. Wouldn't want him to vomit allover the place."

"Okay…" Neji replied somewhat nervously. 'I'm beginning to regret getting inside this ship…'

"Hurry up. We're going into the next hole in 20 minutes! All crew get ready!"

-------And after two more dose of mad-stomach-splinting excuse of some death defying maneuvers…

"HOEEEEKH…RGGH…" Naruto vomited for the umpteenth time. This time in the toilet. His paper bag has long been overloaded sometime ago. Slowly, and with great difficulty, the blonde looked at the content of his stomach. 'T… this is… the ramen from yesterday? Oh my…'

After a while, the blonde had trouble walking, he no longer vomit, but he gets dizzy with all the twisting. He got out of his room, sticking to the wall, steadying himself. Meanwhile, he met Renald, massaging a bruise on his head, but unlike thepale and sickly Naruto, the journalist look perfectly well.

"Mr. Naruto? Sea-sick, I presume?"

"Sea-sick? That's what I would call a gross urk-understatement…" Naruto gasped and wheezed. "You… seem alright?"

"Give it some time and you'll found your sea feet. Although I must say, Captain Shu's unorthodox method of sailing is… well, like I said: unorthodox." The journalist grinned, though a bit painfully. "I was caught unprepared myself."

"Yeah well… I hope that was the last."

"Well, Mr. Neji said it is."

"He's sure about that?"

"I don't know, perhaps you should ask the captain."

"Will do. What about you?"

"In my excitement of noting the technological ingenuity packed in this ship, I suddenly realized I've been deprived from my much needed rest. So I wish to go to our room and rest."

"You do that. Those eye bags don't look good on you."

The journalist laughed before getting inside the cabin.

Naruto strolled around, still struggling against the dizziness numbing his head; it took him a while before he can finally reach the bridge. "Shuuuu…"

"Whoa Naruto? Sea-sick eh?"

"Shut up. How many more times you're going to do that insane excuse of an aqua acrobatics?"

"Another 10 times!"

"WHAT!?"

"Hahaha! Just joking. It's over. Come here and take a look."

"Look at what?" Naruto shook the last remaining dizziness in his head and look. Currently, the Submarine is moving in a slow pace, traversing an arrays of… "…black sea corals?"

"That's right Naruto. We're in Coral Maze. The final and the most deadly semi-natural defense Kirigakure has."

"I didn't know corals can grow that huge."

"They aren't. Kirigakure breed them specifically for this purpose. These gargantuan corals are harder then rocks, they extend all the way above the sea surface. Ships that try to get past the corals on the surface, will either find themselves get smashed to it because they can't see the maze… or get eaten by the sea kings."

"What? Sea kings?"

"Biologically speaking corals is a home for a myriad of aquatic creatures. And most of these creatures are small in size because the corals are small."

"I get it. Small corals. Small fish. Big corals. Big fish."

"Big fish big trouble." Otogi added just as his sonar compo beeps in his ears. "Stop! Land over there and be quiet!"

The Ray stopped its slow pace and made a descend into a massive branch of the Coral Maze. Naruto, even with his advanced sight, found a little trouble looking at the black coral. But after a few moments of observation, the Kyuubi Jinchuriki finally realized why the corals are black.

"I see you figured it out huh?" Shu smiled grimly.

"The Kiri Nin call this coral maze, the greatest results of their scientific biology ingenuity. We sailor call this, the Ship Graveyard born from ideas of a deranged maniacs." Reifuku grunted.

Naruto feast his eyes with the sight of countless piles of ships. Wreckages of all sorts of ships crisscrossed each other embedded on the surface of the corals, forming a grotesque picaresque of gigantic 'branches'. Effectively covering the entire surface of the corals, looked from afar, no one notice that these ships are the testament of countless ships that had fell victim to the coral maze. Worse for Naruto and his sight, he can see the remnants of human body clinging helpless around one of the squished wreckage.

"We're going down there and pretend that we're nothing more then some wreckages."

"…what are we hiding from?"

"You'll see."

The Ray landed amidst the wreckages. Concealed by those who don't know where to look, but leave enough gap for the crew to scout the area. And then, and then Naruto finally understood what they were hiding from. A giant whale appeared… or is it a whale? For as far as Naruto remembers Whales have eyes. They don't have 80 foot long large tentacles in place of their fins. They don't have giant carapace covering their upper body parts, they don't have a circular mouth with lines of giant jaws littering in their mouth, and they certainly don't have, Naruto gulped, a semi transparent stomach which showed the recesses of all the ships they've swollen. 'Oh, and another thing, Whales DON'T EAT SHIPS! THEY EAT KRILLS!'

The giant mutated whale swam slowly. Just then, several dozen more fishes, significantly faster then the giant slumbering mutated creature, sped around the monster. Naruto caught sight of one of them and frowned. He thought he saw an Orca, a killer whale. But like the 'blue whale', this orca is also mutated. The upper half portion of its body was covered in giant scales. Multiple red blood orbs, that Naruto assume, judging by its contracting pupils, as eyes, were staring to the vastness of the ocean, looking for prey. The part where the tail supposed to be was replaced by an unspecified numbers of tentacles. The horde of creatures sped around the corals. Some paused for a moment, presumably to scan the surroundings before continuing its march. A few minutes later, and the giant whale had already passed them. Naruto could hear some of the crew sighed in relief.

He, on the other hand, was gulping. "Okay… would somebody explain what in the bloody world that thing was?"

"Some of the creations of Fudou Touzou. The deranged blinkered scientist of the seven devil swordsman."

"What?"

"Fujiki is an expert of mechanics and machinery. The Kraken, the giant ship you fought him on, was used to support other ships. It provides maintenance, supplies, ammunition, weaponry, all that jazz. You could say it's floating ship garage. That's why it's so massive."

"Okay."

"Fujiki's rival… Touzou, tends to more into… bio-engineering science. He's into mixing and splicing DNA from one creature with another, creating viral mutations in genetic level, transforming aquatic organism into literal bio-weapon."

Naruto's head spewed some smoke. "…in plain language please?"

"Basically, he mixed several sea creatures together to form those monsters you saw. And on the side note, he's also the one who created this Coral maze." Shu re-explained.

"There are even rumors that his ship, Moby Dick, is actually a real life whale transformed by his genetic mutations and refitted into his personal floating lab." Rei added.

"Is there nothing but madmen and monsters in that group of Seven Devil Swordsmen?"

"I guess that's why they call it Devil."

Naruto had it. "That's it. That's it. I'm going back to my room. Anymore of this and I really gonna go crazy. You're certain there won't be any crazed maneuver like before."

"For that Naruto, you had to pray."

"Pray?"

"Pray that this ship stealth system is working well, that those monsters don't see us leaving as the don't see us coming. If they do… well, brace yourselves."

"That's very comforting." Naruto left the room with that final sarcastic sentence.

The blonde, finally cured of his dizziness, quickly made his way to his room. The Jinchuriki was so disturbed by every events that had transpire that day, he didn't even bother of knocking. When he opened the door though…

Naruto stood dead in his track. There in front of him, Yukiku, still wet from what seem to be her second bath of the day, had just dropped a blanket, the only piece of clothing that cover her body. The two stared each other for one full second. Naruto could've swore he saw a demon at the back of Yukiku's enraged figure.

Five minutes later…

Neji had just come back from the enginery room. When he tried to open the door, he found it was unlocked. When he gets in, what he saw generate frowns in his face.

Renald had a couple of his bruises tended by a grumbling Yukiku.

"What happened?"

"Ahh… well actually… it was an accident. I woke up from my sleep because of some strange noises and I was awoken at the most inopportune moment…" Renald winced.

"A woman's basic reaction." Yukiku answered.

Neji deduced, from the blanket and Yukiku's wet hair, that the journalist had seen Yukiku in her most inopportune moment.

"Have you seen Naruto?"

At this, Yukiku winced and crushed one of her senbons in fury. Renald nervously lift a finger and pointed to the ceiling. Neji looked up and sweat dropped.

Naruto, bruised and bloody allover were hanged by a couple of dozens of senbon nailing his clothes on the rooftop.

"Yukiku-chaaan… please… shows mercy…?" Naruto mumbled, as his mouth is pressed by his swollen cheeks.

"NEVER!" The Haku twin rejected outright.

Renald laughed nervously. "There-there, Ms. Yukiku. Don't you think you're a little bit unfair with Naruto?"

"That's right… me and Renald-san accidentally saw you well… naked… you only give him 1 or 2 punches, while you give me a full course!"

"THAT'S BECAUSE YOUR SIN COMPARED TO RENALD-SAN'S IS LIKE HEAVEN AND HELL!"

"I didn't do it on purpose! Whose fault was it that you left the door unlocked?"

"And whose fault is it that I have to take bath again!? Your VOMIT is so hard to scrub off!"

Neji massaged his temple. "Enough. The both of you. Enough." The Hyuuga then locked the doors after making sure there will be no eavesdropper. "More importantly, Naruto you said you have some piece of information?"

"Yes. It's in my left jacket pocket. Somebody please get it for me?"

Neji turned to Yukiku, who, while grumbling, finally tilted her feet and took the piece of paper from Naruto's jacket. She opened the crumpled paper, and like Naruto, she too was trembling after she read the paper. Neji took the paper and gasped. "Naruto… where did you get this?"

"I copied it from the same list that I found in Shu's belongings."

"You found the original Dead list… in Shu's belonging?"

"Yes. Under the picture that depicts him as a former student of Enshin Kirimaru, and teammate to Fetaru Hiko and Mizunari Fujiki."

"WHAT?" The two Shinobi gaped.

"You won't believe what I've found next."

And then, Naruto explained everything he had learned in his brief misadventure to Shu's private quarter. By the time the story is finished, the blonde has been taken down from the ceiling, Yukiku is still in state of half shock; Renald are at loss of words, and Neji are in deep thought.

"I don't understand… On the outside, that Shu person seems to be a nice guy." Renald commented.

"Never judge a book by its cover. I guess that saying applies." Yukiku sighed.

"Ain't that the truth?" Naruto added.

"But… why would a student tried to kill his own master?" Renald pondered.

"It wouldn't be my first case." Naruto groaned. "Orochimaru killed his own master. I don't see anything weird."

"I do wonder though, Naruto, as to the reason of why these two has to die." Neji spoke, breaking his thoughtful silence. The Hyuuga prodigy pointed the two names: Momochi Zabuza and Hoshigaki Kisame. "I don't know about the other two people: Kaguya Ryuuzaki and Fetaru Hiryuu. But, if Shu's goal is to topple the current leadership of Mizukage, why would he bother trying to kill these two Missing Nins?"

"According to the bingo book, Zabuza-san was wanted for the attempted murder and coup of the Water Country. Kisame is wanted for butchery of several tribes in water country's islands. Perhaps, he think both as a treat?"

"Hard to say. Zabuza, maybe… but Hoshigaki Kisame… as far as I concern, Naruto, you said he's with Akatsuki, and AKatsuki is only interested in Jinchuriki, yes?"

"Yeah. But there's also the fact that those two were teammates. Perhaps Shu fears that if Zabuza tried to contend with him in his power struggle, he fears that Zabuza will request Kisame's aid?"

"We cannot guess, Naruto. Your findings are certainly a considerable boost in our investigation. But there are still too many unanswered questions. Too many riddles. Renald-san's question was quite plausible too. Why would Shu wishes to kill his own master? And who are these two people? And then there's Fetaru Hiko whom you said was a member of the Sea-slayer pirates? And also, there's this fact here that Murakumo Shougo is dead. He's the one that Kira-sensei said to be the greatest of the seven. If Shu's goal is to destroy the Kirigakure, then I can understand the reason why he was targeted. But the way I think of it, I figure if the greatest of the seven is already dead, the whole village is supposedly to be in a state of uproar."

"But during this whole preliminary thing, the Kiri-nin seems quite calm about it…" Yukiku remembered back during the prelims.

"Too calm I think. It's almost as if this Murakumo Shougo is still alive." Neji continued.

"Maybe they didn't know. They weren't told to avoid uproar." Naruto commented.

"Unlikely. A problem of that magnitude. I think at the least, the seven swordsmen should know. But we've seen four of them… and they don't seem to be the least troubled or anxious or anything…"

Everyone was silent for a few minutes. After several train of thoughts, Neji finally concluded. "Regardless, from now on, we know that the Mizukage's life is truly in danger. Tomorrow, we'll be arriving in the Kirigakure. We're entering the place where beside us, everyone is enemy. All these findings must be delivered to the Mizukage himself. Other him, trust no one. Always check if there's henge or genjutsu placed. Understood?"

"Hai." Naruto and Yukiku nodded.

"Hmm, anoo… fellas?" Renald showed a book. "I don't know if ths can be helpful but… I've been taking notes of this ship. It's mechanical design, its engine, its performance… etc, etc… I hope this can be of use?"

Naruto grinned. "Arigato."

Neji smiled slightly. 'Well that's a hell of a good start…'

The quartet finally spent the remaining evening in their room. They only come out when Saika hammer their door, shrieking that Dinner is served.

---------------------

Meanwhile, at that precise moment, in Kirigakure, a storm fell on the floating village. Thunder cracks as heavy rain came crashing down its streets.

A figure was running as fast as he can. Blood pouring profusely from the stump that was his left arm. His breathing was heavy and his cloak was tattered here and there, dampened by his own blood. His remaining arm was holding his large sword… or at least, what's left of it. After several minutes of running, the figure decided to stop to catch his breath. 'Those bastards… they're gotta be insane!' The nin looked at the bleeding stump. 'God-damn it all… the bleeding won't stop!' His remaining arm dropped his broken blade to the ground as he ripped what's left of his tattered cloak, revealing his chest, badly wounded with several fin shaped Kunai stuck on it. The nin gripped one of the Kunai and, as he gritted his teeth, pulled it out with great difficulty. Groaning and growling like a wounded beast, the nin looked at the Kunai. It was colored an unhealthy shade of green. "It was a GOD-DAMN POISONED Kunai. DAMN IT ALL!"

"Found you."

The nin gasped. He looked to the front and saw five mist hunter nins stood before him.

"Aw geeze… I've given that bastard my arm. Is it still not enough for his little science project!?"

"Oh, it's more then enough alright. Our master is pleased with your generosity. But now… we're afraid you must die."

The Nin, unable to stand let alone fight, finally resigned to his fate and fall down to the side. Blood smeared the said wall as his wounded back slide down the walls. His breathing becomes slower and slower, as his sight fails him. The last thing he saw was the Hunter Nins, marching towards him, Katana at ready to finish him off, until suddenly, a pair of big black fiery wings obscured his last view.

The Hunter Nins were shocked by the sudden entrance of the new opponent. The black figure stared at them with his red gleaming eyes filled with cold fury and ferocity of a demon. The black wings of the said person are somewhat obscured by steam, for each raindrops that fell on his being were instantly reduced to vapor before they even made contact. The wings actually dropped several burning feathers. And each that fall to the ground generated small spark of black flame that, unhampered by the heavy rain, instantly escalated into a large bonfire, encircling the Nin. The Nins were so awed by the majestically horrifying figure before them until it's too late. Within seconds, the bodies of five Hunter nins were gone. Not even dust remains. A few moments later, the fiery black wings disappeared along with the last bits of the black flame on the tip of the nin's purple Katana.

The nin sheathed Shibi'en back to its scabbard. He turned around and looked at the Nin's dead body. "It's too late."

And indeed he was. Uchiha Itachi was far too late. The sharingan user can now only curse his lateness as he saw what remained of Samehada fell from the cold dead hand of his partner.

---------------------

---------------------

---------------------

WHOO HOOOO! THE PLOT THICKENS! For readers. I'm terribly sorry. I got like, multiple attacks: Writer's block, and exam. It's over now, so I can now try to concentrate on finishing this arc, which is still a long way to go. Happy reading.

Deidara's days in Interrogation

Minichapter 10:

Sand Chuunin Exam

This happen a few moths ago, during Sand's Chuunin Exam.

Second test:

'This is so not funny, yeah.' Deidara grunted.

"Where is he?"

"I don't know! Probably under the sand?"

'This is no interrogation, yeah.'

"Wait, I think I hear something!"

'He wants to humiliate me. The bastard of him, yeah.'

"Maybe it's wind?"

'He cut off my jutsus? Fine. He put this blasted heavy clothing on me? Fine.'

"No. Let me check it out."

'What I cannot accept is…'

"HEY, THERE HE IS!"

"GET HIM! GET HIM!"

Deidara burst out from the sand, drawing the attention of at least 500 genins, Sand and other villages, towards him, and they went on playing hide and seek. With Deidara the human… and the whole genin participant of the Chuunin exam as the devil.


	29. Kirigakure

NOTE:

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": special case**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA! : Giant creature speech **

"_Journal no bla bla": Renald's writing_

Disclaimer: I own nothing… except the plenty of OCs in the story.

**Chapter 26:**

**Village of the Bloody Mist, Kirigakure**

The Ray's underwater journey pretty much went quite unhampered. When some sea monsters came towards them, the ship simply lay low and if necessary, disappear completely.

"Of course it would be better if we don't have to. The stealth function consumed a lot of energy. During real life combat, the Ray can only perform its stealth function at low speed. The ship itself, judging from the engine, has a power to go to max speed of 300 knots." Renald decided to explain the contents of his findings to the Shinobi trio who, after 5 minutes of reading his notes, were baffled and their heads start spewing smokes. Everyone? No. Much to the surprise of Neji and Yukiku, Naruto seemed to be the only one calmly absorbing everything Renald said.

"How much is Knot… in km?"

"1 knot is 1.8566 km per hour… so we use simple math, and we get: 556.98 km per hour. And that simply amaze me."

"Why?"

"You see… we just traverse twice the speed of this ship's maximum output. It's amazing we're still one piece… that means the outer shell of this ship is designed to withstood extreme pressure. Not only it allows this ship to traverse at speed, it also allows them to dive deep. VERY deep into the ocean."

"How deep?"

"Judging by the thickness and the density of the alloy… Wicked deep. Probably about 10–11,000 feet below sea level. That's about 3048 to 3352.8 meters."

"So now we know this ship has deep sea exploration capabilities."

"How did you get all this?" Yukiku was quite impressed that the Journalist can go so far as to know the ship's performance.

"Some come from my deduction and others from experience. The country where I come from, we also have lots of ships. Mr. Sako is quite a tough nut of a source to crack, but if you drop a couple of whisky and sake in one go; you tend to talk too much." Renald smirked mischievously. "But there are limits on how much alcohol can give you."

"I suppose…"

Just then, an announcement echoed throughout the submarine. _"Attention all shinobi! We're leaving the Coral Maze area. Please go to the launching room. A crew will show you the way. You will get your gear back there."_

"Well, you heard the man."

Pretty soon, every shinobi, Leaf, Sand, Sound and Grass genins had already gathered in the launching room. There, as promised, Rei returned the Shinobi's weapons and all jazzes.

"So, we've arrived at our destination at last?"

"No. But we've arrived on the place that will get you there."

"What was that supposed to mean?" Neji frowned. He had a bad feeling about this… what's with the whole crew had that unpleasant smirk on their face.

"What are you going to do?"

Shu smirked. "We will send you in the same way you were sent to us. Through these pods."

"We're listening."

"As we speak, the _Hammer_, the flagship of Fumiyata Zasaki is sailing right above us. We're going to put you guys in here and sent you back to the surface. After that… well, pray they saw you lot floating up there."

"…" Obviously, none of the shinobis are smiling.

"You sure this is going to work?"

"In any case, I'm not going any closer than this. I'd rather not risk my ship being captured by the guards."

Thus, every shinobi entered the pods again. Unlike before though, they noticed, the pod is empty. There are only 3 rows in it.

"What are these… paddles for?"

"Just in case."

And before they can utter another word, the pirates pushed them inside the pods and locked the door. "Alright! Fling them out!"

And the crews do so… quite literally, much to the chagrin of the people inside.

The pods were tossed out haphazardly from the mouth of the Ray.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" the insides of the pod were practically rolled around. The shinobis all decided to stick to the room. The Konoha group however, had to deal once again with the rolling and swirling Naruto who AGAIN forgot to stick to the wall with chakra. The wave, which still quite ferocious, tossed and twist the pods around and around.

A few minutes of twists and turns… not far from there… a ship with a distinctive boxy hammerhead design on the front is floating about. There's a writing on the side of the ship: _The Hammer_.

"Sir, we detected several objects floating around, not far from here."

"Objects? Probably debris, ignore it!"

"Yes sir but… it is different sir."

"Different?"

"Sensor indicates there are thermal reactions coming from those objects. It could be people."

"People? How many?"

"There are 4 separate thermal reactions. What should we do?"

"…check it out."

Thus the ship sailed. Not long after, they found the source of the signal.

"Those are… pods?"

"Haul them in!"

The Mist nins aboard jumped on and pull the pods out of the water.

"These pods… they came from the Kraken."

"One of them got writings:…**Eat Me Dipshit**?"

"What's the big idea?"

Just then, they heard noises and the sound stuffs banging from within the pods.

"Huh?"

"What the?"

Along with the banging, they heard vague noises of people yelling.

"Oi get us out of here!"

"The door's locked from outside!'

"There are people in there!"

"Get them out!"

A few hustle and bustle later, every shinobi were out of their respective pods.

"Uh… so… what's the story?" A mist jounin, apparently the head of the group asked.

One shinobi answered with a tired voice: "Chuunin Exam Participants."

"Okay… and what happened to them?" The mist pointed at… the totally bruised, vomit covered, knocked out-cold Konoha Team.

"…Seasick… I think."

"……………………………………….."

A few moments later…

"Anyway… you guys are survivors of Mizunari Fujiki-dono's Octo Triathlon eh…? That's quite something. I never expected that bloody game can produce more then 1 surviving team."

"In a sense… we got lucky." Guccha of the sand sighed. 'We're lucky Naruto-san and his team made a hell of a ruckus.'

The mist nin chuckled. "Luck won't help you much later on. Still… fine then. Seeing your wounds and all, I can guess as much you guys did survive… somehow. Come down and get a room. Join the rest at the lower deck."

"What should we do about them?" Another jounin pointed at the Konoha team, who are still unconscious.

"Wake them up, and wash em or something. I'm not touchin' them."

Thus, the nin resort to splashing a basin of icecold water on the pile of muck covered Shinobis. As expected, not one of them reacted too kindly about it.

"GRAAAAAAAAAHH!! Wha… What…!? Urp!" Naruto roared at the rude wake up splash but his stomach gave up on him.

"We're in… where are we?" Neji observe his surrounding. Again, they're in a ship… but it's a different ship altogether.

"Yuck! Naruto! Why are you keep vomiting allover us you…!" Yukiku shrieked as she tried to remove the last traces of Naruto's vomit with no success.

"Huaaaaah… fresh air…" Renald gasped and wheezed.

"Oi."

The four turned and looked at the speaker. Mist Jounins stood encircling them in the middle. One of them took a step forward. "You guys okay?"

"… yeah… we're okay… I think."

"Welcome to the Hammer. You guys are also the survivors of the prelim exam, correct? Please join the others downstairs. But before that…" the nin quickly add. "…please take a bath."

"Will do." They answered ceremoniously.

--

In one hand, he dragged a large piece of what's left of Samehada.

In the other, he carried a bloody sack of cloth covering something.

"I'm sorry."

Itachi sighed. Then he gave the Samehada to Kira and continued on walking. "…he's my partner. If anybody has the right to kill him; that person would be me."

"…"

"I need a moment." Then he left.

Kira nodded. He looked at the remains of Samehada. 'Let's see what I can do about this…'

--

'Phew… well, luckily it didn't smell.' Neji had just finished his bath. He was on his way to their room when he heard the somewhat familiar noises.

"HOW DARE YOU… YOU… AAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!"

"Cho… Chotto Matte! Yukiku-chan! I… I-WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!"

Then, a horrifying sound of a boy squealing for mercy and the noises of breakings and smashing flowed out from the room. Neji sweat-dropped. "…Again?"

"Ahhh… A nice bath, that's what I need. Ah, Neji-san? What's wrong?" Renald was about to enter the room when Neji stopped him.

"No. Not yet. Wait for a moment."

2 minutes later, the noises stopped. Neji waited for another 1 minute.

"…okay. We can come in now.

When they did come in, Neji just walked in as if nothing happened, ignoring the cracks and imprints of Naruto's body as well as the flushing Yukiku, who finally finished getting dressed. He merely looked up on the battered and nailed Naruto and uttered a single question: "Naruto, you're still alive?"

"…b-barely."

"Good. Then I suppose you can stay conscious long enough to do some bits of discussion?"

The three forget the mess that had occurred before and focused on Neji.

Neji, noticing he had gained everyone's attention, continued. "From this moment onward, we will be inside enemy territory. We already have some information to start up our investigation, but we need more. Our first and foremost target: is information. When we get there though, we have to gather information as Konoha nin. Basically it means we have to act like we're not a spy."

"Truthfully though, I think I've messed that one up." Naruto muttered. "The way I hear it, I think the news on all my exploits have reached far and wide. Everyone will bear their eyes on me."

"No use of crying over spoilt milk now, don't you think? Besides, it's not like you do it because you want to get the attention."

"I'm not. But since it happened anyway, how bout if I just act that way?"

"Eh?" Yukiku frowned.

Neji however caught on. "You're talking about… being a diversion?"

"Yes. I've become some short of celebrities for all other shinobis to beat… the jounin of Mist, in particular, the 7 swordsman must already know who I am. There's no use for me of acting like some short of a nobody… don't you think?"

"…"

Neji smiled. "You worry too much, Naruto."

"Eh?"

"When you two were having a bath, I took some time eavesdropping the crews. Apparently, not all of them believe everything the newspaper had said."

"Do they?"

"Come to think of it, the story of how a single boy can decimate an army is like a fairy tale. Even more so, those news appeared only recently from outside. People could hardly believe things that they don't see for themselves."

"I for instance." Yukiku added. "If I hadn't seen how you fought those demon dogs in the forest I wouldn't believe half the thing people say about you."

"…but I've beat the hell out of one of their Swordsman, and oh yeah, I blasted some holes through his ship. Won't that spread the word?"

"Oh, that? Well, as for that, we have to thank our lady luck. Apparently, that Shu the Stingray holds quite a notorious record as an infamous pirate even in the Kirigakure. From what I've heard, they seem to be blaming him for the whole ordeal."

"Plus, because the Ray attacked the Kraken at that precise time, the story checks out." Renald blinked.

"…so you're saying our skin is saved?"

"Saved. But barely. I must ask you, Naruto, not to show off your power in public. We got lucky all the time."

"With my chakra veins in mess… that shouldn't be too hard." The blond sighed. 'And I decided to go all out against Fujiki to attract other's attention too… I was ready to get chased and all the resolution, grumble jumble… so much for the lot of it… bah…'

"Anyhow, there are several kinds of information we'll be trying to find. Mind you, since we'll after the village internal secrets, we'll be practically violating every rule in regards to transgression on the territorial areas of inter-village scale."

"That is a given, I suppose."

"First however, before we can even think of something like that, we need information about shinobis that we will transform into. We need their habits, their attitude… all that stuff. We have to choose it very carefully."

"..."

"Next, we need to find a way to secure a communication line with the Mizukage himself without noticing it… even his own personal guard. If what you said about that Fetaru Hiko was the member of Sea Slayer Gang Pirates is true, we can't trust him fully."

"I don't think we can trust anyone from Mist to begin with."

"True, true."

"But the question is, how can we get the info? I mean… it's not like we can just walk into the village and asked if we can see their personnel's name or something? How do we even know whether the person is related to the coup or not?"

"…as of now, the only thing we can do is to wait for them to make a blunder. A small one would do. Either that, or we have to make them make that blunder."

"That's gonna be a little bit difficult…"

--

The Hammer continued its voyage undisturbed. After some time the ship entered an area in which their visibility is thoroughly limited by the Mist. Everyone, except those who had advanced senses, can't even see what's waiting on the other side. Regardless, they do know the ship is still moving. The genins were already assembled on deck. A Mist jounin stood up and make his announcement.

"Look alive, everyone. You guys are survivors from the preliminary test of the Mist Chuunin exam. Considering the headcount we're receiving, you guys are either skilled, or very lucky. But allow me to remind you. From this point onward, it'll be Chuunin Exam. Those of you who feel yourself lucky, you may consider yourself to be unlucky from this point onward. Regardless, your efforts are quite commendable. If this is your first time, open wide. Feast your eyes upon a sight that all of you had struggled to see."

Then, almost instantaneously the mist unveiled. Even for the Konoha trio who had seen the village beforehand, their jaw still dropped. The village is massive and spherical in shape. The village is supported by countless pillars, all massive in size. The pillars firmly stood, holding the village against the angry waves. The village structure itself is composed of eight circles of varying sizes. Buildings can be seen standing on the center of each circular platform. One huge circle distinguished itself from the rest since it's the biggest and stood at the middle. The rest of the other 6 circles are piling and circling each other, some are taller and/or bigger than the others.

Naruto gaped. But then, his advanced sight caught something else. 'Pssst! Guys. Look at the back!'

'I know.'

'Good god… the size of that… tower? No… it's a…'

Maybe because of the mist is thinning, or because they're the only ones with a trained senses, they saw a GIGANTIC silhouette, as in gigantic, it put the already massive Kirigakure down to shame and completely messed up their sense of perspective. Upon a better observation, the silhouette shaped like a SWORD stabbed to the ground.

Renald busy jotting down his note in awe.

"…_journal entry number 36, month 5_

_Any philosopher who still thinks easterners are barbarians, come and take. A. Good. Look. At. THIS! A giant village, built directly atop a sea. The village Kirigakure will welcome you with all its grandiose magnitude that will blow all your sense of perspective away. The pillars crisscrossing underneath, supporting and defending the village and all its glory in the midst of the most violent waves. These kinds of architecture are far more advanced than any kind of aquatic building design our architect can come up with. A fruit of ages long labor and research no doubt."_

The ship closes in on one of the circles. Then, impressively, with a loud clanking sound, the pillars sank down, and the circle it supported also went down until it's on the same level with the sea surface. A canal opened and the hammer sailed through. Inside, they saw rows and rows of ships in an indoor dock. The ships are obviously smaller and less advanced then the Hammer. But there are a lot of them, all floating calmly on separate compartments. The entire dock itself is spherical in shape, with a large platform at the center.

The Hammer calmly docked in its own compartment. And, with a loud clanking sound, the whole dock shook. The canal closed down and the water level decreased slightly. Naruto can tell that the whole building is rising up again. With another loud CLANK the shaking stops, signifying that the whole building had finished its rise.

"Alright. Get off guys." A Mist Jounin awoke some Genins from their daze and awe. Slowly, the Genins get down from the ship, and into the center platform. The platform, as they noticed, also hosts countless large scale maintenance equipment like crane and repair bay. They also notice some large cannons and armaments you won't find out of place on a ship.

"Obviously they take pride in their naval forces." Reynald commented.

"That they are."

"Come on guys!" A mist jounin called to them. The nin stood next to a door. The crowd followed on. The door opened, and the nin gave them a sign to go in. Once the 12 shinobis and 1 Journalist get inside, the door snapped shut. Just then, the room shook, signifying that it's moving.

"I see… so this dock is located at the basement of this entire strut. People go up and down using the elevator."

"Elevator… to where?"

"Unless I'm mistaken, I'm guessing we will end up in the settlement district or some floor."

After a while, the elevator finally stopped. And when they got out, they found themselves… at the rooftop. Naruto whistled as he looked around. They can see almost everything in the village from their spot. The village was large. It's even larger when they saw it from above. Naruto tried to get a better look at the giant sword mountain. The mist thinned considerably, he can see quite a bit of ornaments plastered on the said 'sword'.

"The other ships are coming!"

Naruto and the others turned around and looked at the said direction. 5 more ships are coming from every direction. "They must be carrying the survivors from the other ships… okay."

A few minutes of walking later, they were gathered in a giant hall along with the rest of the survivors. Naruto noticed that unlike before, there are some Mist Genins mixed along with them this time. 'I see… Mist Genins don't have to undergo the preliminary. Come to think of it, the main purpose of the preliminary is basically to filter those who are not Shinobi from those who truly are. Since Mist Genins graduated from their own academy there's no need for them to be tested… or are they?'

Neji observed the other shinobis and compare them with Mist Genins. Some foreign shinobis all have visible injuries. Some still have blood dripping from their wounds. Then again, he can also see that some Mist Genins also have some injuries. 'Then again… apparently they didn't get off lightly either.'

The Genins lined up in rows based on their respective village. Much to everyone's inward bewilderment, Konoha's line was the shortest: there's only Naruto, Neji and Yukiku in the line.

Just then, 6 shinobi appeared on a podium. Naruto immediately recognized 3 of them: Fetaru Hiko, Fetaru Kyoko, and Fumiyata Sazaki. Mizunari Fujiki was nowhere in sight. 'I guess the damage to his ship was just that bad…' The rest? Well, he saw another thin guy with the worst case of eyebags he had ever seen (even more so than Gaara), another guy with a red hair, and finally a man with long brunette hair and glasses. Hiko stepped forward.

"Congratulations. All of you. Shinobis from Konoha, Suna, Oto, Iwa, Ame, and many others. Also congratulations for you Kiri Genins. You have passed the test we gave you, and you've made it here. Now, I'm guessing, that all of you are still tired after everything we've put you through. The first exam will begin a week from now. Use the time well. You're allowed to go to any area in the residential section of the village but you're not allowed to go to forbidden places without proper permission. Dismissed."

Upon hearing that, the group dismissed itself. A few moments later, in the village…

"…now what should we do?"

"Let's get to that corner a little bit, nobody's watching."

"Kay."

The Konoha trio moved into a dark alleyway. After they ensured that no one's looking…

"So, we got 1 week. I cannot help to feel that Hiko is helping us."

"Despite his history as a former pirate?"

"…at any rate… this 1 week… we have to use it well. If both of the Fetarus are here, I'm sure the Mizukage's here as well. The way I see it, I don't think they could leave the Mizukage without protection."

"But… we saw Hiko protecting the Mizukage back in the mansion, did he not?" Yukiku recalled when Hiko sliced off the traitor Gonzo's leg.

"Or, it is some act to shut off the would-be leak."

"…in any case, we got 1 week." Naruto concluded. Both of his friends looked at him.

Neji blinked. 'Ah… that's right… Naruto is the one most eager among us to search this place up.' "Then, Naruto, in this one week, can I entrust the task of mapping the town to you?"

"You know… I'm not really good at that."

"You can use your Kage Bunshin to scour the city."

"Yeah, I thought of that. But don't you think they'll find it odd to see Naruto everywhere? It may work fine if I do it in Konoha, but this is Mist dude."

"Look, there are seven blocks in this village. Yukiku and I can search one block per person. You can use Kage Bunshin to check two or three blocks all at once. One bunshin per block. That way we can cover the city in less then 2 days. Also, try to find a way to contact the Mizukage as discreetly as possible. That's our only priority right now."

"If you want to I can help. I'm good at drawing maps." Renald offered.

"Then you go with Naruto. As he just said himself, he's not good at drawing maps."

"Okay. Then it's settled."

The two nodded. Just then, their stomach growls.

"…on second thought… First priority: Get a grub."

The two nodded.

A few moments later, they found themselves at a rather large restaurant. Once they got in, other shinobis from other countries and villages were already there.

"…well… I suppose we just join them and eat… and then we can start."

The four sits on a round table and start looking at the menu.

"Well, well… water country indeed… most of the menu are seafood. Carp, Prawn, Salmon, Eel, lobster…"

"But… isn't it a little bit cheap?" Yukiku looked at the price. She remembered the prawn salad she ate in Wave city, the price was ten times the price of the same dish in the said restaurant.

"That's because we're near the source of the product. Mist village is located in the sea. They'll never runs out of fresh fishes and they have abundant of it… they have more supply then the demand for the sea products… some they may export it… but still, because there are plenty of fishes to go around cheaper than other areas. It's a law of supply and demand." Renald explained. He looked at the trio shinobi who looked at him, jaws dumbly hung. The Journalist sweat dropped. "…it means, because they have plenty of supplies of seafood, they can set their price lower… that's kinda like it."

"Oh…"

"What are your orders?" A waitress appeared, holding a pen and notepad.

As if on cue, their stomach growled harder than ever.

"It seems we're really hungry. I wonder why?" Neji frowned.

"Come to think of it… we barely eat anything. Back in Ray, everything we ate, we throw it all up after all that… well, you know what I mean."

"…and we didn't get anything to eat at all."

Neji sighed. "I guess it's time we ought to have our proper fill… okay… One large Seafood Fried Rice, tempura set, and one large portion of Gyoza please?"

Yukiku sighed. 'I'll guess I'll make up for it later… proper eating, proper eating…' "…Stuffed Crab and sea weed soup."

Naruto scanned the menu: "One barbecued lobster, one seafood ramen, and one salmon steak also. All large portion."

Reynald want to try something also: "Hmmm… I'll have the shushi set, and then some Unagidon (rice with eel and eggs, very delicious) … and warm sake if you please?"

The waitress whistled. She never saw a bunch of kids can eat this much.

After a while, the dishes arrived. Their tables were full to the brim. Every shinobis looked at their table. And when they start eating, their stare turned to glare. Suddenly, one of the glaring shinobis raised his hand: "A… Anoo…! Can I order again? 2 large barbecued lobster please!"

Following, another shinobi on the right raised his hand: "5 large portion seafood fried rice please!"

"3 Tempura Yakisoba here! Double portion!"

"10 large plates of Gyoza please!"

When Naruto just finished his Lobster, that's when he realized the commotion that happened.

"One more large plate of breaded prawn please!"

"3 Abalone set here!"

"Waitress, more shushi!"

Neji and Yukiku also stopped eating. Reynald, finished his shushi set a while ago, sipped his warm sake nervously.

Naruto frowned. '…what… what is this feeling of being… defeated…?' "…5 large portion of Seafood Yakisoba please!"

"!!" the three looked at Naruto, who grinned.

Neji sighed and shook his head in disapproval. He almost finished his rice then he'll sit down and wait for this stupidity reached its end… until his hearings caught another sound: 'Don't worry! It seems only the blond that will compete. The other three are just too cowardly.' The Hyuuga blinked. "…Waitress… 2 plates of Gyoza… a large portion of stuffed crab… and some clam set please!"

Yukiku and Renald looked at Neji. The girl looked as the two males began hogging down their food. Yukiku looked around. Then she realized. It's not a peaceful mealtime anymore. It's an all out war. An all-you-can-eat war.

"Nyukyikyu! Myou hyave tyo eat tyoo! (Yukiku! You have to eat too!)" Naruto hogged down a lobster in his mouth.

The Haku twin could barely get the sentence, but the one word eat was enough to explain. Seeing no way around it: 'I REALLY have to go on a diet after this.' "Excuse me! Abalone set, Tempura set, Shushi set, three portions each!"

Naruto just finished his fifth yakisoba plate and also ordered: "Salmon teppanyaki, tempura set, yakisoba special, barbequed crab, and another barbequed lobster, 2 portions each!"

The waitress finally realized that the die is cast. After writing the order, she ran to the kitchen and yelled: "Boss! The feast war begins!"

"They're at it again!? Do we have enough supply!?" the head chef nearly cried as he looked at his subordinates.

Outside the restaurant…

"Yep… Good… they're already here." A figure stopped just before the restaurant. He managed a peek and laughed at the commotion inside.

Inside…

"God-damn-it! I'll have double on whatever these guys are having!" A stone nin yelled as Naruto just ordered Shushi set, Yakisoba, Gyoza, Seafood Curry, Salmon teppanyaki, tempura soba, 4 large portions each!

"Tell you what?" Naruto just had enough. "Why don't us all order 10 large portions of everything on the menu!? We have to eat them all down to the last crumbs, loser foot the bill!"

"YEAH!" The whole room answered the challenge… except for a few 'contestant' who already fainted due overeating, the casualties of war includes 7 from grass, 10 nins from cloud, 5 from Mist, and finally Yukiku.

2 hours later… nightfall…

The only contestant left are two stone nin, four mist nin, and finally, Naruto himself. Neji couldn't take the excessive intake of protein and calcium and given up half way and now he's holding his painful swelling stomach trying his best not to vomit. Naruto is still eating, but realized that he's the only one eating. Neji and Yukiku had fell down earlier and he's outnumbered six mouths to one. 'Then if that be the case…' "KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!"

Naruto created 10 bunshins, all of them start eating at top speed.

"What!? Hey that's cheating!"

"I don't think so! This is one stomach against two teams' stomachs! I'm not gonna lose!"

"GRRRRH!" The eating continues!

Renald who's been watching all this time decided to make a simple calculation. Neji and Yukiku looked at the notes.

"Renald-san… what are you doing?"

"I'm making a calculation on how much we have to pay… if we're to foot the bill."

"And?"

"… and add with 10 tax… the total comes to… 1,456,700 YEN!?"

The two shinobi paled. The two looked at each other… before joining the food fight! "WE HAVE TO WIN NO MATTER WHAT!"

At the end everyone somehow managed to eat everything…

The chef, with tearfully eyes began counting the plates. Finally the result: "…every one of you… eaten ALL MY STOCK!! I wouldn't be able to open the restaurant until next year… (sob)… (sob)…" the waitresses get a hold on the depressed owner.

"In any case… I think it's a draw." One of the waitress commented.

"NO WAY!" Everyone, who still can, yelled. Naruto himself was about to throw up. Hell, there maybe ten of him, but in the end, they all ended up in one stomach. 'Just… just one more… food…'

"NEJI! You have to help me!"

"N… naruto… I… I can't eat anymore…"

"YUKIKU!"

"…" the girl in question could barely answer. She was holding her mouth so as she won't vomit.

"Grrhh…"

The other teams, fortunately couldn't even stomach another spoonful of soup. It was at this moment, Renald, feeling a little hungry himself…

"Umm… excuse me… can it be possible for me to order a takoyaki?"

Everyone turned towards Renald. Naruto grinned. "WAY TO GO RENALD-SAN!"

"Aahh… I just want a snack." The journalist smiled nervously.

The two teams gritted their teeth. "YOU LOT! COME ON! WE CAN'T BE LOSING!"

Groans and whines were the reply. "I can't take it anymore…"

"…I can't eat anymore…"

"Burp… Hieeek…"

The team leaders obviously realized, they too were on their limits. Thus…

Victory: Konoha team, by a margin of one takoyaki!

"How… how much is this going to cost us?" Everyone nervously looked at the mounting pile of plates and jugs.

"Oh look! It seems tonight is an all you can eat night!"

"What? Oh that's a relief."

"THAT'S NOT A RELIEF AT ALL!!" The owner cried.

With a bit difficulty, the Konoha team managed to get out of the building.

"You eat well?" Kira welcomed them with a smile.

"Oh… Kiira seeenseeeeei…"

"Oyasumi! You guys okay?"

"Ooyaaasuuummiiii…"

"I'll take that as no." Kira made three bunshins of himself, and the bunshin carried the boys. "Renald-san, you okay?"

"Yes. Don't worry, I didn't overeat."

"Good." Kira looked at the group… they've fallen asleep. 'Come to think of it… the fight with the stone jounin, the Octo-Triathlon, the underwater trip… they've been through a lot of tension throughout this preliminary…' "They've gone through a lot… didn't they, Renald san?"

Renald smiled. "Yes. They did." And off they go.

The next morning…

Naruto woke up in a small bed; his clothes and hair are in total mess. "…how… did I get here?"

"Awoke at last." Kira's voice welcomed him.

"Kira sensei?"

"Now. I'm a bunshin. Kira and the others are already downstairs."

"W… what time is it."

"It's 8 in the morning. It's about time for you to wake up." The bunshin disappeared with a puff.

"…I guess…"

Naruto walked downstairs. Kira, Yukiku, Neji and Renald had already sat on a table. But neither Neji nor Yukiku look well… and their breakfast was pretty much untouched. Then again… he didn't feel like eating anything either.

"Naruto sit down. We need to talk, all of us."

Naruto noticed the tone had gotten serious thus he sit calmly.

"…Neji told me everything last night. He told me about the mission from the Mizukage too."

"Ah… well…"

"Genins like you, who undergo Chuunin exam is in sense shouldn't be burdened by the mission. But since you guys had decided to go on anyway, I won't get in the way… but I won't… I cannot help you either."

"Kira-sensei."

"I speak this to you because… well…"

"…" the three looked at their sensei.

The Dragon Shitennou unraveled a scroll. "…because that means, I have to prepare a new training session."

Everyone fall anime style.

Just then, a man with long beard just went through the door.

"Ah, good morning, Itachi."

Everyone tensed. The bearded man undid his henge and assumed the Uchiha slayer form once again. "Morning shishou." The Uchiha had eyebags below his eyes. It seems the Uchiha has been up for a few nights.

Kira sighed. "Get some rest. Those eyebags are bad for you."

"…yes."

Itachi walked upstairs. Once the last bit of his black cloak disappeared, everyone breathes again.

"You know… I can never get used to the fact that he was your student, Kira-sensei." Naruto sighed.

"Everything takes time."

"…speaking of which… where's that… shark-like person who always goes around with Uchiha-san? What was his name Hoshigaka… Hoshiga… Kisano something…"

"Hoshigaki Kisame." Neji corrected. "That's right Sensei… where is he?"

Kira was silent for a few moments. Somehow, they get a feeling they won't like the answer.

"…" Their sensei sighed and replied shortly.

"…Hoshigaki Kisame was murdered two days ago."

Everyone's eyes widened.

--

Somewhere within the Mist village…

"How is it going?"

"Curse that Uchiha Itachi… he took Kisame's head… I didn't have time to extract the-"

"Not necessary. We do have the body. We'll make use on what we have. And besides… my spies had given us an interesting new subject."

"What is?"

The figure dropped a photo.

--

"_When we found him, he was punctured with a dozen kunais… all poisonous. And oh yes, he lost an arm. Itachi beheaded him and bury the ashes of his head somewhere."_

Naruto looked at the Dead List Six again. 'That's one more target off the list… but if Shu really did all this, how did he do so without leaving Ray? Oh yeah… and we were with him all the time too…or could it be that he have someone else kill Kisame for him.' "…in any case…"

Kira looked at Renald. Neji and Yukiku had already left on their search. "I'll have two bunshin accompany you. One of them will use henge." A handseal later, two bunshin stood side by side, and one of them transform into some other Ninja.

"Let's go." The Naruto Bunshin nodded. And the three of them took off.

After Naruto made sure the three out of sight… "Now… on to my own mission." And again, he created a pair of bunshin. "Search the town."

"Got it." The two bunshin dashed out.

Naruto looked around. There are many people around. But he's looking for a shinobi. A mist nin. And pretty soon he found at least 10 of them. "Excuse me? Sir?"

"Yes?"

"I want to ask, do you know where can I find the refugee area? You know I heard you've been getting a lot of them and all…"

"Why do you want to know? You're a Konoha right?"

"Yes. I'm here for the Chuunin exam, but you see I have a relative living in Wave and I heard he had taken refugee here."

"I see… well, there are a lot of them refugee centers allover the village… but you see the refugee keep on coming, so we had to move some out of the town."

"Erh?"

"Look here." Mist nin unraveled a map showing the areas of the Water country. "As you well know, water country's is an archipelago. There are at least 36 natural islands. And to top it off, we have another 25 artificial island."

Naruto blurted. "You MADE islands?"

The mist nin chuckled. "Actually… it's not us… but our fore-founder did. We can off course… but that is only limited to create a small patch of land… our forefathers went further and can create lands that huge and fertile enough to support buildings and farming… ehem… anyway… back to the topic… we have refugee centers allover the village… but we can't keep them all… so we put them in a refugee centers built on all the 36 natural islands."

"The natural one huh… what of the artificial ones?"

"We can't. The islands built by the fore founders are limited in number and space… so we only use them for internal use for Mist facilities and alike. I can't tell you more then this and don't delve into it. Understood?"

"Okay, okay. I get the idea… errhhh… how do I find these refugee centers?"

"There are 14 in this village alone. 2 for each strut."

"Strut?"

"That's what we call each of the village sections. There eight struts in total. Only seven struts support the refugee center."

"What of the eighth strut? You don't have any?"

"Of course not. The eighth strut is a place where this entire place is ran. The Mizukage office, the Academy, R&D, the Hunter HQ, etc… too many important building is set there to risk some outsider running around."

"The eighth strut… the biggest circle at the center of the village right?"

"Right. But stay out of there kid. That strut is a fortress. Only authentic mist nin can get in. Chuunin participant or not you'll be killed on sight if you trespass the area. If you want to find the refugee center, here, look we have the map of the place. See these blue areas? Those are the refugee center."

"I see… thanks a bunch… errhhh… what of the other refugee centers… those that you said were not on this village?"

"You have to get out of this village… and depending on your luck… you may have to search the whole 36 islands. There are around… 50 or so… we've been getting so many refugees not just from Wave actually… recent civil war in the Rain country has also sent a stream of refugees."

"Civil war?"

"You haven't heard? In the newly born country, the Rain country, its Ninja village is in the midst of civil war… truth is I'm quite surprised to see some Amegakure shinobis amongst the Chuunin exam participants."

"Yeah… I remember… I saw some of them too… they're still wearing that creepy gas mask… they don't seem to be a friendly bunch either." Naruto then remembered last night, the Rain nin were the only ones didn't participate. They looked pretty gloomy as well.

"Heh… I know… war between brothers can do that to you. It hurts."

"…" Naruto suddenly remembered a small bit of information he once had from the past. "…you mind if I ask something?"

"Depends?"

"I heard… that Kirigakure once suffered a civil war as well? Did they not?"

"Oh… yes… it was a disaster to us all. It was a total nightmare… I can't tell you much of the detail of it… but thanks to that war, almost half of the population is killed in battle. Some who did survive requires daily psychological conditioning… some must end his life as a shinobi forever… it was dark times… really dark times."

"…I'm sorry. I… I shouldn't have asked…"

"Don't worry about it. Anyway… good luck finding that relative of yours."

"Thank you for your time!"

The Mist nodded before he flickered.

Naruto looked at the map. 'Bloody hell… that's more information then I hope for… but I never imagine it will go that well…'

**A LITTLE ADVICE KIT… WHEN THINGS ARE GOING TOO WELL… IT NEVER END WELL.**

"What's with you and your pessimism?"

**THERE WAS A SAYING: PESIMIST ARE THOSE WHO KNOW WHAT'S TRULY GOING ON.**

"Yeah, yeah… whatever… Anyway… I'm going to this so called refugee center."

--

Neji also did his share. Of course, with much more discretion compared to Naruto.

'Then again…' "You see… we have a relative taking refuge here from the Wave country… we were hoping we can find him."

"I see. Good luck. But careful where you wander boy. Some areas are off limit."

"I'll keep that in mind." Neji nodded. 'Naruto's stories make a very plausible excuse. At any rate, I think I'm beginning to understand the structure of this village. Everything is centered on the 7 swordsman. They have 8 struts. Each of these struts is, in essence, the headquarters of each swordsman in this village. The center strut, the biggest one, is obviously belongs to the Mizukage.'

--

Yukiku had just thanked a Mist nin for showing her directions. 'Each of the struts also holds different function… the strut I'm in; according to the Mist nin were the HQ of Fetaru Hiko. I saw many weapon shop and equipment in this part… people living in the strut controlled by a certain swordsman is inadvertently affected by the swordsman personality or battle code…'

The Haku twin looked at the central strut. 'But with this, our goal becomes clear. Many important buildings are located at the central strut, the eighth strut… Mizukage-sama is in there… that means we have to find a way inside.'

--

Renald continues his journal…

"…_journal entry number 37, month 5_

_Each strut had a different specialty. Depending on which swordsman holds control in the said strut… yesterday, unless I'm mistaken, we were in strut 5. In there I saw many people selling armory and battle-gear. Then, we moved to strut 7… where we have that feast war… then again; I see in strut 7 there are plenty of restaurants… I had an idea of who's in charge of that strut. Today, we are in strut 3… not a very pleasant strut… probably because the shop sells grotesque things in tubes with weird colored liquid in it and all weird assortments… my guess is… this is some short of… apothecary? I do hear that some shinobi make use of extreme medication and drugs in battle… my guess is, Strut 3 is controlled by a swordsman who has an affinity to medicines and drugs._

_In any case, I also managed to learn several interesting history about the Kirigakure. It would appear that some time ago, the village had a civil war… one that consumed a lot of the village's resources. Even as I walk I can still notice the never healing scars caused by the incurable flames of war both on the landscape and on the people. I saw remnants and ruins of a building that seems like being flattened to the ground… and for the people… well… I saw a man losing an arm and a jaw. Yes, that's right. A jaw. I also saw a man dousing himself with sake and alcohol screaming bloody murder about how his family died…"_

Renald sighed. 'War… that's what you get out of it. Nothing but more sorrow.'

--

Finally… in the evening they returned to the motel.

"So, how did it go?"

"I got quite some information… mostly about the structure of this village…"

"We'll compare our findings tonight. For now…"

"For now, it's time for you guys to start training!" Kira blared scaring the daylights out of them as the demi-god suddenly appeared right on their back.

"Could you stop scaring us like that?"

"It keeps you alert. Come! I know a place where we can train in peace."

The place in question… was in fact the foot of the gargantuan sword mountain.

"Whoaaa… Kira-sensei… Are you sure we can come here just like that?"

"As long as we don't get too close to the mountain it should be fine… besides the Saya-jima is the Kirigakure sacred place… the equivalent of Konoha's Hokage Mountain."

"Saya-jima?"

"The name of the artificial island that host the Sword Mountain. It is named as such… because if you look at the island as a whole from top to bottom it looks like the island is the sheath of the sword stabbed in it (Saya-jima: Literally means Sheath Island).

"Hooo…"

"Anyway… we'll start training. And I will start giving you advanced knowledge. The one I'm going to explain will be advanced techniques which used in Kage-level fighting."

The three gulped.

"Okay… now I'm going to ask you… what do you know about chakra?"

"Chakra is the melding of both mental and physical strength. Enabling us to do things like jutsus."

"Correct… that is the basic. But you know… chakra isn't limited to a simple explanation like that. Do you know what I'm talking about, Neji?"

"Yes. I do. There are two ways of handling chakra: form manipulation and elemental manipulation. Form manipulation is simply we shaped the chakra to what we want it to become… while elemental manipulation is turning chakra into something else."

"Very good. We have plenty of examples of elemental manipulation around us. Whenever you're casting an elemental jutsu, you are performing an elemental manipulation. Raikiri or Chidori is one such jutsu that emphasize such manipulation. What of the other manipulation, Naruto?"

"Eh?" Narto gulped. "Errh… truth is I never seen the form manipulation."

"Really?" Kira pretend to be surprised. "Considering that you perform the technique many times?"

"Eh?"

Yukiku caught up. "…the Rasengan."

"CORRECT! That's right. The best example of form manipulation is Rasengan. We'll leave form manipulation for a moment and we'll go to the elemental manipulation. Do you know how many elements the chakra can change into, Yukiku?"

"I do know five: Fire, Water, Wood, Iron, and earth."

"Five. Yes that's right. Now look here…" Kira draw a pentagram on the ground. "Each triangle on the pentagram, depicts an element. The lines on the pentagram, describe their relationship. We'll get into this bit later… now I have to explain to you though… that for humans… they maybe only five elements. But for US, that means for gods and demons, there are unlimited number of elements. But if we are to categorize them, that would make 15 elements in total."

"15?" Neji was interested. He never read about this in any book. "You said for gods and demons?"

"The pentagram I draw below is called Goyosei, the 5 element star. I said before each point describes an element. But at the center of it, there is… the balance." Kira draw a yin yang symbol at the center of the triangle. "The yin represents the negative… and the yang represents the positive. The two elements is opposite of one another… yet at the same time, they complement each other."

"I still don't get the connection. Why is there yin yang… and there is 15 elements altogether?"

"I'm getting there Naruto. You see… a chakra is in neutral state when the yin and the yang are balanced. However, a perfectly balanced yin-yang relationship in a man's chakra… is practically impossible. You see, in a person… one side… will always be heavier then the others… the positive negative relationship depends a lot on the person's ability and most of all, the person's characteristics as well… it was so fickle. A perfect balance is in sense, impossible. When it comes to Demons like Kyuubi… or Gods like Seiryuu… that fact is even clearer. You see a god… is called a god… because their chakra is filled with the Yang element with very little trace of the Yin element. Demons on the other hand, their chakra is so rich with the negative effect of the Yin element. This result in that evil chakra people often dubbed as Youki."

"Kyuubi's chakra… the Youma'ou's chakra."

"Correct." Kira proceeded and draw two more pentagrams with the first in the middle. "Because the chakra is affected, the elements it can turn into also change and expand. In the Yang Goyosei, Fire (Katon) becomes Thunder (Raiton), Water (Suiton) becomes Ice (Hyoton), Earth (Doton) becomes Gravity (Juryokuton), Wood (Mokuton) becomes Wind (Fuuton), and Metal (Tetsuton) becomes Time."

"Raiton… I see… so those who perform Raiton jutsu or futon jutsus… they have 'Yang' affected chakras?"

"Correct. The same holds true for the Yin Goyosei. Fire becomes Hellfire (Jigoku Katon), Water becomes blood (Ketsuton), Earth becomes bones (Honeton), wood becomes Necromancy, and metal becomes Space."

Naruto blinked… 'Wait a minute… those elements…'

"Yes Naruto. Those are the elements of Kyuubi's Onijutsu."

"Hold on, back off a little bit… one of those elements… did you just said… bones?"

"That's right. Bones. Basically it means morphic bones."

"Morphic bones… That guy!"

"Aaaahhh… so ring the bells huh? That's right. You got it right. Kaguya Kimimaro and the rest of the Kaguya clan. Their clan is one of the few clans who can wield Youki from birth. The ability to utilize such uncommon element… this is what we all come to know… as the Kekkei Genkai."

"Wait a minute…. How bout the eye jutsu? The Byakuugan, the Sharingan… what are those?"

"They are also Kekkei Genkai, but that is a story for another time."

"So… the five elements from the neutral chakra, five elements from the Yang chakra, and five elements from the Yin Chakra… that totals 15 elements."

"Bingo. Elemental manipulation is basically turning your chakra into these elements."

"But sensei… Naruto can turn his chakra into any of these elements. Back then when he fought Fujiki, he cast 20 elemental jutsus, all with varying elements. How will this training will help him?"

"I'm not saying that this lesson will give plenty strength… I'm giving you knowledge. Expert knowledge… and knowledge itself is a form of power." Kira pulled out a set of papers. "These papers… you know what they are?"

"Special papers… for Chakra type testing?"

"The pulps of these papers were made from trees nurtured with chakra and only with chakra. As the result, they are extremely sensitive to chakra and the paper will react accordingly to your chakra type." Kira gave them each a paper. "Transfer your chakra into the paper. Depending on the paper's reaction, we'll know your chakra type. Fire, it'll burn, water, it'll get wet, wood it'll expand, earth it'll turn to dust, iron it'll harden, thunder it'll crumpled up, wind it'll cut to two, ice it'll harden and then shatter, gravity it'll become heavier, hellfire it'll vaporize instantly, blood will melt it, bones will fossilize it, Necro will grow spikes."

"What of space and time? What'll happen if we have those elements?"

"Well… it's impossible."

"Eh?"

"The Space and Time element are elements that can be used by Immortals. Very few, even amongst the gods or demons were born with the natural affinity to Space or time. But, with training, we can use the element… with time; the paper will either revert back to trees… or die out as a crumpled rag. With space, the paper will phase out of existence. But… humans can never have that element."

"I see… so… let's do it."

The three concentrate their chakra into the paper.

With Neji, the paper gets wet and then crumpled. "Eh? What is this… thunder… and water?"

"Yes. You have two elements. Impressive."

"Two elements huh?"

"Relax… It's not that it's uncommon or anything. Jounin level shinobis are expected to have at least 2 elemental affinities."

Yukiku's paper… it gets wet, seemingly hardened… before shatter completely to pieces and melted away. "…water… ice… and… blood altogether?"

"In sense… you have the ability to control every aspect of water… in both yin and yang."

"What… something like that is possible too?"

"Of course. It simply shows your affinity."

"Hmm…" Naruto concentrate and focus what little chakra he had on the paper. The next instance… the paper was shred to pieces. "…what's this one?"

Kira examine the pieces of paper. "It's wind alright." He took up a piece. "Just maybe… a stronger type of wind…"

"Hmm."

"About this affinity… Kira sensei, I have a question. Both of us and Naruto had learned various kinds of elemental jutsus… and we can use them without any trouble… how is this… elemental affinity will relate?" Neji asked.

"It doesn't change a thing. Your elemental affinity simply shows your characteristics. But it doesn't mean that it will limit your ability. See here…" Kira grabbed five pieces of chakra paper. He concentrated and the next thing, the first paper burns, the second paper became wet, the third paper hardens, the fourth paper turned to dust, and the last paper expands. "With proper and enough training, you can change your chakra element into any element you want."

"Wow." Even Neji couldn't hide his awe. Their teacher is a demi-god alright.

"Your elemental affinity only shows… your standard element. In another words… if you don't cast jutsus or anything, your chakra will be at such state. And here's another thing, people with certain elemental affinity are better in performing some jutsu more than the other. For example, assuming the two combatants is equal in strength. One affinity is wind, and the other is water. The two performed the exact same fuuton jutsu. The one with the stronger affinity to the element is obviously the winner."

"I see…" Neji nodded.

"Also, each element has its own characteristics. One that has its own effect in battle." Kira made a handseal and soon there are three of them. "One me for each of you. Come. Now I'm going to teach those characteristics."

The three separated.

--

Neji…

"So… we're going to start training on which element first?" Neji readied himself.

"We'll go with water. Then fire, and finally thunder."

"Fire?"

"Correct. Remember thunder stems from fire. We learn how to use fire, and then thunder."

"I understand."

"But now, we'll start with water. The first that you must know, water is not an element that can actually withstand many blows. Above other elements, water is the only element that can enter three forms all together."

"Three forms: liquid water, solid ice and gaseous steam."

"Correct. Do you know what this means?"

"Water is… flexible. Changeable. Dynamic."

Kira nodded. In a flash he finished a jutsu and tossed a swirling water dragon to the sky. The next instance, he swung his arms to the side, creating a whirlwind of water wall. "What did you see in those two jutsus?"

Neji thought for a moment. "They are moving. None of them standstill. They move."

Kira nodded. "A water jutsu is never about handling a huge blow head on. It's all about movement. And that is how you must shape your chakra."

"By making a chakra that continuously move."

"Water Jutsu techniques are generally considered has the least destructive capability compared to other elements. But it is in no way weak. Used correctly, it could even cut diamonds."

Yukiku…

"I've seen the accident in the Konoha forest. So I figure, we'll just go straight to ice first."

"Ice huh?"

"Normally, we have to go through water first then we go to ice or blood. But then again, you seem already understand how to change water to ice instantly. So I'll start with ice first. Unlike water, ice is all about rigidity. And although it seems ice is tough, like other forms of water, it's fragile. It was never meant to be used for holding out long."

Yukiku nodded.

Kira raised his palm and slowly gathering water particles around his arm. The particles freeze forming small crystals.

"What do you think?"

"That's kinda small…"

"You think? Try took one, and lift it."

Yukiku took a small particle… and WOW! Was it cold or what!? She instantly pull her hand back.

"Hmm. Watch." Kira throw one small particle to a lake… and the next instance, the lake freezes to the bottom. "When it comes to ice, it's not just about temperature. Do you know how they cut diamonds?"

"No."

"They use water. Highly pressurized water-sword." Kira lifted a finger. A single solid ball of water appeared atop his finger and he swings it. The water ball extends into a thin yet inexplicably sharp string… and it cut a rock into two.

"Wow."

"When it comes to Ice, we bring that density to maximum effect. By lowering the temperature and condensing the water particle at the same time." Kira created an ice sword from thin air.

"Is that how I'm supposed to shape my chakra?"

"Yes. It may seem similar the basic of earth elementals, but it's different in its rigidity. Earth is tougher and stronger then water. So be careful. More so, fire can melt ice easier then when it was liquid."

"…so how Ice can out best other elements? It seems so… weak…"

"Given the fact… that water is somewhat an immortal element."

"I… Immortal?"

"Think. When you put out fire what becomes of it? Smoke. And that's it. But when you melt an ice, it reverts back to its original state, water. Then you heat it up again, and it'll turn into steam. The three seems different… but they are still water. It's all about the temperature. Now, you're going to learn to condense your chakra first."

Naruto…

"Okay… now I'm going to train you in wind element. And I got an idea to make you stronger faster."

At this, Naruto's eyes glinted. "Really, really? Are you serious? Like how strong?"

"If all goes well, by the end of this week, you can come up with at least 1 new jutsu."

"WOW! Kira-sensei you're the greatest! So… how do you do that? Explain in a way I can understand!"

"Okay… we're going to use this method of training… Only you or me who can do this technique repetitively… using your Kage Bunshin." Kira touches Naruto's forehead and the blond felt a warm sensation in his stomach.

Naruto looked at his stomach, a glowing dragon tattoo shine through his clothing.

"I'm opening the seal of Kyuubi's youki temporarily. In this one week, we're going to use this method. Tell me… do you know how your Kage bunshin work?"

"Err now that you mentioned it… …duh?"

Kira sighed. "Naruto, make a bunshin."

Naruto slit his own palm, made a few handseal, and let the blood drop to the ground. Naruto frowned as the blood began to pulsate. Slowly but sure, the blood began to expand and it start to grow bigger and bigger. The blood slowly formed an arm; a hair… and finally, it become a crimson copy of Naruto. The copy then changed even further… and finally, an exact copy of Naruto stood.

"Back then, you used this jutsu to wreak havoc in the Hyuuga household." Kira made a seal, and created a kage bunshin. "Now you two, go where we can't see you."

The two bunshins nodded and disappeared soon enough.

"What are you going to do?"

"You'll know soon enough."

A few kilometers away…

"Okay what now?" Naruto clone looked at the Kira clone.

"Let's play a janken."

"Janken?"

"Yep. Just one play."

"Okay." The two played Janken. Kira, scissors, Naruto rock. "Okay. I win."

"Good. Now return to your master. And… you can do this with Kage Bunshin too you know."

"Huh?"

Kira clone then disappeared.

The Naruto clone returned with a rather puzzled look. Naruto (the real one) looked at his clone.

"Okay… I'm going back."

"Hm." Naruto nod. The clone turned back to the drop of blood, and instantaneously flowed back to Naruto, merging with him again. Naruto blinked.

"Now you know what happened?" Kira smirked.

"…I beat you at Janken… and you told me I could do this with Kage Bunshin too."

"Correct. Do you see now? Every time you used Kage bunshin, the experience and all the information the clone gained will be sent back to you the instant you call off the jutsu. That's why it is considered a top class Kinjutsu."

"But… I can do this with Kage Bunshin too?"

"The one difference between Oni Bunshin and Kage Bunshin, is that Kage Bunshin is made purely out of Chakra. Oni Bunshin on the other hand is made from parts of you. Your blood, your finger nails… every part of you… even a strand of hair could do. When a kage bunshin is called off, only the information is sent back to you. When it comes to Oni Bunshin, not only information, emotion, physical conditions… everything is transferred back to you. Understand?"

"Yeah… I kinda get the idea… but how is this going to help my training?"

"The way you are Naruto, you're not a very bright thinker. Even if I teach you the basic of wind elemental, it'll take you three years to master it. And that's definitely too long. So we're going to use Kage bunshin."

"I still don't understand."

"Remember. Kage Bunshin and Oni Bunshin transfer information… if 1000 of you learn the technique at the same time you can learn 1000 times the speed. Understand?"

"Yeah, so, so?"

"Sooo… you can learn wind manipulation much much faster… understand?"

"Yeah… so how is this going to help my training?"

A twitch appeared on Kira's back. 'Jiraiya-kun… how the hell did you teach this… this… IMBECILE… Rasengan in a week!? There… I said it… I called him imbecile…'

"…imagine you're reading a book."

"Uh-huh?"

"You need 10 days to read the whole book. When you use 10 Kage Bunshin… you read the book 10 times as fast… finishing it in 1 day. When you use 100 bunshins, you finished it in less then half an hour (24 minutes to be exact). You understand now?"

Naruto blinked. He finally understood. "I see… so if I use 1000 bunshins to train wind manipulation…"

"The time needed will shortened drastically. You can train for only a few days… you can achieve what would've taken years."

"Sugoi… did you tell Neji and Yukiku to train like this too?"

"No. Even if I did… they can't do it. I told you before… this method can be done by you. You, who have that monstrous amount of chakra and capable of using Kage Bunshin repetitively."

"I see… alright then… so… How do you do wind elemental manipulation?"

"Hm. Each element has its own effect. These effects are unique for each element. When on fire it'll burn, water has an elastic effect. With wind…" Kira swoop his hand sending a gust of wind which cuts a branch to two. "Its effect is cut. That's why wind is good when used for close to mid range fight… it's quite rare… wind element."

"Really… man, I'm good."

"For a good reason. Normal elements would usually start with mastering the original Goyosei first and then go to the branch. Wind element is a little different. You can bypass the wood element and went straight to wind. Why? Because you really don't have to produce the wind. It's all around us. You don't need to use specialized technique to generate any wind, it's already here. Right here. In the air around us. To be more precise… air IS wind itself. All you have to do… is manipulate it… and give it strength."

Smoke rising in Naruto's eager face.

"…we'll start practicing immediately before your brain burns out." Kira immediately grabbed a leaf. "You know what this is?"

"Yes. A leaf."

"You're going to train with it. I want you to cut it."

"Cut it."

"With chakra."

"Uh?"

"That's right. You're going to cut this leaf with your wind elemental chakra. Once you're able to cut the leaf to two that means you've got it. Understood?"

"I see… and I have to do this… with oni and Kage bunshin?"

"Kage Bunshin. I unsealed one of your Youki for this. I know your chakra lines are in mess, so I opened your youki channel so you have more power. I know it's been frustrating for you."

"I see… I get it now!" Naruto brightened. "So I have to cut this… and 1000 of me have to do this… or no… how many of me you need?"

Kira chuckled. "About…"

The shitennou pointed at a tree.

"…this many?"

Naruto smirked.

"Ninpou, Kage Bunshin!"

--

--

--

Deidara's days in Interrogation

Minichapter 11: Special long

Sand Chuunin Exam

This happened a few months ago, during Sand's Chuunin Exam.

Preliminary:

Demonstration

Every genin that are the Chuunin exam participants (or what's left of them) are crowded together around the Sand's Grand arena.

"What's all this about?" Shikamaru, who just woke up asked Tenten.

"Hmm, well apparently, Athrun sensei wants to give a demonstration of the use of Alchemy in battle."

"Eh?"

"Some of our elders still haven't approved of putting alchemy into our curriculum." Temari spoke up. "Thus, Gaara had an idea of putting up this demonstration to show how effective alchemy can be in the field."

"The demonstration will be done by Athrun-sensei, with his opponent is Deidara." Kankurou added.

Shikamaru chuckled. "A good choice. By beating down a member of Akatsuki will increase their interest in Alchemy greatly."

"Truly."

Meanwhile, in the arena, Gaara appared with a swirl of sand. "…good afternoon. Please enjoy the fight." And he disappeared again.

"He's definitely not much of a talker…" Temari sweat dropped.

Baki finally get to the arena. "Good afternoon, shinobis. Now we would like to show you a demo of a new technique that may well be Sunagakure's new curriculum. What you're about to see is a single one on one combat. One side will use alchemy, the other, shinobi jutsu. Please enjoy the show… and brace yourself, it's going to be quite a bang, in literal sense." The Suna nin gulped once. He cleared his throat once and announce. "In the blue corner, the exploding Stone nin, Deidara."

The Akatsuki walks in with his hands handcuffed. By the time Deidara entered the ring a giant boo chorused allover the arena. Some even start throwing things. Deidara simply ignore all those yells. It is expected after all. 'All I had to do is win this fight, yeah. Then I'll show them! Yeah!'

"On the red corner, the traveling Master Alchemist, Athrun Zala."

When it's Athrun's turn, the choruses varied:

The male shinobi from other villages, who doesn't know anything about Athrun, simply murmured some cheers.

The male shinobi from Sunagakure jeered and groaned.

The kunoichi from every village simply fawned and wooing.

Thus, the yells like "What's with that long hair?", "Kinda young is he?", "Damn! If only I had a face like that…", and something around the lines of "GIVE ME BACK MY WIFE!!" yelled by the males were somewhat drowned by the "Kyaaaa!", "So cute!!", "ATHRUN-SAMAAAA!" and all other similar lines yelled by the girls.

Athrun sweat dropped. "…" Then, a bulb lighted up in his head. An idea! Athrun clapped his hands once and touched the ground. A large announcement board appeared with a sentence written on it: I'M OVER 70 YEARS OLD and **I'M MARRIED**.

The chorus instantly changed:

The male shinobi cheered hard and loud.

The Kunoichi simply slammed their heads down in depression.

The students of the said alchemist simply sweat-dropped.

"He wiped off the whole army of fangirls in one go…" Kankurou laughed.

"He didn't lie that he was over 70 years old though…" Tenten smiled nervously. 'More like… isn't he a couple of tens of thousands years older?'

The two fighters then walked to the center of the arena. Baki gulped nervously.

Athrun made a few moves with his fingers and the handcuffs on Deidara's hand fell off. Deidara flexed his arms. "You will keep your word, yeah?"

"If you win, I'll let you go. That's a promise." Athrun cracked his neck.

"Okay."

"Baki-san, if you be kind enough to start the match?"

Baki nodded. The next moment he disappeared from the arena, and only his voice echoed throughout the place: "READY, FIGHT!"

Deidara rummaged the ground, the mouth on his hand start eating the floor.

"Too slow!" Athrun snapped his finger. And the next instant, the ground exploded.

"Grrrhh…" he didn't even had time to eat enough of the floor to produce bombs.

Athrun slapped his hand before shoved both of his palms to his side. Balls of water start appearing allover the arena. "Dynamic Trans: Birds." the water turned into birds. The Shitennou pushed his hand forward and the flock of birds charged towards the target. Deidara danced around the water creatures, avoiding them all. In the meantime, his hand touched the ground again, and it starts eating the ground again. Athrun clapped his hands again. "Static Trans: Drill." the earth turned into a set of spinning drills. Deidara had to jump away, or else the drill would've made a new hole on his arm. Regardless, his hand had eaten enough, and he sent an exploding bird.

"Static Trans: Fortress." The dirt from the whole arena gathered around Athrun and formed a large fortress. Bird exploded upon impact.

"Phew… that's impressive… you can create things and stuffs…" Just then Deidara felt something coming from his back. He turned around to find the birds sent by Athrun earlier are speeding towards him. "That's water bird. Why should I be afraid of water?"

Athrun smirked. He snapped his finger. The birds disappeared and the next instance, a loud BANG coupled with a giant explosion threw the clay-master off the ground.

"What the… they exploded?"

Athrun grinned. "Water: H20. It's composed of Hydrogen and Oxygen. I simply vaporize the water, undo the molecule chain, and turned those two into gas. Putting the harmless nature of water aside, those two separate substances are a big no-no to meet especially when they're in gas."

"But… how?"

"A little complicated to explain… some bits of fusion, a little bit of tit and tat… but let's just say… I can turn water into mini flammable hydrogen bomb."

"I don't get, yeah!" Deidara sent another small set of exploding birds. Athrun transmute the surrounding rocks to form a spherical wall. Blocking the explosion.

"If you want to play with explosive… I can think of something." And the Shitennou transmute the ground again… into a cannon… a giant cannon.

"Huh! You're gonna shoot me? Check again buddy! Cannons can't reach air!? Yeah!?" Deidara smirked as he floated atop his earthen falcon.

"Who said I'm making just cannon?"

"Huh?"

The cannon rose along with the ground beneath it… it forms a figure… slowly and steadily getting bigger and bigger…

"…No… fucking… way…"

An 80 foot earthen giant colossus with large cannons lining its shoulder stood up. Athrun smirked. The next instance, the cannons barraged the falcon. The clay bird had no chance surviving an onslaught of all the cannons. The next instance it explodes. 'Damn… if only I eat enough dirt…'

Deidara start falling.

Athrun transmute his giant. The giant opened its mouth… and another mouth made of iron opened inside.

"Oh crap…"

The iron mouth burst out and swallowed the clay user.

"Hmm."

"That sums it up."

The giant suddenly began to tremble. The stomach began to inflate at an alarming rate as it turns red. A few seconds later, multiple explosion occurred and the stomach burst opened… and a naked Deidara (his clothes singed and all) jumped out of the stomach…

"RHAAAAAAAAAAA!!"

…right in front of the opening eyes of the formerly Athrun fan girl squad.

The Turtle priest immediately creates multiple explosions around Deidara to close the view. The shitennou jumped to Deidara's spot. "Yo, here…" Athrun removed his red cloak and gave it Deidara.

"I'm not taking anything from you."

"Lookie here we got poor children looking at this show. While this fanfic is on R, let's keep this demo at least PG-13 okay?"

"I don't give a damn about the kids!"

Let's keep the show people, Deidara wear the damn robe!

"Huh? Who's that?"

"Errhhh… I think… I just broke the fourth wall didn't I?" Athrun gulped.

Yes you did! It should've ended when the giant swallowed Deidara.

"You started it! Why the hell you wrote me blowing the giant's stomach out and jumped out with my clothes blown off!?"

Because I don't like you… and I have to keep your interrogation funny somehow…

"WELL I HATE YOU, YOU FOUR EYED FREAK OF AN ASSHOLE WITH A BITCH FOR A M-"

I'll pretend I didn't hear that… Fast forward!

"-shkwdevghjyeevfhyvefhyvev-blah! Wha… what…"

"Oh no… I think you just upset the writer."

"Wh… WHAT KIND OF MANGA FANFIC IS THIS!?"

"One that the writer controls I guess… anyway… according to the new scenario… I beat you again… pretty easy too."

"You sure?" Deidara pulled out a scenario book… "Yeah you did… you did…"

"Then… on to the scenario!" Athrun snapped his finger once, and…

KABOOOM!

A thermonuclear explosion send Deidara flying to the sky before landing unconscious, singed and naked again, with a thud.

The crowd cheered and yelled as they clapped their hands. Athrun bowed down.

"Come to think of it… Thermonuclear is a little bit overkill don't you think? How come Deidara didn't die?"

Dude… this is fiction.

--

--

--

Sorry, sorry for not updating for so long… college… they just killing me.


	30. Train, Investigate, Infiltrate

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": special case**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA! : Giant creature speech **

"_Journal no bla bla": Renald's writing or other uses_

Disclaimer: I own nothing… except the plenty of OCs in the story.

**Chapter 27:**

**Train, Investigate, Infiltrate**

"DATEBAYOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!" 1000, more or less, Naruto yelled at the same time. The 1000 Narutos are all holding a piece of leaf in their left hand, while the right hand pressed a glowing chakra onto the leaf.

"…" Neji and Yukiku gaped at the sight. "What on earth…"

"Ah Neji, Yukiku, you're done?"

"Errhh… well your clone did state that we can continue on our own…"

"Yes I did. You can do the training at anytime you want. Just keep doing it. I'm expecting in a week you two should already get the hang of it."

"But, Naruto…"

"Naruto is not a smart person like you two. He learn things by doing it… that's why we use this method. I even had to unseal one of his seals to let him have access to Kyuubi's youki… which brings us to problem number one…!"

"Gr…. **GRAAAAAHHHHH!!"**One of the Bunshin start trickling crimson Youki as the leaf vaporizes instantaneously. Kira quickly pointed a finger at the clone and a spark of lightning turned the clone to smoke.

"Naruto! That's enough for tonight! Call off your bunshins!"

"Not yet… I can still go for a few more minutes!"

"It's been 5 hours! Any longer and your mind will be consumed by Kyuubi's youki! Stop now, and see how much knowledge you've gained!"

All Naruto finally stopped. The real Naruto call off the jutsu and after a series of puffs, only one remained. Narto's eyes widened a bit. "…I… I see… I'm beginning to get it…" The boy suddenly rolled his eyes and fainted.

"Naruto!" His two teammates ran over their downed friend.

"And there's problem number two: he literally took information and mental stress from over 1000 minds all at once… human brain can barely handle that amount of information."

"How long is he going to be like this?"

"It depends…"

Around 15 minutes later…

Naruto's eyes flickered open. He gasped. "Wh… what happened?"

"Naruto!" Yukiku's smile welcomed him.

"Wh… where…?"

"We're still at the training ground."

"Training ground… I have to get back to train."

"No need to hurry." Kira's voice replied. Naruto turned to his sensei. He and Neji came walking towards him, the former holding something on his hand. "You… or should I say one of the thousand you, are doing pretty well." The Shitennou showed the leaf. The cut didn't split the leaf to two, but it was still a deep cut nonetheless. "This is the deepest cut out of 1000 leafs you cut out there. Well done. Looks like this method work wonders on you."

"But apparently, every time you did it, you have to be ready to faint all the time." Neji tossed a barely cut leaf.

"But still… I really don't get what I should do… I mean… back then I was just pressing my chakra on it…"

"Hmm… imagine like grinding."

"Heh?"

"See this Kunai?" Kira flowed some chakra into it… it create a somewhat transparent chakra field which formed into somewhat an extension of the kunai. "Now you do it."

Naruto took a kunai and concentrate. Unfortunately his chakra can only make a ghastly silhouette of the kunai. "Hmm… not so good…"

"When you use wind element chakra, try imagining splitting your chakra to two and then grind each other to fine pieces. The thinner, the sharper, the better."

"Fine pieces huh?"

"That's right… imagine you're grinding a blade."

"I… I get the idea… but I still don't get it… I mean look at this Kunai… instead of all this hassle… isn't it much faster of simply using a cutting weapon? What's the point of putting a cutting chakra into a weapon that can already cut?"

"Good question. Now let's try it."

"Eh?"

Throw this chakra infused kunai into that tree together and see."

"Okay."

The two threw their Kunai at the same time. Naruto's kunai, one with the ghastly silhouette stuck on the tree. Kira's well honed chakra kunai went through the tree, pierced through the rock and finally stuck on another tree, a few meters away from the first tree.

Naruto's mouth turned aghast.

"Also, you could even do this." Kira broke a branch, flowed his chakra into it, before slamming the branch to a rock. The branch remained intact while the rock split to two.

"Once you've mastered wind element, you can turn any object into bladed weapon… even harmless looking branches or pebble."

"Wow…"

"…in any case… Naruto." Neji signaled his friend. "I think we need to talk about something else."

"Hmm… one moment." Naruto made one handseal. "Ninpou, Tajuu Kage Bunshin!"

Another 1000 Naruto appeared. "You guys continue training! Kira sensei, watch over them."

"Got it."

Naruto walked out together with Naji and Yukiku.

"So, let's sum up today's investigation."

The three exchanged information. Naruto handing out a piece of Renald's journal as well.

"I see…" Neji busy scratching a rough picture of Mist based on the accumulated information from Naruto, Yukiku and Renald's journal. "So, let's see… Naruto and his clones had checked Strut 1 and 3, Yukiku had checked strut 2, and I checked strut 4. We have a brief look and some information regarding strut 5 and 7… from here we also know each strut has access to the central strut…"

"I took a glimpse at the entrance to the central strut. Man, it could bring Konoha's giant main gate down to shame! And it was guarded like a fortress alright. 20 guards on one gate, shifting every now and then. I almost got caught eying the place by the next shift… luckily I got a plausible excuse, and they let me off." Yukiku recount her tale.

"Then tomorrow we'll focus all our attention on the central strut. Gather all information you can get on how we can sneak inside. Put on henge at all times never use the same henge twice. We'll go in twos. We'll check all struts all at once, particularly the security. We'll make heavy use of Naruto's kage bunshins."

"Okay." The two nodded.

"And that concludes our meeting for tonight."

"Mm." Naruto frowned. A new information and sensation went in. A kage bunshin apparently had been blown off.

"Something wrong?"

Naruto sighed. "The problem with this training method… is that because I'm directly using Kyuubi's chakra. More often than not, my kage bunshin who has somewhat a lesser willpower got eaten by Kyuubi…"

"…" Neji and Yukiku looked at each other.

Naruto sighed. "Oh well… I'll join my clones later… what of you guys? Made any progress?"

Neji chuckled. "Kinda… Kira sensei said that water is all about repelling. He told me that the concept of making a constantly moving chakra is similar to the concept for Hyuuga's kaiten… only this time I had to make my chakra rotating without my body spinning at all… kinda harder then I imagined." Neji showed his palm. His chakra swirled ever so slightly.

"What about you?"

"I… we start with ice instantaneously. He said ice is about breaking. But not just breaking stuff. He goes on his way demonstrating by frozen a steel pipe and shattered it with a tap. Ice, like water, is a support type, and can be easily shattered, but at the same time, it can also affect other things and make it more fragile."

"So its effect is… to shatter… something like that?"

"Yeah kinda… he told me too… freeze this pane of metal he got out of nowhere and punch it till it shatters." Yukiku showed her bruised knuckle.

"Ouch… that oughta hurt-Urgh!!" Naruto frowned again.

"Another one?"

"This time, this 'me' was so far gone, he managed to take down three of me before Kira take him out." Naruto closed his eyes, recounting all the information. "Oh I see… we're already that close… hm, good, good…"

Yukiku looked at Naruto. For a moment… she was a bit hesitant, but she finally decided to ask anyway. "Hei… Naruto."

"Hm?"

"How does it feel… every time Kyuubi took over you?"

"How does it feel huh?" Naruto thought up for a moment. "The first time I was took over by Kyuubi… I was fighting your brother."

Yukiku blinked as she stiffened.

"…the first feeling was… rage… so much rage… feral rage… and then comes… the power… raw power… it gave me strength, it gave me speed… at the cost of the momentary lost of my sanity, unfortunately."

"…was it after or before you regained your sanity that my brother died?" Yukiku accidentally blurted out. Then after realizing what she just said closed her mouth. "err… sorry."

"…after." Naruto answered. "I stopped at the last second… he… he had already given up living at the time…"

"…" Yukiku thought it up for a moment.

"…I'm-" Yukiku raise his hand right in front of Naruto's mouth.

"Don't say sorry. You're shinobis, both you and him. You fight for what you believe… and due to some unfortunate circumstances; you were on the opposite side. It's alright, Naruto-kun!" Yukiku smiled kindly. "Anyway, it's late, I'm going to bed."

"Yeah… me too. What about you Naruto?"

Naruto sighed. "Last information from my bunshin showed that the process is almost complete. I think I'll stay up a little longer."

"Okay."

Neji and Yukiku walked away. Naruto watched them from afar, especially Yukiku. "…hey, Kyuusei…"

**HM?**

"If I were stronger back then… if… if… I didn't have to lose my sanity when fighting Haku… do you think the result will be different?"

**HYPOTHETICAL QUESTIONS HUH? I DON'T LIKE THOSE KINDS OF QUESTIONS. IT KINDA MEANS YOU'RE REGRETTING ON WHAT YOU'VE DONE. **

"Somewhere within me… I'm still regretting… if only Haku and I met on different circumstances, we would've been friends…"

**BUT YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE BOY PICKING UP HERBS WERE ACTUALLY YOUR ENEMY.**

"That's the problem… if only-"

**IF ONLY I KNEW IT BEFOREHAND. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SAY? SEE, THIS IS WHY I HATE HYPOTHETICAL QUESTIONS. THIS QUESTION FILLS YOU WITH FALSE HOPE OF WHAT YOU COULD'VE BEEN. THESE QUESTIONS WERE MADE AFTER YOU KNEW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. **

"But I-"

**HOW WOULD YOU KNOW KIT? YOU CAN'T SEE THE FUTURE LIKE KIRA DID, NOR CAN YOU TURN BACK THE TIME. IT'S JUST THE SAME WHEN A PERSON WIN A WAR WITH GREAT CASUALTIES, AND THEN ANOTHER PERSON, WHO JUST SIT ON HIS ASS ALL DAY, ONE WHO ONLY READ THE REPORT BOAST "I CAN DO THIS BETTER IF I'M THE ONE TO LEAD". I'M TELLING YOU, I ONCE HAVE A LIUTENANT ACTING LIKE THIS; I KILLED HIM ON THE SPOT. **

"That's different!"

**WRONG. I CONSIDER THEM TO BE ANALOGOUS. THAT PERSON BOASTED HE CAN DO BETTER, BECAUSE HE KNEW WHAT HAD HAPPENED BEFOREHAND THROUGH THE REPORT. THE GUY ON THE FRONTLINE, WHO EXPERIENCED IT… DID HE KNOW THOSE THINGS WERE COMING? NO. HE DIDN'T. BUT HE TACKLED IT. YOU'RE THE SAME KIT. YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT HAKU BOY WAS YOUR ENEMY. YOU DIDN'T SEE IT COMING, BUT WE STILL DID IT: WE BEAT HIM. AND DID YOU SEE IT COMING, THAT HE'S GOING TO ASK FOR HIS DEATH? DID YOU SEE IT COMING THAT HE'S GOING TO RAN THROUGH CHIDORI PATH? NO. YOU DIDN'T. BUT IT HAPPENED ANYWAY. WE DID IT. YOU DID IT. AND THAT'S IT! ONCE IT'S DONE, THERE'S NO "IF ONLY…", THERE'S NO "I SHOULD'VE…", THERE'S NO "WE WOULD'VE…". IT'S FINISHED AND DONE. AND THAT'S WHY THEY CALL IT PAST! **

"…"

…**TRUDGING AND REMINISCING THROUGH PAST IS EASY. LIVING AND STRUGGLING FOR THE FUTURE. THAT'S THE HARD BIT.**

Naruto sighed. "…living for the future… of all the wisecracks you could come up with…"

…**IT AIN'T WISECRACKS. IT'S… IT'S PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. BELIEVE ME. I'VE LIVED FOR SO LONG AND I MADE SO MANY MISTAKES BEFORE. SOME, I FUCKED UP SO BAD, SOMETIMES I WISHED I DIDN'T DO IT BUT I DID IT ANYWAY. YOU CAN'T CHANGE THE PAST KID. THAT'S A SCIENTIFIC FACT. **

"Tch…" Naruto frowned again and did some more thinking. Silence for a few more minutes, several new information flowed in. Several of his clones had gone berserk, half of the 1000 clones vanished during the outbreak. Naruto immediately made another handseal, creating another 1000 of him.

"Everyone grab a leaf and get to it!!"

"DATEBAYOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"

An hour later, a few set of new information came in. One clone has done it! The clone knocked itself out doing it though…

"Okay… time to call it off…" Naruto gulped. The bunshins disappeared. A flow of information from around 1500 (more or less) minds came crashing down. Naruto's eyes rolled over and he fainted. Kira appeared right next to him.

"I should've known… he did training over here too." The Shitennou chuckled. "Still…" Kira raised a leaf. It was split clean in two. "With this, first phase complete."

Around an hour later…

"B… Buhaaa…" Naruto woke up again. And he's still on the training area.

"I kinda figure, that even if I forcibly put you to sleep you'll still train while you sleep." Kira smirked.

"Eh… I fainted again huh?"

"It is an inevitable side effect, I'm afraid. But still…" The shitennou gave him a leaf and throw a meaningful look.

Naruto grinned and pressed his chakra into it. The next second, the leaf split to two. The two gave each other a wide grin.

"Later you just have to practice and keep doing again and again to get the better clean cut on it… but that is for later. For now we go to the second phase… if you're up to it."

"Okay!"

Kira smirked. He started making a seal and slammed the ground. The next instance, a giant piece of earth rose up, creating a cliff. Kira made another seal, the top of the rock exploded and water flowed down, creating a waterfall. Another handseal, and a wooden ledge burst out from behind the waterfall. "Next phase, you'll have to cut this."

"…I have to cut… a waterfall?"

"First phase is the knowledge on how to do it. Second phase is the part that you should've been good at: power. Now that you know how to do it, you have just had to be good at it. If you can cut the waterfall, that is."

Naruto smirked. "Tajuu, KAGE BUNSHIN!!"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The next day… Day 2

"Okay… today we have to get to the central strut… where's Naruto?" Neji just noticed that the blond wasn't among the group.

"I don't think he's coming back last night." Renald was eating his soba.

Yukiku thought up for a moment… "Could it be… he's still training on the foot of the Sword Mountain!?"

The three looked at each other.

Few moments later… at the foot of the mountain…

"DA-TTE-BA-YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!" 10 Naruto pushes against the roaring waterfall. Alas, the only thing they did was making a splash. "Damn… it didn't work like you showed me, Kira-sensei!"

"Slowly, Naruto, slowly!" Kira disappeared and reappeared right next to Naruto. "The second phase is about unleashing a large amount of wind elemental chakra in a single burst." Kira put his hand on the waterfall, and the next instance, the whole waterfall split, horizontally, with a giant splash. "Be patient. Gather your strength slowly, take your time, and then blast it in an instant!"

"I… I get the idea… but… I can't afford taking my time in real life combat, don't you think?"

"Aye, that is true. But it's all depends on experience. The more often you do it, the better you'll get."

"But… but… if that's the case, shouldn't I be doing it with more Bunshins?"

"The second phase is about power, Naruto. If we split your chakra again, you'll grow weaker by the second-"

"I need to train more!" Naruto stomped the ground.

"…" Kira still looked disapproved.

"…I know I'm stupid. I'm not like Neji… or Sasuke… they got the gift of born intelligence… they are genius in their own right. Yet, here I am. A fool wanting to surpass you, surpass Kyuubi… setting my target to the top! If I don't do things the hard way, then tell me, Kira-sensei!"

"…!"

"To surpass those geniuses sitting at the top of the sky, this me, who's still buried so deep underground… what other ways do I have to reach them other then forcing myself like this!? What should a below average guy like me do!?"

"…Naruto…"

"I had a talk with Kyuubi last night, and I had time to do some thinking. I can't change the past. Many bad things happened because I'm not strong enough. That's why I have to become stronger! So much stronger so that I can carry the weight of the past and continue on to the future!"

Kira sighed. "…for now, I suggest you stop training first. We'll continue this session this evening."

"Eh?"

"Get some rest. You've overexerted yourself a bit too much."

"But I-"

"Naruto, a training done by a dead-beat person will do you no good!" Kira half yelled. "…I-I understand how you feel. But right now, your body's screaming for a break. If I don't stop you, forget surpassing the geniuses, you'll kill yourself first." Kira swung his arm, and the waterfall disappeared. Naruto reluctantly called off his bunshin. The two get down, and Kira took out a large bag. "Here, you were so busy training last night, you forgot to eat. I bought it from some bar in strut 7."

Naruto stomach growled… hard and loud. "…"

"It's your dinner in the bag,"

Naruto opened and, cold and unappetizing as it may be, the very sight of a meal reminded him of his own calorie requirement. The blonde quickly wolfed down his food and in a blink of an eye, he had eaten 5 portions of it. Just then, Neji and Yukiku finally arrived.

"W…what is that cliff…?" Neji gulped. 'What kind of training Naruto's been doing?'

"Errhh… Ohayo?" Yukiku looked at Naruto's condition. He got a healthy dose of eyebags on his face.

"Naruto… we're going to investigate the central strut… you sure you can go with condition?"

"…what do you mean?"

Yukiku created an ice mirror and showed Naruto's reflection. The blonde gaped at his own appearance. His hair in disarray, eyebags covering the lower part of his eyes…

"You know what? I think it is best if you take a bath first… and then do whatever it is you guys want to do."

"…" Naruto groaned. "Okay… okay."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Later… back in the village…

"So… this is it. Our henge."

Neji turned into a man with blue long hair wearing glasses.

Yukiku simply turned into another woman, with short raven hair and different face.

Renald remained the way he is (heck, he didn't know any jutsu).

Naruto clone 1 turned into a boy with long braided blond hair wearing red coat and black suit.

Naruto clone 2 turned into an elder guy with grayish spiky hair and some scars at his left cheek wearing glasses and grey overcoat. The inside looked like a priest clothing.

Naruto Clone 3 and 4 turned into a man with messy black hair and black eye bags wearing white T-shirt while the other turned into a red haired guy.

Naruto Clone 5 and 6 turned into a boy wearing a red hat and a girl with red hair tied on one side.

Naruto Clone 7 and 8 turned into an even spikier blond hair then Naruto, with fangs as teeth and pointy ears, while the other turned into an incredibly fat guy with a chestnut-like hair.

Naruto Clone 9 and 10 turned into a guy with messy black hair and a cross shaped scar on his cheek, while the other turned into a girl with blue long hair.

The original Naruto turned into a simple red spiky haired boy with some casual clothing.

"Okay. This should do."

"Naruto, those disguises… I got a feeling I've seen it before…"

"Just your imagination." The elder guy answered with a rather weird accent and voice.

"Hmm… even the voice changes." Renald commented.

"Okay… so here are the pairings:"

Neji - Naruto clone 1 – Strut 1

Yukiku – Original Naruto – Strut 2

Naruto Clone 5 and 6 - Strut 3

Naruto Clone 3 and 4 – Strut 4

Naruto Clone 7 and 8 – Strut 5

Naruto Clone 9 and 10 – Strut 6

Renald – Naruto Clone 2 – Strut 7

"We'll try to get to the entrance of each strut, and then we see the security, find any chinks we can exploit. Keep in contact with this." Neji handed the other group a small walkie talkie.

"Yosh. Ikosee!"

Strut 1

"So Naruto… this is strut 1… did you know where are the gates?"

"I know… and don't call me Naruto. It's a dead giveaway considering my disguise."

"Then what should I call you?"

"…Ed."

"Ed?"

"Ed… from Edward… a western name. Renald told me about it."

"Okay… Ed." Neji chuckled at the name.

Strut 2

"You came here yesterday huh?" Naruto looked around. The strut was completely different from Strut 1 which sold jutsu scrolls and textbooks.

"Yep. They sell a lot of swords and other weapons around here… the swordsman taking charge of this place must have a great attention on offense."

"Yeah… still… I understand now why Neji put us in a group of two."

"You do?"

"Yeah. If it were me by myself, I would probably screw up and get caught. I was kinda stupid after all."

"Well that's funny of you, Daisuke (Naruto's disguise name). To acknowledge you're stupid and all…"

"That's my shortcoming. I'm well aware of how stupid I can be… that's why I work hard. I just thought… maybe… if I put more effort into it… I can catch up with you guys… It's best that I know and acknowledge it rather than ignore it and I get nothing."

"Huh…" Yukiku stared at Naruto, inwardly, in awe. 'In Konoha… and now here… I gotta admit it… it's only a few, but he does say cool things from time to time.'

Strut 7

"Well… in my opinion, this strut is, without a doubt, under the control of Fujiki. I mean… you remember just what kind of glutton he is… and look at the number of retaurants here..."

"True… still what is this disguise you gave me… a weirdo?"

"Aahhh… just someone I met a long time ago. Feel funny right, Anderson-san?"

"A… Anderson?"

"That's right. That's your name. It would be funny if I call you by your real name, right?"

"Wouldn't this kind of disguise attract intention instead of diverting it?"

"No. Just look around you. To them, we're just like tourist looking around the village."

"Tourists don't have this huge scar on my cheek. Don't you think it'll be a dead giveaway?"

"If you keep being bothered with it, that's your giveaway. Relax. Calm yourself. Act as if that wound is natural. If you fret about any irregularities in your appearance, you'll give yourself away. That's one of the basic of espionage they teach me when I served the SRRT."

"SRRT?"

"Eh? Nothing. Nothing. Just calm your heart, relax… and everything will be okay." Renald smiled nervously.

"…huh?"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"…get out, Setsuna." Kira sighed. A young man appeared on his back. His arms and legs are bandaged, so does his eyes. The person had white messy short hair, wearing ragged seaweed colored haori, covering his body which, again, covered in bandages. The man also wears a grey short that covers up to his knees. People would've thought the man is a normal person… if it weren't for a single burning blue slit eye on his forehead.

"I was in a pond earlier and I heard everything… truly the first time I heard Kira-dono getting scolded by the student, not the other way around."

"…this is not the first time and you know it."

"I noticed. But it's different. Most student scolds you from being too uptight, this one scolds you because he thinks you're not giving enough training, heh, heh… That boy… the two share some similarities alright… in particular… their temper."

"…I used Satori to find out what happened earlier… Hei, Setsuna… do you think… do you think… I never see future?"

"What?"

"…I saw it with my Satori, Kyuusei said it to Naruto last night… A guy who only read the report compared to the guy who face the problem first hand… now that I think of it… my Satori kinda works the same way, don't you think?"

"…"

"I saw future. But after I saw them… they no longer become a future. They become past. I know what was going to happen and I react accordingly… I'm the guy who only read the report… not facing the problem firsthand."

"…is that why you despise that eye? The eye of your father?"

"…I don't know… either that… or the curse it brings." Kira chuckled sadly. "The wind's changing. That much I can tell. But even Satori can be incorrect. And it happened more than once."

"You're betting the future on Naruto? It's a risky gamble."

"…" Kira sighed. "Oh well… when the time comes, we'll just have to be ready. For now forget what we just talk about. Are you ready?"

"I've got the report. The first detachment is ready to go." Setsuna handed over a crystal to Kira. The Shitennou looked at it one moment and chuckled.

"One thing I don't understand about you guys… you always had a penchant of trying something rather… suicidal."

"Right back at you, Kira-dono." Setsuna smirked confidently.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Strut 1

"I see… so… like Yukiku said, there are 20 guards. Every 6 hours, 5 guards will leave, replaced by a new set of 5 guards."

"6 hours, huh?"

"They need a break, Ed." Neji couldn't help using Naruto's disguise name.

"Hmm… hmmm." 'Edward' scratched his hair.

"…hey, Ed, if you want to sleep; sleep. Remember, since we're observing them, we have to take turns."

"Take turns?"

"You've been working like madman last night, Naruto. I suggest you get some rest. I mean, investigating by day, training by night… it's all up to stamina now."

"Unless you've forgotten, I got plenty of it."

"Yeah well, as plenty as it can be, human body can only have so much."

"…I… I know… I just feel… so full of energy. I've only had bits of rest… yet it felt like I can stay up for days…"

"You know what? You keep saying that, you might get yourself killed. When situation arise and you're too tired to fight, what'll you do?"

"Ah… you're right…"

"Our position is quite secure… I'll wake you if anything happens."

"Countin' on you." Naruto rested his shoulder on a wall. Less than a minute later, the boy already start snoring.

Neji sighed. "Yep. He pushed himself too far."

Strut 7

"…they replaced their guards randomly…" Naruto frowned.

"No. We've been here for 9 hours now… they seem to replace their guards every 6 hours."

"For all the good that's doing them…"

"But don't bet on it. The guards will change from time to time. Let's observe this new set of 5 guards… I want to see how long they'll be on duty."

"Hmm…"

Strut 2...

'Daisuke' couldn't help to yawn. It's been 12 to 14 hours now since they start investigating the group. Finally, just like they thought it's been forever, five shinobi get replaced again.

"Oi, Naruto… don't you think you're pushing it?"

"Huuh?"

"Unlike me and Neji, you haven't slept all night. I think you should rest."

"If I sleep, all the other clones will vanish. We haven't got the enough information yet…"

"Aah…"

Just then, a transmission came from Neji…

"_Guys, let's call it a day, rendezvous in the motel. Naruto, you can call off your bunshins."_

"Copy that. Come on."

The group left their positions, and a few minutes later, they arrived at the motel (at Strut 7). Naruto called all of his bunshins and the information flowed in. "Hm? What's this… clone no. 1, Edward sleeps!?"

"Ah that? Yeah. I told him to sleep. How do you feel?"

"…seriously I'm confused… kinda mixed between wanting to sleep and wanting to stay awake."

Neji tried in vain to imagine the feeling. "A… Anyway… accumulate the information."

A few hours later…

"Well, we certainly get so much more today. Now we do know this:

1, Each gate is guarded by 20 guards

2, Every 6 hours a set of guards, comprising of 5 shinobis are replaced by their next shift, each group will continue their shift for 12 hours before being replaced by another shift.

3, During the shift, the group exchange passwords to ensure they are not impostors.

4, There are 7 gates, each gates are the responsibility of the respective strut, that means, Strut 1 deals with Gate 1, Strut 3 deals with Gate 3, and so forth.

5, After their shift is over, the guard team must first report to the head office in the central strut and then he can return."

"Hmmm… how do you know about the password, Naruto?"

"Well… I think my bunshin no. 9 and 10; it seems a bit suspicious disguise. We wander a little bit too close and they were whispering passwords, thank goodness I have advanced hearing. The password was… "Blue moon shines… something-something… I can't remember. But I do know this… the passwords are in pieces. Each person of the 5 man group utter different password, but they formed a sentence…. And here's another thing, other clones also eavesdrop on the password… and they were different passwords."

"Naturally."

"So… how are we going to get in?"

Neji looked at the new information. "Our best bet… is on point no 5."

"Hm?" The two looked at point no 5.

"After the shift is over, we have to come in… and report… this… could be our way in."

"But… we know next to none about the central strut. How would we know how to get to the Mizukage's office?"

"…plus, there's this password. There's no guarantee that the password today will work for tomorrow."

"I have a suggestion." Naruto raised a finger.

"Yes?"

"…instead of spreading on all gates, let's focus on one gate. Plus, you said each strut responsible for one gate… I say, let's investigate a strut's swordsman HQ… maybe we can find more clues on how to get inside?"

"Ah… I agree to that, Naruto-san! Rather than spreading our forces, we focus on one gate! That's a good idea." Renald grinned.

"…" Yukiku flabbergasted.

"…" Neji gaped. '…that was… surprisingly… intelligent…'

"Saa, Minna! Waddya think?"

Neji overcome his shock and smiled. "Alright… we'll see tomorrow which strut we'll tackle."

"Now… training time." Kira, AGAIN, surprise them out of their wits.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

On the training ground…

"So… how do you feel?"

"I'm getting a hang of it… I think." Neji showed his chakra… the chakra swirls… quite a bit.

"Good. That's good. But not good enough for use in battle. You have to rotate them faster. No need to be as fast as a Kaiten spin. But enough to repel an attack. Water element was never about direct attack."

"Hmm… anoo, Kira-sensei… I actually have a question. My body… my chakra… their effects are… water and thunder, right? I don't understand. Thunder is a 'Yang' branch from Fire… so far as I know, Fire and water don't mix well… how come someone have an opposing element in their body?"

"Well… there are several factors, if you're going to go there." Kira explained. "The first you must understand… is the effect one element have on another." Kira draw a pentagram on the ground. "Goyosei has two kinds of relationship: Overcoming and Generating. When it comes to overcoming, the relationship goes in circle: water douse fire, fire melts iron, iron cuts wood, wood absorbs earth, and earth drain water. It's a cycle. You want to watch over this Neji, depending on the elements of your opponent jutsu, you must choose the right and the best counter. The Generating relationship is a little different. The elements can support and augment the other's elements strength. Fire creates more earth, earth supplements metal, metal carries water, water nurture wood, and wood can generate more fire. Even in its branches these elements suffer little to no change in their relationship with each other… or so it would seem."

"Eh?"

"Normally, when people possess more than one element, they usually have those that support one another: like fire and earth that Sandaime Hokage possess, fire and wind, Ice and wind, metal and earth… But yours is rare case… but you are not the first one."

"Obviously."

"I once thought my element was fire… many things happened and only later did I found out about the 15 element system, and realize my true affinity, which was thunder. You were lucky born in this time, Neji. Back in my time, thunder was seen as the flame of God. To even wield it is considered heresy… and truthfully for a good reason as well."

"Why?"

"Thunder is five times hotter than sun. And water doesn't douse it. On the contrary, it made it more dangerous. Do you see? When it comes to thunder, the relationship changes… and ice don't stop thunder, with enough force, it can simply melt anything it touches… you can say, Thunder offensive jutsus can be said the strongest in heaven. Kyuubi might disagree on this though."

"So you're saying… me having thunder with water… is the result of the Thunder nature itself… which distort the overcoming and generating relationship?"

"Correct."

Yukiku…

"Ah, ah… wrong! You did it wrong again! Ice is not… I repeat… NOT for direct attack. Like water made for support, ice is no different." Kira stopped Yukiku from further denting the iron plate and more importantly, her own fist.

"But I made my chakra rigid… like you said."

"And it is… you're a good student… but… remember again what did I show you the first time… how I froze that lake. Remember when I do that… the almost intangible water has become… tangible. Understand… Ice took the support role of water element one step further. Ice has the ability to make all elements around it to become similar with itself. Watch."

Kira placed his palm on the plate of iron, the next moment, the plate freezes over, and with a seemingly little effort, Kira shatter the iron plate. "See? Ice is not all about brute force. They were, despite their rough and rigid stature, calm, and soft. But their 'Shatter' effect enables them to penetrate the thickest of shields."

"Hmm…"

"Imagine when you infuse the chakra that your chakra melded with the target's structure. Yes, I know it's not as easy as it sound, but that's water element for you. All its branches, Yin or Yang, require a good measure of chakra control."

"Okay, let's go at it again."

Naruto…

"Kira-sensei!"

"Ah Naruto… I've given what you said this morning some thought."

"Oh… and…?"

Kira smiled. "You win." The Demigod jerked his thumb backwards. A gargantuan waterfall stretches for miles with an equally long wooden bench to match. "I had to use a dozen Genjutus, some mind altering hypnotism just to make sure making a giant waterfall don't cause some ruckus. Happy now?"

"Happy?" Naruto's grin couldn't be wider. "TAJUU KAGE BUNSHIN!!"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Day 3

"So… as we all agree… we'll concentrate our effort on strut 2."

"Strut 2's HQ is in plain sight… the other strut is just… well… so and so…"

"Okay… so… we should see a nin, grab it, beat the crap out of him… and then put on disguise and… we get in? Like that?"

"No, Not yet Naruto… we do that, we'll attract the whole bulk of their army at us. We still have to be discreet."

"Okay… discreet, discreet…"

And so, the three shinobi continues their investigation, but more focused on the HQ. Renald faithfully taking notes on things they might not notice in his journal.

The investigation goes on all day, Naruto used his Kage Bunshin to buy food since they don't intend to leave their observation spot, switching one henge to another every so often.

In the evening…

"So… basically, every time the shinobi returns… they brought a certain list… one that contains the information about their next shift."

"They report to the HQ… and then they go on any mission… or any other activities."

"I see…" Neji frowned very slightly. Slowly but sure, in these 3 days, the pieces are coming together. There's a flaw in the seemingly impenetrable defense mechanism. He just… couldn't figure it out. "…one more time. Just one more investigation. Tomorrow. One more time! I almost got it!"

"You're a genius, Neji! We can do this with you!" Naruto encouraged the Hyuuga prodigy.

"And now, training time!" Yukiku immediately stated before Kira could scare the life out of them, again.

Day 4

Naruto used his Kage bunshin to observe the gate with Renald and Yukiku, Neji and Naruto observe the HQ. Jounins dashed in and out. A particular group of jounin arrived. "…that's the guard squad, replacing the previous. Yukiku, you copy?"

"_Loud and clear." _

The five jounin entered the HQ. Naruto, with his advanced eyes able to see from a distance; today they were situated in such spot, they can see what's happening inside. Naruto, understanding the importance of today's investigation, sharpen his eyes to see every detail. "They were exchanging some papers… I can hear them talking… they were told to guard the gate… they were given instruction on the passwords!"

"I see… I get it now. We wait."

The five man guard team left the HQ. A few moments later, Yukiku spotted the team had arrived. "Naruto, what do you hear?"

The blond concentrated. The 5 nin guard team exchanged passwords. The first 5 nin hopped into the gate, and the other 5 took their place.

"_Yukiku, do you copy?" _

"Loud and clear."

"_The guard team should've been replaced by now. I want you to now keep track on the previous team who just entered the gate. Watch when they come out. Tell Naruto to get his senses in full throttle!"_

"Heard that, Naruto?"

"One step ahead of you."

A few minutes later, the previous guard team finally came out. Naruto used his eyes to catch on every detail… then noticed: they were all carrying a small scroll. "…nothing different… except they were carrying a piece of small scroll."

Neji heard everything through his com-link… and suddenly everything finally pieced out. "…get back to the motel, we're finished today."

"_Ain't now a little early?"_

"I got it… the hole in their wall. Get back to the motel. We have much to discuss."

A few moments later, in the motel…

"The shifts. THAT is their hole."

"How did it go?"

"When you said they carry small scrolls, it occurred to me. The system goes like this: five nin will first report to their respective HQ before they go on the guard duty. Then, the HQ provided them with passwords, verbally, in pieces. Each nin in the five man group will remember a piece of the password, one that they must deliver to the guard team at the gate. The replaced guards must then report to the central HQ for instructions that is the small scrolls, of their next assignment and their next guard duty, which we unfortunately do not know."

"So… how are we going to get in?"

"The hole lies in the first part of what I just said: the nin must first get to the strut HQ before they go to the central strut. While we don't know which shinobi will get replaced, we do know, they need to do that every day. SO, our way in… is to capture and impersonate the guard nins that will come in… and the key point here… is that we have to do it… BEFORE they get to the HQ."

"Why?"

"Because once they get to the HQ, they were given a verbal password. If we capture them after they get the password… convincing them to spit it out won't be easy. SO we have to beat them before they get there, and then we can claim the passwords."

"Then… how do we get those nins before they get to the HQ? Rather… how would we know? There are countless shinobis out there…"

"Naruto pointed out one distinguishing feature: they carry a small scroll. Do you remember what it look like?"

"Like hell… the scroll is written with Mizu on it… and has blue trimming… and the axis is pale… like rotten seaweed."

"We need your Kage Bunshin to be on alert and full throttle at all times Naruto. This is critical point. It is also imperative for us to get all 5 of them. Otherwise, one could report the intrusion and there goes our mission."

"Okay…"

"We need to prepare for tomorrow… and because of that… we cannot exhaust ourselves on today's training… Kira-sensei. We'll make it up for sure."

"And I suppose, judging by the sound of your plan, you're going to skimp on tomorrow's training also. Better make it up good."

"Okay." The three responded.

"Alright. Renald-san, you have the map of the area?"

The journal showed his map. "These are the main roads. The HQ lies at the right corner of this strut. These are the smaller roads… but watch for the main roads. The guard teams will most likely try to go through these roads."

"Why?" Naruto asked.

"Because it made them much less vulnerable… you wouldn't try assaulting them on the main street where there are a thousand people watching right?"

"…we have to get them to the small road… the alleyways…"

The four spend all days planning…

At night…

Neji sighed a relief. Their plan is set, their preparation is complete. "Alright. The plan set. Naruto you know what to do right?"

"I'll keep memorizing this plan."

"Okay… get some sleep tonight. Tomorrow's gonna be a LONG day."

And thus… they sleep.

Day 5

The next morning…

"Okay… you all know what to do?"

"Ah."

"Naruto. Do your bunshin. We'll proceed as planned."

Naruto, using his hair and blood, created about a hundred Oni bunshins. They all changed to various kinds of person. Naruto immediately dispatch them to all parts of the village. Because they all have different faces and voices, none realized it was all Naruto.

Naruto and Yukiku transformed into (to their dismay) a couple.

Neji turned into an old man, driving a makeshift cart using a poorly performed mokuton jutsu. Some of the Naruto Oni Bunshin, much to their chagrin, turned into the cow that pulls the cart.

"Operation… begins!"

The plan was simple: Naruto Oni Bunshin will secretly scout the entire village. They will find the five shinobi who will guard the gate, and then Neji, Naruto (the original) and Yukiku, must force them to leave the main road, where Naruto's stronger Oni bunshin (made with more blood and hair then the rest) will take them out.

Naruto and Yukiku must act like a fighting shinobi couple. Their fight 'will' go overboard, and thus, 'unintentionally' blocking a main road.

Neji will pose as an old man with a cart whose wheel got damaged. Thus, blocking the second road. 'In sense, this strut has 3 main roads. If we block two of them, most of the local people will flow in on the third road creating some jamming. The nins will have to go to the smaller alleyways… where Naruto's bunshins will be waiting for them.'

Just then, Neji's train of thought was cut out when Naruto reported him that his bunshins had spotted the five targets and they are on the move.

"Begin the block! I repeat, begin the block." Neji whispered, Using a jutsu, he made the wheel of the cart rolled out. "Oh no… my cart… my goods… oh dear…"

A jounin, one of the guard team looked at the commotion. "Oji-san, something wrong?"

"Ah… my old cart seems can't handle it anymore… but I have to bring this to my shop… it's not far though."

"What are you carrying?" The jounin looked at the content of the cart… and jaw dropped. At least a dozen metal works can be seen inside. Anvils, statues, heavy stuffs which would've require hours to remove. What's worse, the cart was big, and the condition of the fall was such, the road was completely blocked.

'Sheesh… I want to help… but a guard duty… no choice… I can't stay here.' "I would've loved to help you old man, but alas, I'm needed elsewhere. My colleagues will help you soon."

"Thank you." Neji nodded.

The mist jounin jumped away. 'Even if they go through the roof, Naruto had already set another batch of his bunshin up there… and you guys will be the backup if anything goes wrong."

The two cows that are Naruto moo-ed.

With Naruto and Yukiku…

The two walked in their disguise, Naruto a red haired spiky boy and Yukiku, a short haired brunette. Even in their guise, they couldn't help hiding the small tint blushes in their face when a passerby called them a cute couple.

Yukiku mentally thought to herself. '…if we do this without disguise… would we look cute together too?' After realizing what she was thinking, Yukiku fought an urge to slap herself on the face.

Just then, two of the Jounins that was supposed to stand guard came near them.

"It's time." Naruto whispered.

Yukiku snapped out. 'O… okay… here goes.' "…Admit it."

"What?"

"DON'T 'what' me! I saw what you did yesterday!" Yukiku feigned a yell, drawing the bystander's attention.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"YOU ELOPED ON ME! WITH MY OWN SISTER NO LESS!"

"Hey let's be reasonable! You don't have a proof!"

"ADMIT IT!" As she yelled, Yukiku cast a water dragon jutsu on Naruto, who cast a Doton Doryuuheki to protect himself. The resulting wall blocked half of the street.

"Listen! You misunderstood. Yesterday, it was-"

"AHA! SO IT WAS YOU! Hyoton, Hyoryuudan!" A giant ice dragon smashed on the earthen wall, smashing it apart and created an series of giant icicle upon impact. This time, the road is totally blocked.

"You Ungrateful Slut! The other day I also saw you eloped with another guy and kept silent! Now we're even!"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY!?"

"Come and get it!"

The jounins gaped as the main road got blocked. The fighting couple continued their fighting. And with the level of jutsu the two demonstrated, they wouldn't dream of trying to take them down without a tough fight. "A… anoo… you two… could you-"

"SHUT UP! CAN'T YOU SEE WE'RE FIGHTING!?"

A water dragon shot out and almost missed a store. People running away from the ruckus. Another group of Jounin arrived and tried to stop the fight… with a little success. "This… might take a while…"

The two jounin saw that to try to pass through will be the height of their idiocy. "I'm not going anywhere near those two."

"Well, this is not the only main road… let's get to the other road."

"'kay."

On the third road however…

The last two jounin found themselves unable to move without stumbling on at least 10 people. With the two roads are 'off limits', the flow of citizen got funneled into that one road. "We're not going anywhere like this."

"I heard the other two roads were also blocked."

"We'll take the alleyways, then."

"Right."

Neji smirked when one of the Naruto clone made the report that the targets had been brought right where they wanted. "Okay… time to finish this up."

"Pardon?" One of the helping jounin looked at him.

"I said, let's finish this up. Thank you for helping this old man, youngsters. I'm really sorry for all this mess."

"Your welcome."

The jounins get to the alleyway, where they were welcomed by Naruto's Oni-Genjutsu. They were forced to walk round and round, where, during their confusion, Naruto's bunshin easily take them out.

An hour later…

Nej, Yukiku and three Narutos had used henge and turned into the unconscious, courtesy of Yukiku's needles, Mist nins they've captured. "These must be the scrolls."

"Yep."

"Okay. I'm Otawara Ginji. Yukiku, you're Sawabara Kai, Naruto, you're Sakai Shima, Naruto clone 1 you're Munakata Juuro, Naruto Clone 2, Masashi Muroki."

"Got it."

"Roger."

"You clones take these guys to the storing place."

"Gotcha."

The Fake group of five finally arrived on the HQ.

"You're late! All of you!" the concierge scolded them.

"I'm sorry. There's a lot of disturbance on the street… a fighting couple, an old man and his metal works…"

"Yes, yes, so I've heard. All those troubles have been solved, no?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Your scrolls?"

They handed it to the nin. The nin opened all five of them and checked for any forgery and fakes. "…okay. Everything checks out. Come here, one by one. I'll tell you the password for today."

'Otawara Ginji' step up first. "Blue sky splits open, white clouds blown away, black wind flows, red sun rises."

'Sawabara Kai' next. "Blue dragon descent, the lion heaps, and the turtle sleeps."

'Sakai Shima' next. "The gate is opening, the guardian closed his jaw, and the chain unleashed."

'Munakata Juuro' "The light of heaven shine, as the fish dance in the sky, the moon shy her face."

And finally, 'Masashi Muroki' "The star shines, reflected on the blue sea and the ape bludgeon his own chest in glee."

"Okay that's the password. You'll be replacing Azuma, Sakino, Kuruma, Yasuoki, and Makabe. Now hurry up, they've been working overclock already."

"Okay." The five nin disappeared with a puff.

"Guys we got a problem. Naruto gulped.

"I made a list on what he just said. Here." Neji handed Naruto a piece of paper. It contains the passwords. "Figure you'll forget. Memorize it, and then destroy it before we get to the gates. Hurry."

A few minutes later, they arrived on the gates. "Sorry we're late. We're here to replace Azuma, Sakino, Kuruma, Yasuoki and Makabe."

"Okay. The password?"

"Blue sky splits open, white clouds blown away, black wind flows, red sun rises."

"Blue dragon descent, the lion heaps, and the turtle sleeps."

"The gate is opening, the guardian closed his jaw, and the chain unleashed."

"The light of heaven shine, as the fish dance in the sky, and errh… the moon shy her face."

The guards looked a bit suspiciously on the fourth nin. The Naruto clone tried his best to look as indifferent as possible.

"Okay… last password?"

"The star shines, reflected on the blue sea and the ape bludgeon his own chest in eh… joy… err… glee."

"…"

The group slightly tensed. Finally the guard nin nodded. "Alright. The last word was a bit… oh well…"

The five nin were replaced by the fake replacements.

Neji breathed a sigh of relief. They managed to get halfway. Now, they have to stand guard for 12 hours like that until they can get in. 'The hardest phase is over… but this phase is no less taxing then the other. Ganbatte! Minna!'

12 long hours later…

At first, Neji thought that Naruto would blow of their cover. But the blond surprisingly took it pretty well with only a few yawns.

Just then, their replacement finally comes.

Neji asked them. "Halt. Your password?"

The five nin passed on their password. Neji wouldn't even bother clarifying whether it's right or wrong. "Okay. It's your shift now."

"You five get in and report to the main HQ!"

"Yes sir."

The five nin entered the gates and finally put their steps on the central strut. Inside, the defense was even tighter. "From here… we're supposed to report… but where exactly should we report? We didn't exactly get the chance to investigate this place… did we?"

"All in all… our infiltration is quite successful… only… now is a totally different operation altogether." Neji concluded.

"…let's go somewhere else. In this spot we got at least a hundred eyes looking at us…" Yukiku frowned.

They immediately moved away from the place to some small alleyway. When no one's looking, they catch their breath. "Now… we gotta figure out a way to get to the Mizukage."

"…let's get to that building… I see it's standing out from the rest. And it got the kanji Mizu (water) written on it… a common thing you found on a kage's office."

The five (three in essence) walked casually towards the building. Just as they took some step on the stairs, a voice called them.

"Stop! You five!"

They halted their pace and turned around: lo and behold: the head of the 2nd strut, Fetaru Hiko and his sister, Fetaru Kyoko.

"Oh no… stay where you are guys."

The two sword masters walked towards them. Hiko looked at them. "You guys are here to report your watch yes? I've heard some disturbance in my strut, what happened?"

Neji answered. "There are two shinobi couple having a fight in the streets and then there's an old iron-smith with his cart full of metalworks and it broken on the streets. Both have been taken care of, sir."

Hiko blinked. He looked at the other nin a bit longer. And then back to Neji. "…you might want to add another 'sir' at the beginning of every sentence you speak to me… because that's the way I teach my men to speak to their superior… Konoha nins."

Kyoko blinked, while the five fake Mist nins tensed.

"…relax. I know who you are. And I know why you're here. Keep your disguise. I'm taking you to see Mizukage now."

Kyoko still gaping. "So… so… which one of you are Naruto-san?"

"All three of us." Three mist nins raised their hands.

"And the person who just spoke to me I assumed to be Hyuuga Neji and the last remaining one will be Yukiku. Congrats. You guys have managed to penetrate this far. For a genin, that's quite a feat."

"You noticed us because the way I speak huh?"

"Not exactly just that. Masashi Muroki broke his knee on his most recent mission, hence his walk rather limp. 'Munakata Juuro' has a habit of playing with his mole. 'Otawara Ginji' suffers a mild schizophrenic and often seen talking to himself, and lastly, 'Sakai Shima' and 'Sawabara Kai'… are gay couples, they often 'close' with each other."

Yukiku burst a "They're WHAT?"

"You see… I know my men better than the rest."

"I see." Neji chuckled bitterly. 'Damn. No wonder he was able to lead them so well…'

They entered the Mizukage office and were brought to a big door. Hiko stopped in front of the door. "…before we enter. My men. What have you done to them?"

"…you'll find them at the foot of the Sword Mountain. We tied them on the fourth tree fifty five steps to the north. The tree bark is falling apart. They're alive, but unconscious under the effect of the needle."

"Thank you." Hiko nodded once and then opened the door.

Inside, the Mizukage, Kirimaru Enshin was sipping his sake, guarded by at least 6 jounins. "Hmm. Welcome. Hiko, is there something you wish to report?"

"Hm… I found these intruders infiltrating the central strut."

"!" The five nin tensed up."

"Execute them." The Mizukage easily stated.

The five nins suddenly found themselves struggling as the 6 jounins grab hold of them. Neji gulped. 'DAMN! I forgot that Mizukage's attitude… if we told him now on what we're here for, we'll blow our cover! What should we do now?'

But while Neji still ponder on what to do, Naruto made the decision for him.

"I… HAD… ENOUGH… OF… **THIS!"**

Red youki burst out from Naruto's body. The next second, 3 nins were sent flying. The other three didn't have time to react, the Kyuubified Naruto quickly overpower two nins, rendering them unconscious. The last nin struggled as Naruto put him on chokehold. The Mizukage was somewhat horrified by the sudden occurrence. Hiko, realizing the danger, pulled his katana out and attempt to slash Naruto. The boy, some of his Mist disguise was blown off by the youki, grabbed his OWN sword, the Tenrou and retaliates.

Hiko was shocked to find that the impact from the blow was enough to send him backwards by one step.

Neji gasped. Now he remembered that Naruto is in full access to a part of Kyuubi's chakra. The boy surely picks just the right time to lose control of it now.

Yukiku was somewhat horrified. She had seen Naruto lost control before… but she was at quite a safe distance. This time, Naruto lost control right next to her and she was… petrified.

"**RAAAAAAAAHH!" **Naruto used the unconscious mist nin in his hand to smash Kyoko's attempt to stop him. And the wave of his chakra instantly wiped out two of his clones. His red eyes in full display, glared at the frightened Mizukage. Wait a minute… THAT kind of Mizukage… frightened? Something clicked in to Naruto's mind. For a moment, the boy regained control of his senses and he began noticing things. The Kyuubi Jinchuriki growled again and tossed the unconscious nin in his hand to a wall behind the Mizukage with such force, the wall breaks apart… revealing ANOTHER Mizukage. This one, unlike the first, was calm and sipping his sake like watching the news report.

"What the… there are two Mizukage?" Yukiku blinked.

"…the first one is his Kagemusha. An identical copy of his." Neji sighed.

Enshin looked at the Mist nin trickling with red chakra, and the other two fake mist nins. "…how did you know?"

"**You stink! I smelled you before… and I remember your scent!"**

"I see." Enshin sipped his sake again. "Then… what do you want? Obviously, you didn't infiltrate my office, knocked down my guards, destroying my humble abode just to see me now?"

Neji frowned. "We'll talk to you… and only to you. Tell these people to leave. Or do you want my friend here to knock some sense on them? I tell you now. The way he is right now, it won't end with just bruises."

"Speak now, right here, or we don't talk at all."

"Then we have NO deal! We're Chuunin participant and suddenly you forced a mission on us under the threat of being made enemy of the village. Who you take me for, a fool!? I've seen through your ruse, old fox. You want us to work for you, now you're looking at us, working for you. But we had enough being treated like this. Need I remind you, we're trying to save your life? You NEED our help. Either you'll cooperate and give us some respect… or we'll leave and we won't give a damn about your life or your village!"

Naruto still kyuubified glared at the old kage.

"…" The kage thought for a moment. "Hiko, Kyoko, leave us. All of you."

Neji sighed. "Naruto… calm down. Calm down. We had a deal… I think you should take Yukiku out of here… I'll speak with the kage alone."

Naruto had calmed down considerably, his red chakra died down. He looked at Yukiku, most of the color in her face had almost drained out. "Hey, Yukiku! Snap out of it." Naruto gently slapped the terrified kunoichi back to her senses.

"Come on. Get up."

Seeing Naruto's back on his senses, Yukiku calmed down considerably, but still shaky. Naruto had to support her out of the room.

Naruto helped Yukiku up. Hiko observed the nin, in particular, the one who had forced him backwards. The swordsman sheaths his sword… and found the handle was stained with blood. His blood. He looked at his palm and saw, though slightly, it was bleeding. 'Uzumaki Naruto… what happened to him? In only a few weeks, his powers seem spiked like nothing else. It's like he's a totally different person altogether…'

Yukiku looked at Naruto weakly. '…the feeling of that chakra… so much… hate… so much… fury… no matter how many times I see Naruto draped in that chakra… just how on earth he was able to withstood all that?'

A little while later, only Neji and Enshin were left on the room. Neji sighed. For a moment, he thought of putting off his disguise, but his better judgment against it. He simply can't take risk. Neji thought of Naruto. The blond stupidity sometimes hid the fact he was carrying the most dangerous demon alive in his belly. 'Come to think of it, Kira sensei unseal a bit of Kyuubi's Youki. Naruto has been using it for five days… a thousand of him was using it. And some of them are also vulnerable to Youki's effect. When he called off 1000 bunshin, he called back 1000 mental stress of maintaining Kyuubi's Youki in check as well.' Neji chuckled. 'He managed to do something like that for 5 days… from certain point of view, if it weren't for his lack of intelligence, Naruto's self control is impressive; but he must've reached the breaking point. The kage simply choose the wrong time to piss him off.'

"I suppose you have a little problem controlling your subordinates, eh, Hyuuga?"

"You have no idea."

"Hmm." The Kage sipped his sake. "Then, I trust you have some information for us?"

Neji sighed. "…on our way here, we get to Mizunari Fujiki's ship the Kraken. Due to some slight misunderstanding, the ship was shot by a pirate. A pirate which goes by the name, Shu the Stingray."

The Mizukage's eyes widen ever so slightly.

"The ship was incredibly advanced. It is fully armed, and the crews are no joke. But that's not the point. My friend found a dead list. They have six names in it, 4 dead. And a few days ago, another was also found dead. Of those inside the list, Mizukage sama, you are the only one still alive."

"…who are the other five?"

"Kaguya Ryuuzaki, Fetaru Hiryuu, Murakumo Shougo, Momochi Zabuza, and Hoshigaki Kisame. Were these names meant anything to you?"

"…" The Mizukage thought up for a moment. "I see… then?"

"Excuse me… but I asked you a question did I not?"

"I beg pardon, I'm your client?"

"Unless you forget, we are outsiders. We know next to none about your village. Yes we know there's a coup. But that's it! As if trying to survive the insanity of your shinobis aren't bad enough, we're rummaging in the dark, Kage-sama. I will tell you what I know, in return, tell us what we need to know!" Neji become more and more annoyed. Paranoid or not, there must be some limits. "And here's another thing: we found Feataru Hiko was once part of Shu the Stingray's Pirate band. Even better, Naruto swear he saw some proof that Shu was your student, along with his compadre: Mizunari Fujiki! Could you explain why your own student wants to kill you?"

The Mizukage looked at Neji, closed his eyes for a moment, and sighed. "Alright. I'll tell you."

The old kage sipped his wine and then took a deep breath… and began his story. "The root of it all originates in the far past… After the great Ninja world war ended, Kirigakure returned to the Archipelago of the Water country. The diminutive size of land and the separation of island created diverse clans in the country. Tribal bloodbath had become… almost, a daily event. And the favorite weapons of these tribal showdowns… are the ninjas of our village. More often than not, we must face our own friend when we were hired by opposing sides. Thus, we decided that every graduation academy, one best friend must fight with each other. And thus, that is how we were known as the bloody Mist village."

Neji kept listening.

"As time went by however, more and more of the citizens of the surrounding islands also came to our village to learn become a shinobi. Alas, when they found out that those who came from an opposing clan also went here to learn, they seem more concerned to kill each other rather than becoming a fine shinobi. This compounding everything, no Mist shinobi has ever been able to last for more than a year. We burn our roster of Genins in months, Chuunins in weeks, and Jounin in days. We lost more shinobi faster than we make them. Now, at this point, you might gonna think… with all these misfortune that befell on us, how on earth, the Mist nin didn't destroy itself a long time ago?" Enshin smiled bitterly. "…Konoha has two clans I believe? Both with bloodline limits of their own? Hyuuga, and Uchiha. I heard the Uchiha were wiped off?"

"Yes. Only… two remain."

"The infamous Uchiha Itachi. But as dire as what happened back there may seem, I must say it: you Konoha lot got off lightly. It was the same in Kirigakure. We have two clans: Murakumo… and Kaguya. Both are the founding clans of the Kirigakure."

"Kaguya…"

"You've seen a Kaguya before."

"No. But Naruto fought one. He mentioned… their ability is… morphic bones."

"And what happened to the kaguya?"

"Dead."

"And there goes the last of our clan… The Kaguya clan. They are, quite literally, the spearhead of our village. Their indestructible bones make them a walking mass of swords. In battle, not a single shield or wall or people army can stop their rampage. If they have any back draws… is the fact that it seems God guarantee that every last one of them, even their women and children, are war crazed psychopath down to the bone. The only one that can stop them… were the Murakumo clan. The Kaguya will engage war… with the Murakumo at their side to keep them on a short leash."

Inside, Neji was waiting when will the Mizukage get to the point, but at the same time, he wants to hear more about the Kirigakure history. Also, with these two clans revealed, he began to see a link between his information and Enshin's story.

"It was balance. But as you might assume, it was a fragile balance. One, with the right impulse, is so easily shattered. The two clans are rivals. Normally I would see competition sharpens the skills. But the two clans became so powerful; we're starting a very dangerous precedence. The village became dependant on the powers of the two clans. This is where the story truly began. Around 60 years ago, in my generation, I was still a genin, but by that time, most of the shinobis that composed the Kirigakure's regular army hails from either one of those clans. And on the other hand, natural shinobi without any bloodline limit to back them up seems forgotten and ignored. We looked strong… but no one realized just how fragile we were… everyone… except my teammate: Fetaru Hiryuu."

Neji blinked. "Fetaru Hiryuu? One of the person on the list?"

"Yes. When he became a jounin at 20, he saw the storm coming. He saw what was going to happen he tried to convince the council of the severity of the problem. He barged in into a meeting and tried, unfortunately in vain, to warn them… When he tried to announce it to the public, they crucify him, strip him off his title and belittle his name in every way the council can. He lost his credibility… and he was considered a non-person ever since."

"I see…"

"In any case, eventually it happened. Ten years after Hiryuu's prosecution, the Kaguya contracted a deadly disease, one that we don't know how to cure, and it killed their clan one by one at frightening speed. Seeing the prospect that they will died out drove the clan to the edge. And they strike a coup. A bloody civil war. The Murakumo, realizing that this wasn't just some ordinary infighting, retaliated in kind. The two great clans that formed the majority of our regular military clashed with each other. When the final sword is sheathed, no one wins. The two clans killed each other out in a long 10 years of civil war… and it greatly exhausted our military strength, killing two major figures in the process: Kaguya Ryuuzaki the White whale, head of the Kaguya clan and Murakumo Shougo the Red Sea, the head of the Murakumo clan. During the time, Zabuza also chopped the third Mizukage."

Neji nodded. "So… the guy who present themselves as the swordsman… one of them are just… the fake Murakumo Shougo?"

"Call it a dying tradition if you want. We have the squad 7 Devil Swordsman… but in sense… there have been only six swordsmen. The 7th swordsman, regardless of origin or clans, is always titled Murakumo Shougo."

"And then you said Zabuza did?"

"Aye. The 2nd Mizukage, whose reign was only a few months, despite him creating foundations on how the village will be ran, all those brilliant plans were made by the council. Many of his plans never been practiced until the Third took control. Many people however, after realizing they're killing themselves with barbarous tradition of having their children killing their friends, demanded that the tradition to be stopped. The third turned a deaf ear under the pretense that he was too busy dealing with the growing animosity between the Kaguya and the Murakumo… until Zabuza killed every last one of the graduates when he was only 7… 8… I don't remember. With that twisted smile on his face, you could barely believe he was still a kid at the time."

"…you were there?"

"I was the Jounin tasked to oversee the exam. He nearly killed me by a few millimeters. In any case, after the incident, the rule of the third began to fail. And a few years after that, there was the case where Zabuza's classmate, Kisame, became a missing nin, and in the process, killed several minority clans around the water country. You've heard of this yes?"

"Yes."

"By this time, many people boycotted the Third's rule, and as if answering their wish, Zabuza murdered the Third during the night when the Kaguya raided the Murakumo. And then he himself became a missing nin. And that was 15 years ago."

Neji nodded.

"Well, are you satisfied?"

"…that still doesn't explain… why your own student wants to kill you?"

"That… I don't know either. He left our village because he said he loved the sea."

"Naruto also saw that you were his father's teammate when you were young?"

"Yes."

"What happened to his father?"

"…he was… murdered… by Fetaru Hiryuu."

"!!"

"His father was the head retainer of Murakumo Shougo, together with Hiryuu. However, at the night when the Kaguya clan strikes, reports saying Hiryuu attempted to strike down his own master. His father took the blow meant for Shougo, and he died then and there. And finally, the Kaguya clan and the Murakumo slaughtered each other. Many still believe, had the Murakumo head still alive at the time, the result would've been different."

"…one moment… Fetaru Hiryuu… what's his relation with Hiko and Kyoko?"

"Hiryuu was their father."

Neji gaped. "…"

"And Hiko was my student, as was Shu and Fujiki."

"I see… And… what happened to Hiryuu? Was he dead?"

"Very. After the incident in of the Murakumo and the death of his father, he became a hunter nin 5 years after, and he hunted Hiryuu for another 5 years… he bring back Hiryuu's dead body… and suddenly he turned to become a missing nin. Next thing we know, he… degenerated into pirate, dragging Hiko along, until this very day… Hiko… confess that he call it quits after his first year in the sea. He said the life of a pirate is too… poor, culturally, socially, and so he returned… after I tried him of course. One thing though… had Shu stayed… he would've been the next in line for the title Mizukage."

"What!?" Neji jaw hung.

"That's why, speaking for myself, I rather doubt that he wished to kill me, to do so would simply means that he will be condemned forever. But you are the ones with the proof, are you not?"

"True… but what you just said… him, next in line for a Mizukage… it could probably changes everything… Anyway… about Kisame… he was murdered… on which strut? And by whom?"

"We do not know. When we found the body… well… we only DID found the body. The head went missing… someone beheaded him before we could. We found him on… strut 3. Poisoned and rotted."

"Strut 3… the medical and drug division."

"Yes. It was lead by Fudou Touzou. The strut 3 also hosts his Research and Development Department AKA the Nut-House."

"Okay… errhhh… you said Shu was once the candidate for the Mizukage… now that he is a pirate, who else?"

"…the newest of the swordsman. Formerly the student of Shu's father, Saizen."

"Student… the thin guy with glasses and long brown hair?"

"That's him. Saizen Miyamoto, the Sawshark. He took the spot following Kisame's reported death… I know what you're thinking… feel free to make him a suspect if you like. He's stationed in strut 4… though originally, he always stay in strut 1."

"Strut 4…" Neji nodded. "Okay… one last thing… do you have any secure line? It's quite risky for us to keep infiltrating the central strut JUST to talk to you. Do you have… some short of communication line that will only be received by you… and ONLY you?"

"Hmm… do you still have the orb I gave you?"

"Yes?" Neji gave the orb of Kiri to Enshin. The Mizukage made some seals with it. Then he rummaged his robe and produced another Orb of Mist. The two orb touches and shine blue slightly and then he returned the orb to Neji. "Put it on your ears."

"Okay." Neji put it on his ears. The Mizukage did the same.

"Now you can talk as if I'm right in front of you." Enshin's voice flowed in to Neji's ears, but the said Mizukage barely moved his lips. "If I wanted to, I can even do this while I'm sipping my sake."

"This is… ventriloquist?" Neji whispered slightly.

"No… the sphere sent vibration straight into your eardrum. Only the receiver can hear what the sender sent. And all I have to do is slightly opening my mouth without a sound."

Neji also did the same. "I see… is there any specific ways to ensure it's a secure line?"

"It works like a television frequency. Only, instead of frequency, we'll use handseals. The handseals to connect to my orb in a secure line is… Ox, ram, tiger, snake, ram, roost, and dragon."

"Ox, ram, tiger, snake, ram, roost, dragon. Got it."

"Keep that orb, Hyuuga. Even if you cannot show it around freely, that orb is still an important part. Various kinds of jutsu has been put into, it acts more than just solidify your status as a Mist nin. Be careful with it."

"…I will. I guess… it'll be all."

"Hm." Enshin nodded.

Neji walked out of the room. Outside, Hiko, Kyoko, Yukiku and a sleeping Naruto was waiting for him. Neji looked at the window, it was already nightfall. They've talked for hours inside. "Well, you get anything out of this?" Yukiku asked.

"…plenty. Come. Yukiku, wake him up. We're leaving."

"Okay. Naruto! Wake up!" Yukiku shook the blond several times, but the mist nin that is the blond boy still sleeping. A twitch appeared on the back of her head. The girl immediately created a small piece of ice and put it at the back of his neck. The sharp cold instantly sent Naruto gasping like mad.

"W… what…"

"Naruto, your drool."

"Heh…? uh… erhh…" The boy wiped his mouth.

"…come. We finally got what we're here for."

"Okay." Naruto stood up and ready to leave.

"…you might want to come with us? Your men. They could use your help?"

"None will be given. They've embarrassed me today. Getting penetrated so easily by a bunch of Genins. After what happened I intend to punish them. Let them stay there for tonight. Getting tied up in some tree is the least of their problem." Hiko stated flat-out.

"Okay."

"Sheesh… you're quite hard on your man."

"I prefer to be called strict. Isn't that what your sensei did? Your muscles are not bulging… but I can tell when someone has been training like mad."

"Eh… heh. You're right on that one." Yukiku inwardly gulped. 'I'm growing muscles heh? Well, I'm a shinobi… but what is this… shiver?'

Neji looked at Hiko. '…'

"_What happened to his father?"  
_

"…_he was… murdered… by Fetaru Hiryuu."_

The Hyuuga thought things through. '…Hiko… the son of a traitor… that must've been tough for him… but, as I thought… we really can't put him out of the suspect list… and neither can his sister…'

"Alright. Let's get out of here… this place seriously give me the creeps."

"We'll escort you out. I insist. You guys have been staying in this place for too long." Hiko finished. "And Uzumaki-san, get that disguise back in its place. You look terrible as one of my men."

"Huh?" Naruto look at himself. Parts of his true appearance are showing off everywhere. His spiky blond hair showed out from his supposedly flat out black hair. He looked like a grotesque amalgam of two people. "Gee… I looked like… okay."

After a few moments later, they've reached the gate; the guards were a bit surprised to see three shinobi came out together with their leader.

"You guys… you've been in there for hours! What were you doing?"

"Nothing." The three were responded flatly. "Sir, Hiko-sama, with your permission, we would like to go back to our home now, sir."

"Hm. You're dismissed." Hiko nodded.

The three fake Mist nin dashed away before the guards can stop them, but Hiko immediately took their attention. "You lot, there's an intruder today you know that?"

"Sir, W… what, sir!?" the guards was shocked.

"It's taken care of. But the worst part of it, the breach was done here, in MY gate!"

"Sir, our apologies, sir!"

"None accepted! Tomorrow all of you must train harder! I'll see to it myself! Understood?"

"Sir, yes sir!"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

After they returned to their motel, Renald and Kira welcomed them as they were playing chess. "Welcome back. How's it going?"

"We're tired… VERY tired!" The three finally undo their henge and fell on the floor. The physical and mental stress in the last 5 days had eaten them all alive.

Kira sighed. "Renald-san, help me. Let's get them to bed."

"Hai."

Renald helped Neji, while Kira took Naruto and Yukiku.

The three start snoring the moment they were landed on the bed. Kira chuckled. "Right… now… where were we?"

"Ah… I think my Queen just eat your knight."

"Aw dang, that's my favorite piece."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Later… at night…

Neji woke up and found he was not the only one awake. Naruto was already awake.

"You're not sleeping?"

"…Kyuubi's chakra kicking' in. Damn… I'm sorry. I almost screw up back there."

"No. Come to think of it, if it weren't for you, we would've been dead."

"Should we do something like that again, just to speak with that old fart?"

"No need. He had given me a way to contact him without anyone knowing. But, like always, we mustn't do it public."

"Of course. What were you guys talking about inside?"

"A lot of things. But let's save it for tomorrow. I want Yukiku to listen to it as well."

"How bout now?" Yukiku grunted in her sleep.

"Did we wake you up?"

"Yes you did." The girl sighed. "But… then again I had trouble sleeping anyway… then? What were you guys talking about inside? You and the Mizukage that is?"

"This is gonna be a pretty long story."

Neji retold the entire tale that Mizukage had told him: the Mist Civil War, the two clans, the relationships of the names in the Dead List Six. Naruto was shocked when Neji told him that Shu was a man destined to become the next Mizukage.

"But, if he's trying to kill the Mizukage that would simply condemn him!"

"Exactly. That's what I said to him. But… then, I remembered the day the Mizukage was almost killed. The method was very discreet, right?"

"True… that's very true… but… that still doesn't explain why Shu wanted to kill the Tora-mayu-jiji (tiger eyebrow grandpa)?" Naruto frowned.

"It would make sense if Shu wanted to kill Hiko instead… but…"

Neji took a breather. "Based on all the findings and investigation, the weight seems pointing at Shu. What we don't understand is the motive."

"Anoo… Neji… one question… do you have any other prime suspect in mind?"

"…there's a long list of suspects… but… there's another one… one that we haven't even had the time to investigate… Saizen Miyamoto the saw-shark. He, like Saizen, is also one of the people next in line for the Mizukage title."

"…was he the guy with glasses and long messy brown hair?" Naruto remembered when Hiko presented before the Genins.

"Yes. That's the one."

"I remember… back in Shu's sub, I also saw a guy with brown hair and glasses… I think he was Shu's father's student!"

"Yes. That's the one!"

"So now what?"

"…we only have 2 days left before the Chuunin first exam. We'll use what time we have to investigate as much as we could on two struts: Strut 1 and Strut 4. Strut 1 is the area where Saizen once belonged, and Strut 4 is the strut which he now controls as a swordsman."

"Got it."

"Okay… now… let's get some sleep. We were barely begun."

"You guys sleep… I still can't."

"Are you sure Naruto? We went through a lot today you know?" Yukiku sighed.

"Nah… I'm always a fast healer. I'll just gonna get some fresh air."

Neji yawned slightly. "Suit yourself."

Naruto left the room as his two friends back to sleep.

The blond walked quietly as to not wake other people. The boy quite literally walked aimlessly and somehow find himself in the training ground. The waterfall kept roaring before him. Naruto smirked.

"Tajuu Kage Bunshin!"

Somewhere on a tree Kira laughed. "See? What did I tell you? Even if he did go to sleep, he'll still train. Setsuna?"

"Damn!" Setsuna tossed the Shitennou his winning.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Deidara's days in Interrogation

Minichapter 12:

The tragedy of the Chicken soup 1

The guards of the Sand village were doing their duty as usual. Just then they saw a man running towards them. The man looked thoroughly exhausted and he was very thin. From the distance, he looked like a mirage…

"That's… hey… that's the Postman nin!"

"What's that he's carrying on his back?"

"A… box?"

The post nin came closer and closer… the nin stopped a few meters away from the guards. Then, slowly… very slowly… he put down the box on his back.

The nin smiled a ghostly smile. "Mission accomplished."

Several Suna nin smiled. Delivering any delivery to everyone has always been a post nin's mission.

"kay… ummm… whom should we give this package to, postman? Postman?"

The postman continues to give that eerie smile. "Give it to a man named Athrun Zala. My last mission… is complete… now I can… rest…"

"Yes of course. Looks like you could use a rest. But I just need you to-"

The postman disappeared.

"Huh… where did he go?'

"He was here a second ago!"

"…could it be… that was… a ghost? No… yes! It must be!"

"Are you sure?"

"Come to think of it the ghost did say it was his last duty…"

"What is this thing? It was so important, the postman died delivering it?"

"Let's bring it to the office!"

"We have to give it to Athrun-san!"

"That's the idea… but we have to report it first."

"Right! Rest in Peace postman. We'll do your job on your behalf!"

In the heaven…

The postman's spirit danced in happiness. "Finally! Finally! I rid myself of that abominable package… good luck… Suna nins!"

To be continued…

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Wow… I made this chapter in just a week…

Anyway, some people might be a little confused: so here's a little data about kirigakure's struts:

Strut 1 - Jutsus and scrolls

Strut 2 - Weapons and blacksmiths

Strut 3 - Research and development

Strut 4 - Trading area

Strut 5 - Equipment and gears

Strut 6 - Medical Facility

Strut 7 - Restaurant area and food distribution


	31. The First Exam

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": special case**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA! : Giant creature speech **

"_Journal no bla bla": Renald's writing or other uses_

Disclaimer: I own nothing… except the plenty of OCs in the story.

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WARNING! This chapter contains some scenes of gorish proportion and implied rape, bestiality as well as pregnancy. You have been warned.

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**Chapter 28:**

**The First Exam**

Fetaru Hiko was strolling around the area when he finally found what he was looking for. "Excuse me?"

"Y… Yes, Fetaru-dono?"

"Do you have Konoha nin staying the night here?"

"Why. Yes. And they were staying with a foreigner."

"Yes. That's the one. Where are they?"

"Well they should be going down by now… They're rather suspicious character don't you think so, Hiko-dono? They've been going everywhere in and out my motel-Ah there they are…"

"Hiko-san?" Yukiku and Neji came down the stairs.

"Morning you two. Where's Uzumaki-san?"

"Oh, Naruto? He must be on the foot of the sword mountain again."

"Foot of the… what's he doing there? That's a sacred place!"

"Training. We didn't go to the mountain itself, I assure you."

"Right." Hiko frowned.

"You're here for…?"

"Well… you've beat the crap out of my men, I'm here to pick them up."

"Right. Come with us."

The group makes their way to the foot of Sword Mountain. There, they saw Kira, shouldering on a tree. "Yo, guys… hm? Who's that with you?"

"Excuse me. I'm Fetaru Hiko. One of the swordman… you… must be Konoha team's sensei?"

"Yes? Err… are you talking about this?" Kira pointed on the gargantuan waterfall behind them.

Hiko gaped at the size of the waterfall. "Errhh… that… and… one more thing… where?"

"On that tree. The tree Kira-sensei rested his shoulder on."

"Right. Will you excuse me for a moment?"

"Hm?" Kira moved away. Hiko took a better look at the tree and found his men, unconscious on the top of the tree, tied together.

"Okay." He unsheathed his sword a little… and then sheathed it again. The next second, the rope was cut and five Mist nin fell down on top of each other. Hiko looked at their bodies and found a needle on their necks. He pulled them all out and the nins regained consciousness soon after.

"You guys… are… a… DISGRACE!!" Hiko roared.

"WHUAAA! Hi… Hiko-dono?"

"Naze… Why are we here…?"

"Last thing I remembered I was preparing for my shift and these bunch guys the size of a something came at me and-"

"Shut up! Thanks to your incompetence we got intruders last night! GET UP! You guys better be ready! I won't go easy on your punishment!"

"S-Sir, yes sir!"

"Right… now that's taken care of… that waterfall… could you…"

"I'm sorry. I made it for training. But don't worry. Today will be the last day we'll need it."

"Eh?" Hiko looked at Kira, and then to the waterfall. That's when Hiko noticed the ledge, and at least a thousand Naruto standing on it. 'Uzumaki Naruto?'

Naruto was breathing, slowly, gently. He took another deep breath, and then, with a great cry: "DATTTEBAYOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!" 1000 Naruto slammed both of their palms on the waterfall. The wind chakra exploded… and with it, the 1000 Naruto cut the entire waterfall to two.

Everyone's eyes widened and their jaw went aghast.

"YATTAAA!" All Naruto cheered spontaneously.

"We did it!"

"ALRIGHT!!" Several Naruto gave each other a double high five.

"YEEHAAAAAAAAAA!!"

Kira grinned. "He did it. Much faster then I imagined." 'With this, the preparations are complete for the last phase.'

Hiko's eyes turned wide. '…that was… wind elemental… could it be… during this week… they investigate this place, and they do training by night?' A slight shiver went down his spine. 'What… what kind of people are they… these Konoha nins?'

"Alright! Alright! Good job everyone! Alright I'll call off all of you now." Naruto called off his jutsu, and the whole 1000 clones disappeared. Like before, 1000 information went in, and the blond lost consciousness and fell off the ledge. Kira immediately caught the boy mid-air, that's when Kira realized… Naruto didn't faint. "Sensei… I'm… hungry…"

Kira smirked. 'He also had gotten used to this training to the point he no longer faints right out…' "Good job. With this, second phase, complete."

"Sir… Hiko-dono… this is…"

"…"

"Incredible! Naruto-kun!" Yukiku came running at her teammate along with Neji.

"You can cut the waterfall… does this mean he can use it in real combat?"

"Well training is one thing real combat is another. It'll be a moment to look forward to! And besides… he didn't cut just the waterfall."

"Eh?"

Kira make another jutsu, and the cliff, the waterfall and everything returned back to its original landscape.

Hiko took a deep breath. "We're going."

"Sir, yes sir." The five nin followed their leader.

What happened to the cliff, only Hiko saw it: The moment Naruto smashed the waterfall, the chakra still go through and "He… cut the whole mountain…"

"Eh?" His subordinates looked at their leader. They were quite surprised to see their leader this tense.

"…tell the Genins that came from our strut. Your relatives, your sons, your children… I don't care. Tell every last one of our genin that participate in the Chuunin exam. Tell them to train twice as harder… and watch out for these Konoha nins. They're so much more than the regular ones. ESPECIALLY the blond. Intensify their training if possible."

"Sir yes sir!"

The group of Mist nin left them.

"Anyway… will you guys be doing anymore investigation?"

"Yes."

"Hm. Alright. Let me warn you though. The Chuunin Exam is only two days away. You've seen their standards. If you don't give your all… you're going to get yourself killed."

"We will still train."

"So be it."

"Come Naruto."

"One moment. Can Naruto wait? I have something important to tell him."

Neji thought up for a moment. 'We've already covered the essential parts of the overall struts… we won't be needing Naruto's Kage bunshin or his super senses that much… and we can also ask Renald. That man… he seems have great understanding of military organization and its structures…' "Very well."

Neji and Yukiku disappeared in a puff.

"Okay… Naruto… remember what I promised to you about our training… that if everything goes well… by the end of this week you'll get yourself a new jutsu?"

"AH yeah! I remember! So! SO! What are you going to teach me?"

"Rasengan."

"WH… but I can already do that?"

"Not just any rasengan. I've told you before. Rasengan is an ultimate form manipulation. Do you know why the creator, Yondaime created that jutsu?"

"Because it has a cool destructive power right?"

"If you're talking about destructive power, I'll tell you now the destructive power of your rasengan is laughable compared to what Yondaime had in mind."

"What?"

"THINK! Remember the training you've done all these 5 days! How do you think all those trainings you've done will go with Rasengan?"

Naruto tried to think calmly. Now he could use a battle ready wind element. It was simply pushing a sharpened chakra at the target… and then rasengan, merely swirling his chakra, compressing it… wait… merely? "Could it be… that Yondaime Hokage intends to…"

"Yes?"

"…he intends to create a stronger jutsu then rasengan?"

"…almost correct." 'Right, never give him riddles.' "You see… Yondaime Hokage created Rasengan with the intention of putting his own Wind chakra element into it."

"!"

"Yes. But… saying is one thing, doing it is another. Even with all his intelligence he couldn't do it. That…. And uh… He died fighting Kyuubi before he finished it. Here, look." Kira raised his palm… and created a rasengan. "Unless I'm mistaken, Kakashi could do it too. But only until this stage."

"Are you saying… that Rasengan is an incomplete jutsu?"

"Yes. And now it falls to you to complete it…as Yondaime's legitimate successor of the technique."

"Why me?"

"Two reasons: 1. I know you can do it. You can surpass Yondaime. And 2. You know why better than most, don't you Naruto?"

Naruto's expression changed. Totally different from all sorts of expressions he can pull. All the fog of doubts cleared out from his eyes. "…okay. I'll complete it! The Fuuton Rasengan!"

Kira smiled. He looked to the sky. 'Did you see that? Arashi? This is your successor!'

"Let's see… I should do this with kage Bunshin too right?"

"Truthfully, I really don't you think you need to. You were able to create rasengan with one hand, and then you also have that method…"

"Hmm that method?"

"You forgot?"

Naruto blinked. "Ah THAT method." The blond began using his left hand to generate wind type chakra while his right hand creates a Rasengan… it only managed until 2nd stage when it explodes. When it does, the explosion generates cuts on Naruto's arms and clothes, much to the blonde's shock.

Kira frowned. "You have to be careful. Futon element is all about cutting. When it is compressed on a jutsu like rasengan… if it explodes, it won't end with just getting thrown off."

"…heh… I knew it… I had to use Bunshins after all… Tajuu Kage Bunshin!"

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"So… this is strut 4?" Neji observed his surroundings.

"Well… Naruto's clones report said… this appears to be a trading area." Renald opened his journal.

"I suppose what we see here truly speak for itself." Yukiku looked at the goods around.

The three are currently in strut 4. The trading area. Like its designation, they saw various merchants trading there. Of all the struts, this strut seems to be the lowest. In fact, the strut was so low; half of its outer structure sank below sea level.

"But, if you see the docks built around this strut, it would seem this strut is intentionally sunk."

"So that ships carrying goods can be easily brought to the land…" Neji concluded.

"Exactly."

"Erh… guys? Was it just me… or the guard nins in this area seems a little… different?"

Neji and Renald take a better look at one of the guard nins. Aside from carrying the standard shinobi equipment plus one big sword, they also carry with them…

"A FN-P90?" Renald blurted.

"A what?"

"FN-P90… erm… that's a sub-machine gun."

"What's a sub-machine-gun?"

"…I see. You don't know anything… hmm…" Renald took a fast read on his journals of the last 5 days… "Aha. There it is. One of Naruto bunshin, when he was investigating this strut's refugee center, he ran into this shop that sell what he call this heap of cool contraptions… follow me."

The two followed the journalist, away from the cheery atmosphere of the trading area. The place they went into was darker and somewhat more unnerving. "Unless I'm mistaken… it should be… here." Renald pointed to his left. A store stood. Chains of giant bullets adorned the store's name: The Reign of Bullets.

"Wha… what is this place."

"An arms dealer, I suppose. Want to come in?"

The two shinobi nodded. When they do, they frowned at the thick smell of… "Gunpowder!"

"Yes. It is to be expected. This place is an arms dealer which sells guns."

"What is… a gun?" Yukiku was quite unfamiliar with such term.

Renald looked around the shop: AK-47, M16, FAMAS, SOCOM, Beretta, Desert Falcon, Magnum, Remington shotguns, FN-P90, MP5, Claymore mines, Stinger missiles and launchers, grenade launchers… and was that a M61 Vulcan he saw at the corner of his eyes? "This is a gun." The journalist pick a Beretta and showed it to the two nins. "In my country, this is the main tool of trade in battle."

"This? What exactly these guns do?"

"They kill people. You guys know musket troopers? I think your army still used them… though the rifles aren't exactly the old model."

"True. The concept of the muskets in our army are more like miniaturized cannons… you're saying these guns and those rifles are the same?"

Renald nodded. "What you guys saw, was this." Renald picked up a FN-P90. "This is a sub machine gun. Rate of fire (ROF) 900 rounds per minute. Holds 50 rounds. Effective range 150m. It is designed for personal defense weapon."

"I still don't get it… what's a sub-machine gun?"

"Well these type of guns… the Beretta, the SOCOM, the Desert Falcon… they're all single shot guns. That means when you push the trigger you'll only fire once. But the machine gun, you push the trigger, you keep hold your finger on it, it'll keep shooting as long as the bullet flowing."

"The nins we saw… they were armed with this?" Yukiku looked nervously on a large Anti Tank Rifle.

Neji put down the P90… and looked at the M16. "So… this is the M16?"

"Oh, you know it?"

"…heard of it… Actually…I remembered… a few months ago… I think the fire country Daimyo purchased about a hundred of these… the government intend to arm their army with it."

"M16 is a sub-machine gun, well liked by various countries and it became a favorite mainstay in the armies of many countries. Easily modified, ROF 900 rounds per minute, effective range 550m."

"Well I'll be. You know your stuff alright." A croaked voice suddenly greeted them. A kind looking bald man with a horrendous scar covered one third of his head and totaled his left eye, gave his best smile.

Renald respond with a smile while the other two nins were somewhat horrified with the man's appearance. "You sell all these weapons?"

"What can I say. It sells like peanuts in this place. I tried to sell it in other villages they don't actually like it. Calling it dishonorable or something…"

"Welcome to the east. I'm Renald Guston. Which part of the west are you from?"

"Haha! Well, well fancy that! A fellow countryman! Name's Jeremy Blake. I came here seeking new market for my guns… it worked pretty well here."

"So I noticed. They've been buying a lot of those P90s?"

"Not just P90s. They bought lots. Funny. I never imagine it'll sell here of all villages… I mean aren't this place is supposed to be famous with their 7 devil swords or something?"

"I don't think all struts will buy it…" Neji dared himself to speak. "It's impossible to sell in Strut 2… their leader Hiko, probably wouldn't allow it."

"I heard it's somethin' to do with this thing called Bushido you guys so fond of."

"Ah… Bushido… it's the art of fighting head on. It's a code of honor. Back during the war, warriors lived by it."

"And now, century turns." Jeremy chuckled hoarsely. "Well… the way I see it, you two never even see a gun, did you? Wanna try? No charge. You might like it!"

Neji and Yukiku looked each other.

"Well… it wouldn't hurt to try."

Jeremy smiled. "Right. Go to the shooting range. There."

They get to the targeting range. "You got good strong arms kid. You might want try something with a punch." Jeremy handed a Desert Eagle to Neji.

Neji grabbed the handle. '…it's weigh is… well, not bad…'

Renald immediately gave the boy some help. "First, release the safety. Aim the barrel at the center of the target… just like when you target your kunai."

"I see… like this?" Neji raised the gun and aim.

"Yes… like that… and Neji-san, that's a Desert Eagle… it packs a punch, but the recoil could break a man's arm if used with one hand… I suggest, since this is your first, use two hands. It'll secure your grip and gives you a better aim."

"Recoil huh… I see." Neji use both hands… and aim.

BANG!

With a deadly precision, the bullet went straight to the middle of the target circle. The gun in Neji's hand barely moved, much to Jeremy's awe.

"Wow… there's strong and there's crazily strong… You're obviously the latter. That was a good shot kid… real good shot. You like the gun?"

Neji frowned. "Yeah… nothing to complain about the weight… I'm used to the weight but… using this gun is the same as announcing to the whole world, HEY I'M HERE! GO AHEAD AND KILL ME! Like that. The noise…"

"Desert Eagle weren't meant for stealth. That's a different story for this SOCOM though. It has laser sights and can be equipped with silencer-"

"Nah." Neji put back the gun. "I get the general idea… but maybe guns aren't my thing. Thank you for your offer though."

"Okay. How bout you miss? Want to try too? I got this lightweight Beretta if you want? I mean… you're a girl and…"

Yukiku growled. "I'm a girl so what? Give me the damn SOCOM!"

"Ooookay." Jeremy put on the silencer and gave it to Yukiku.

"I'm a girl… so what? I scared might get hurt? grumble, mumble…" Yukiku mumbled. She took an aim with the SOCOM.

"She's pretty touchy about that subject." The three male commented under their breath.

Click! Click!

Yukiku squeezed the trigger several times… nothing came out.

"Ah, Yukiku-san release the safety first-AND DON'T AIM IT HERE!" Renald a bit panicked when Yukiku pointed the gun at them.

"Right this is the safety…"

She took another aim… and…

Bang.

The voice is so much less than the desert eagle. And the bullet went straight through the hole Neji made earlier.

"Wow… you shinobis really make good shooters aren't you?" Jeremy whistled. "And you lot from Konoha right? A few days back, one of you with blond spiky hair also came here and tried some of my guns…"

"Naruto did?"

"Naruto eh? Yep. That's his name. He used THAT to shoot at the targeting range at point blank range."

"That?" Renald jaw dropped. Jeremy was pointing… at an M-79 grenade launcher.

"He mistook non-lethal ammunition with high explosive ones… Almost blasted one of my walls to oblivion…"

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On the evening…

The three returned to the mountain foot. Like they thought, they saw 8 Naruto practicing. What surprised them, Naruto… was bleeding here and there.

"What on earth were you doing? What are these… wounds?" Yukiku was shocked.

"Ah… stay back guys… this is a little bit… dangerous…"

Just then one of the clones' Rasengan exploded, cutting all eight Naruto in vicinity. The 7 bunshins disappeared, but the real Naruto got sliced on the back. Blood dripping profusely from every part, but the worst of all wounds were dripping on Naruto's palm.

"Naruto STOP! STOP RIGHT NOW!" Kira came running when Naruto was about to make a handseal for another Kage Bunshin. He immediately grabbed Naruto's hand. "Naruto, there's tough and there's stupid this is obviously the latter. Stop right now!"

"…" Naruto thought up for a moment… and then he looked at all the blood around him. "One last jutsu. I promise. After that I'll stop!"

"…"

Naruto made a handseal. "Onijutsu: Oni Bunshin no jutsu!" Naruto's blood splattered everywhere quickly grow in size and took form of 10 spotless Naruto. "Train! I'll take a break and then I'll join you."

The 10 clones began their training while the original Naruto get his wounds taken care off.

"Yukiku, use your needle, stop the bleeding on his arm."

"Right." The acupuncturist began stabbing one needle after another on Naruto's arms.

"What are you doing Naruto? Training with your rasengan?"

"I'm creating a new jutsu… or to be more precise… I'm completing it."

"Completing?"

"Yep… still it's quite hard… it's hard enough for me to concentrate creating Rasengan… to then concentrate on unleashing the wind chakra is even harder…"

"I never said it'll be easy. Even Yondaime cannot complete it… for you to be able to go this far was amazing in my opinion." Kira began bandaging Naruto's arm.

"No joke. But it seriously felt like looking at left and right at the same time… I'm beginning to think it's impossible for me."

Kira blinked. He cut the last bandage as Yukiku removed the needle. "When you start thinking like that… you're going to fail at this rate Naruto."

"…" Naruto sighed.

"And also… I have to disagree… it is possible… to look left and right at the same time you know?"

"Heh?"

"Kage Bunshin no jutsu!" Two Kira is in sight. "Now see here… I'm looking left…" One Kira looked to the left. "And right." Another Kira looked to the right.

Naruto blinked. "Of course… that's it! Elementary and old school! I get it now!"

Kira grinned. "Now that's more like it Naruto."

As soon as his strength recovered, he began trying his theory. "Man, I never imagine the method I first used to create a simple Rasengan can be used for this…" One Naruto create the Rasengan, the other Naruto provides the Wind Chakra.

"Naruto progressed so much faster then I imagined. I won't be surprised if by the end of this day the jutsu is completed. What about you guys?"

Neji sighed. "…not very good… I'm afraid." Neji showed his water chakra. It swirls quite fast. "…still not as good as what you've shown me."

"Constant, virtuous, diligent practice. That's the ticket. Just keep it up. You've grasped the basic of water manipulation. Tonight, we'll start on Fire right away. Yukiku, show me yours."

Yukiku raised his palm… and after about 20 seconds, small particles of ice began to form. "Still can't do it as fast as you though."

"No problem. We'll continue to drill you on ice tonight. Let's work it people! We only have tonight and tomorrow before the exam start!"

"Got it!"

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A day and two nights later… the Chuunin exam…

The motel owner came to their room that morning, bringing the announcement. "You guys are Chuunin Exam participant right? Well, I got the word. You lot are to gather in strut 2 for instructions."

The owner of the motel frowned. The three Genins, especially the blond, looked like they would be ready to collapse at any minute now.

Naruto yawned. "Okay. Thank you. We're going now."

The three could hardly believe they were still able to walk. In fact, if it weren't for Renald showing the way, they'd probably get lost. "You're coming along, Renald-san?"

"But of course! Writing about this so called Chuunin exam is the reason why I'm here in the first place!"

"Right… Naruto… I've heard it from Kira-sensei… how's the new jutsu doing?" Yukiku tried to bring up a subject that could at least wake them up. It nearly failed to open their eyes. Nearly.

"…the way I see it… we still haven't managed to create an effective battle-sufficient Fuuton Rasengan… But Kira-sensei said I'm progressing by leaps and bounds though."

"So… I suppose I wouldn't be seeing this new jutsu anytime soon?"

"I don't know. It's just… what was it that Kira said yesterday… he said: _You're in uncharted territory now, Naruto. No one, not even the creator of the jutsu had ever progressed this far. When it comes to this, it may be difficult to see just where the end result will be. The one to determine that will be you_… so he says."

"…then… just how far are you planning to make this jutsu?"

"…beats me… I mean… quite frankly, out of 100 tries I managed to create one stable fuuton Rasengan… but when I see the result it's just… you know… so and so…"

"I see." Neji nodded understandingly.

"…but anyway… Yukiku… what is that thing you're carrying on your back?"

"This?" Yukiku looked at a bundle of bandages at her back. She grinned. Just wait and see."

A few minutes walking later, they arrived at Strut 5. Many shinobis from other countries and Mist nins were gathered there. Unlike a week ago where everyone seem battle weary or wounded, most are now fully healed.

A few moments later, the head of strut 2, Fetaru Hiko walked up front. "I congratulate you. You all… are the survivors of Mist Preliminary exam. You have earned the right to enter the TRUE first Chuunin Exam. Before we go on our way, the Mizukage would like to say a few words."

Hiko backed away, and next in line, Enshin Kirimaru walked up front. Murmurs arise from the Mist nins.

"Enshin-sama!"

"I thought he was sick?"

Enshin cleared his voice and silence the whole crowd in a go.

Neji had to admit it. Time and again he was impressed by the old man's sturdiness, which he believes, that the old kage's willpower plays no small part in maintaining it. The kage was already in his late 60s, but he seems so fit, his eyes remain fierce and his hair is still black. 'And just a few weeks back he was half dying from poison…'

"…village hidden in the bloody mist. That is how people used to know us. Word has it that measures have been taken, to ensure that alias never stuck on us again. I must respectfully disagree with this." Enshin took a breath. "In truth… I think the only time we will stop addressing ourselves as such, will be when we stopped making shinobis and produces monks to pray at the temple."

The crowd snickered.

"Chuunin exam is in reality, a shinobi war in disguise."

"!!"

Some nins gasped.

"I see a few surprised faces. But we are shinobis. And we are a bunch of assassins. Professional ones too. We are trained to kill. We are soldiers. In a peaceful world, soldier is useless. There won't be any need of us. You can say, Chuunin exam is… a way to make war continues on and on… it's like an endless war made by us, only for us. Once you entered this exam, you are no longer a genin in training. You are a soldier in a field of battle."

Everyone tensed.

"What kills a man? A friend of mine once asked me this. And the answer can came in various ways. A kunai through his head? A katana cuts a person to two? A spear went through a neck? I've seen a veteran jounin run away at the first sight of an overwhelming force, and got himself killed because he stepped on a mine. I've also seen an academy dropout student, pulled a kunai out of his bleeding neck, and fight like frenzied demon, slaughtering every enemy that came his way."

Enshin looked at crowd. And scan them all.

"…Ninja are humans, made of flesh and blood. Ultimately, we're all going to die. But, we are warriors. And we have a certain amount power to decide how are you going to die… or how are we going to live. So the question, one more time: What kills a man? The answer was much simpler than I imagined: to give up."

Yukiku blinked.

"That is what kills a man. When they give up living, even when they're healthy, they're actually dying, because they have denied their rights to live. But when a person with an incurable strongly wills himself to live, he had earned the right to live." For a second, Enshin landed his eyes on the Konoha team.

"Never give up. Never surrender. That is the no. 1 principle of a soldier. When you give up, then it's over. When you surrender, you've killed yourself, even if you're still breathing. Never give up. That is all."

Naruto smiled. He started to grow respect to the elder kage.

Enshin back away and Hiko took his place. "Alright. Now all of you, all aboard!" A gate to the docks opened. There, tied and ready to set sail, Hiko's flagship, the Marlin.

"So… the first Chuunin Exam was performed… again OFF the island?" Neji whispered in a very low tone.

"That is correct." Hiko replied calmly.

The ship cruised through the sea as soon as the last nin entered the ship. Like before, the village instantly covered in mist after a few miles away.

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A few hundred thousand kilometers away… horizontally and vertically… somewhere beneath the deep Pacific Ocean…

An image of cubicle structure reflected on a large crystal. Observing the image were 7 serpentine figures. The creatures grabbed a crystal, one for each, and stab it to the bigger crystal. Their crystals shines and writings start illuminating on the crystals. They pull it out and start reading the writings, chanting ominous hisses and growls along the way.

When the last hiss ends, the serpentine creatures slither away, walked through a gateway and arrived in what seems to be a crystal cave. And they get busy. The sound crystal breaking, hissing, growling reverberated throughout the halls. When the noise ended, the creatures slither out of the cave, blue luminescent wave markings adorned their body. The serpent took one last look at the image on the crystal wall.

An island… with a cube shaped structure at the top.

00000000000000000

"…it looked like a… cube…"

"A huge one too…"

"That's a hell lot bigger than I thought…" A mist nin commented.

The Merlin continued its cruise, and finally landed on the shores. The Chuunin exam groups were brought before a large door.

Hiko cleared his throat once to gain their attention. "This island… will be your first Chuunin exam. Yes, I know, it seems unnatural. Unlike other villages who usually start with written test, we went straight to practical activity. Let's just say that, we believe that doing things with your body serve your brain much better then filling in some questions with paper and pen." The swordman stated flat.

Some nin, Naruto included, nodded happily in agreement.

"Alright. Now allow me to explain. The goal is simple. You all see that box structure at the top of the island? Your goal is to reach the top of that place. This door is the entrance to that structure. You must get there from this door ONLY. If any of you try to get through the grounds, we have a squad of jounins that will weed you out. I'll make this clear: people will die. I don't expect any team will came out unscathed. Just keep at least one of you survive. You don't actually need 3 people to pass this exam."

The nin nodded understandingly.

"Any questions?"

A hand was raised.

"Yes?"

"Back in other Chuunin exam, in activities such as this, we were allowed to hamper other village's progress… was it allowed in here as well?"

"…there's no rule for that. So basically, you're free to do whatever you like. But, a word from the wise: concentrate on surviving. Don't think of what should you do with the other teams. Just survive and watch your own backs."

"I see…"

But 'somehow', the other genins knew that the genin didn't get it.

"Any other question? No? Good. You have 3 days to get to the top."

"3 days?"

"3 days, if you want to live." Hiko added.

Most of the genins wondered about the meaning of the statement. The gate began to open. Eerie wind sips through, carrying the smell of corpse and dried blood. Hiko frowned. 'We once send 300 analysts and 500 nin into this place… only one survive and he was put in the mental asylum for a few years before he can start talking sense… adding up with 'that' coming in three days… I'm starting to wonder if this isn't overkill.' Renald was about to enter when Hiko grabbed his shoulder.

"I know who you are, but this is as far as you can go. It's not the matter of danger. But this is a test. No nin will have time to watch over your back in there."

Renald nodded understandingly. "So be it. Then I shall wait for you guys here."

"Take care." Naruto nodded.

The Genins began their march. It was practically a giant tunnel. As soon as the last genin entered, the gates closed behind them with a bang. Markings, emanating light filled the walls and the floors, illuminating the room.

"My god… this place is huge!"

"How the hell they build something like this?"

"They didn't." Neji remarked.

"What?" Naruto and Yukiku looked at the Hyuuga.

"This lighting mechanism… I've seen this system before… yes… Kira used the same lighting system in his workshop." Neji remembered the day he gained the Souryuuga (read chapter 19).

"Are you sure it's not coincidence?"

"Honestly, I'm not a great believer of it."

The whole group finally found themselves at the end of the road. A gargantuan hall with countless intersection holes filled the walls. It almost looked like a rectangular beehive. There are hundreds if not thousands of holes, more than enough for all of them.

"I see… so this place is actually… a maze."

"We need to get out of here… it's not just about intelligence… it's luck too."

Naruto sighed. "Well Neji. You're the team leader. Which do you pick?"

Neji sniffed the air. Several times. "We got thousands of choices… no… a few hundred… do you smell it Naruto?"

Naruto nodded. "I smell salt."

"Sea waters." Yukiku concluded.

"That means… some of these doors are drowned. Find one with the strongest smell of air. That should be our ticket."

"…I smell fresh air… from this door… that door…"

"I smell fresh air from here too."

Neji's prodigal brain quickly made the count. A few minutes later… "…we got… 216 doors that could probably lead us outside… diminish this number… which one has the strongest smell Naruto?"

Naruto pull out his nose to full throttle. Kyuubi's Youki did a wonderful job enhancing it. "…there, there, there…"

The Hyuuga prodigy took note of it. "…we have… 16 doors eh?"

"Neji, I could use my Oni-Bunshin to check all those 16 doors all at once you know?"

"Yes, I'm sure you can, but I'd rather not split our forces."

"This is a shinobi maze… I don't know if the Mist built it or not… but I think there be traps waiting for us. Kage Bunshin split your chakra amount right? I think it's best if we stick together, no?" Yukiku reasoned.

"And then there is the fact that right now, your abundant stamina in the last 1 week is due to Kyuubi's youki… and we've seen how feral you can be when you lost control of it."

"I see…" Naruto nodded. "Oh well… we got our advanced senses to guide our way. What could go wrong I wonder?"

"I just hope it'll be that easy."

00000000000000000

The serpents gazed at the cube structure. The very same maze Naruto's in.

"**There are humans in there."**

"**So I noticed. They've been using that place for years."**

"**I don't know about this… Are you sure we got the go?"**

"**We have the orders. We investigate the place and bingo, they're crawling all over the place… what other choice do we have?"**

The seven serpent creature looked at each other. One of them let out a hiss. **"So be it. Activate it and we're on our way."**

One of the serpents extends its hand into the image of the cube structure, right at the center. He pressed the spot once, and the next second, light orb appeared and starts dispersing throughout the structure.

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At the very same moment…

An earthquake rocked the whole structure… the whole island. The Mist Jounins felt the tremor. A few minutes later, it subsides.

"Whoa… what was that? Earthquake?"

"Team two report status. You guys okay?"

No reply. Static.

"Team two, answer me! Team two? Come in?"

Still no reply.

"We lost contact."

"That's funny… I think I've been losing contact with everybody."

"Define everybody."

"Shinji's team, Kurata's team, the fourth team, the 7th… none of them replied. Even before the earthquake."

The Jounins looked at each other. "Gear up. We're gonna check it out." And they readied their weapons.

Inside the maze…

Naruto, Neji, and Yukiku were quite shocked by the sudden quake. The shining line dimmed for a full ten second and then it's back. "Okay… was that supposed to happen?"

"Beats me." Yukiku put her hand on the Head Cleaver.

"…" Naruto looked at the lightings. "…Neji, when you saw the lighting in Kira's workshop, did he do something before it light up?"

"He only flicked a switch. Why?"

"…something Renald-san told me… remember when we were discussing about Shu's sub, the Ray? Renald told me this: the submarine stealth system requires a significant amount of energy to be turned on. That's why; the Ray was equipped with a separate generator to power the system. But still, the electromagnetic effect generated by it will disrupt the entirety of the ship's electronic system."

Neji and Yukiku's jaw hung. They never expected Naruto was actually good at things like this. Neji bury his shock for a moment. "And… how does that relate to this?"

"…well… Renald told me… when the generator for the stealth began to light up; there'll be a power down for a few seconds…"

Yukiku blinked. "You're saying… it's the same with this entire maze?"

"It makes sense though, what Naruto said." Neji nodded. "A building this big would most definitely require a huge amount of energy even if just for lighting."

"That's what the dimming means. The power generator that energizes this entire structure is firing up. It's preparing."

"…preparing… for what?"

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Outside…

"…kami…sama…" A jounin fought an urge to throw up.

"_Ikaruga! Ikaruga! Do you copy? Ikaruga?"_

"Hegh… Ikaruga's here."

"_Ikaruga! Did you find Shinji's team?"_

Ikaruga gulped. "Found them alright."

"_Where are they?"_

Ikaruga gulped. "…scattered everywhere."

That's it. The nin couldn't help it anymore. He HAD to throw up… after taking another look at a pile of shredded bodies, pieces of brain matter, fingers, half melted eyeballs, other mutilated human limbs… scattered all over the blood drenched ground.

00000000000000000

Time passed…

The nins, unaware of what's happening on the surface continued their search for exit. Naruto, Neji, and Yukiku, with the aid of their advanced senses was able to smell out fresh air, choosing their way quickly. Everything seems went well…

Until…

"Yup, this way. We should be able to go from here."

"Okay. Let's go!" Before Yukiku put her feet, a hunk of giant block smashed in right in front of her, blocking the way.

"Wh…"

Before they can finish their train of thoughts, the whole place began to move. The road backwards was blocked as well. The next second, the wall on Naruto's left caved in. The ceiling above Neji slide open. Yukiku jumped away as the floor beneath her very feet opened up. In a few seconds, the alleyway they were in turned into an intersection of three roads.

"What the…"

"The road's changed! And-" Yukiku sniffed the air. "I can't smell the air anymore… these roads… they led to an entirely different direction."

Naruto heard the same distant voice of clanking and banging. What happened to them happened everywhere. Every Shinobi may have suffered the same fate as them.

"A changing maze? How the hell will we ever get out of this one?"

'I knew it… a simple maze would be too easy for a test of wits like this…'

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"Kami-sama… what kind of creature would do this…"

"Kurata! KURATAAAA! NOOOO!" A Mist Kunoichi screamed hysterically upon seeing what's left of her lover.

"Grab her and bring her back to base to calm down. You, go and contact Hiko-sama, tell him what had happened here. Ask for reinforcements."

"What about the bodies?"

"We'll take care of it. Find any survivors while you're at it."

"Got it."

A group of nin separated itself from the main group.

"Now then… to find the bastard responsible for this." The team leader grabbed his sword, followed by the rest of his angry comrade in arms.

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Naruto yawned. They've been in the maze for God-knows-how-long. They were marching aimlessly. Now that they know their senses are no good, they can only rely on 2 last assets: their intelligence and luck. This isn't saying much; given only Neji is capable to do some advanced thinking. "Stop."

"Eh?"

"Why?"

"Wait… I'm testing a theory… let's see… 3… 2… 1…"

As if on cue, the road they were in began to shift and change again. The next instance, what was once a straight flat road turned into a steep staircase with 3 intersections along the way.

Naruto moaned. "I give up… we may never get out of here…"

"Don't give up just yet… my theory is proven again."

"What do you mean proven?"

"This entire structure contain countless 'rooms'. One room is connected to the other room. So one 'room' has a doorway, a road that will lead to the other 'room'. We've been walking for 56 minutes. Every 7 minutes, the whole structure changes. In those 56 minutes, the structure had changed 8 times including this one. From those 8 times… I get this: Every time the structure changes, a room with a single road will change and to 3 roads. 7 minutes later, 5 roads, and another 7 minutes later, 7 roads. And they'll appear in different way: could be a door, could be a path, and could be an alleyway… this I haven't figured out yet…"

"And the another 7 minutes later? They turned… what? 14?"

"They turned back to the original 1 road. It's a cycle: 1-3-5-7-1 and so on and so on. With the number of branches generated are prime numbers with the maximum number of 7. Beats me on that choice of numbers, but, we can use this."

"We see, this room got 3 roads… do you smell any air on any of this door, Naruto?"

Sniff-sniff… "None." Naruto frowned though. One of those doors smells something… familiarly foul.

"Then we wait. Wait another 7 minutes and see if we got lucky when the number of branches turned 5."

7 minutes passed, and like Neji had predicted, the 'room' changes shape again. The three branches closed down. A hole appeared on top of Naruto. Yukiku almost got smashed by the sudden stairs that fall down at her, leading up. Neji avoided the wall as it split apart, revealing two doors. The wall in front of them opened up and revealed a straight road dead ahead.

"Well?"

"Okay… there are 5 branches." Naruto sniffed the air… a breath of fresh air came unto his nose… right from above. "Up there."

Yukiku cracked her knuckles. "Time to climb."

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The Mist nins at the surface were still searching around the area. "What do you think killed those men sir?"

"I don't know. The wounds don't seem to be made by human hands… more like… beast… or sort."

"But… what kind?"

"Beats me… Hm?" The nin looked at the ground. A blood trail. "We got a trail." The nin signaled the others to follow him.

The trail leads to a cave apparently recently dug.

"Hands on the grip, boys. It's payback time."

The group readied their sword and entered their cave. The deeper they get, the darker it gets… and as their eyes adjusted to the brim lighting of the cave they came to realize that the cave were no longer of rocky substance… more like… "…it stinks… like rotten egg…"

"Yuck… what the hell did I just step on…" A nin looked at his shoe and notice a trail of gooey, icky web like thing. "What in the blazes is this?"

"Pipe down! I heard a sound."

The nins marched slowly and quietly. It's an alleyway made by some short bionic weblike structure. After a another walk around the corner, they gaped at the scene.

"A thousand typhoons be damned!"

They've arrived in what seems to be a hall. Dozens upon dozens of slimy black cocoons lay hanged around the room. The nins took a step closer and take another look at the slimy cocoons. "Something's inside… step back. I'll cut it open."

The nin swing his sword, and the cocoon split open… revealing a naked woman with a swollen womb. "Thundering Typhoons!"

He checked the woman. She seemed comatose. And God may tell what happened to her stomach.

"Are all these cocoons… there really are people inside?"

"What do you think, genius?"

Just then, they heard a woman moaning. The nin gulped. "You and you, take care of her and the others. The rest of you, come with me."

The Mist nins approached the moaning voices, as it gets louder and louder. When they reached the source, it finally ended with one final shriek. The squad leader takes a peek and his jaw hung. A woman, a bare naked woman lie unconscious, in a pool of bizarre colored liquid, her eyes rolled up, and her stomach swollen. The same liquid is dripping through her womanhood. But the focus of the scene was not her. No. Rather, a 30 feet tall scaly creature or something with three swishing tails backed away from the poor lady. The horrendous liquid was dripping from the creature's groin.

'Kami-sama… that thing just… raped her?'

The creature then starts generating saliva and pours it on its victim. The creature, now that the nin observed further, looked like a dog… a bull-dog with 4 mandibles for a jaw. With its mandibles, the monster dog began sewing the saliva; pretty soon, the woman was enclosed in layers of it, and finally cocooned in a case of hardened saliva.

The Squad leader tried to comprehend what just happened. 'I see… so that… dog thing… kidnapped and impregnates those poor ladies… then those dozens of cocoons out there are filled with the victims which in turn is filled with… mutant dog's offspring?'

"Captain! What should we do?"

"…get your explosives ready… this place is a nest and a breeding ground of that… _thing_. We blow this place to hell and be done with it… along with all the victims."

"Victims… but they may still be alive!"

"Would you have our woman gave birth to those monsters?"

"…no sir. Very well sir. I suppose we contact the two people we left on the cocoon room to start plastering explosives?"

"Do that."

"Yes sir. Kaji, Asahi! Do you hear me?"

All they hear however, much to their horror, was the screaming of the woman.

"Kaji! Asahi! What's wrong? Do you hear me!?"

In the cocoon room…

The woman shrieked and wailed. Asahi and Kaji were so shocked; they didn't realize their friend talking in the earphone.

"_Kaji! Asahi! For the love of god! Answer the damn com! What the hell was that screaming?"_

The woman's stomach suddenly began to skew and turned, as if something wants to get out. They were just wondering what it was when the womb answered their wonder with an explosion of blood and limbs of the poor lady's innards.

"God-Almighty!" Asahi gasped.

Kaji jerked back. There, on the entrails of the poor woman's womb, 5 bloody creatures screeching and hissing. It was horrendous. Like a warped form of skinless creature. Asahi was still petrified when the 5 small creatures suddenly jumped right to him. With his reflexes he managed to slice two, but the blood from the baby creatures splattered on his sword and unfortunately, his eyes. Asahi roared in pain as the creature's acidic blood melted his eyes as it melted his sword. The three baby creatures charged at the blind nin, and with their ostensibly sharp claws ripped open the man's stomach, dragging out his entrails. Asahi was still screaming mad when the creature starts feasting on his flesh and one even snuck in through his open wound.

Terrified to no end, Kaji bumped into one of the cocoons, and as if on cue other cocoons were also start acting up. Identical small creatures began to burst out from cocoons. "GOD!" Kaji ran away blindly. But before he can go far, something grabbed his leg. He looked down and gasped. A claw jerked out from the shadows. The claw sank into his leg, and before he can react, it pulled him and a scaly dog with three eyes emerged the same way and proceeded biting his leg off.

"AAAAHHH!"

The three eyed demon dog emerged from the shadow completely, Kaji's leg is still dangling in its mouth. The dog threw the leg to its offspring, who ate it hungrily. A few seconds later, not even a bone was left. The baby creatures, once finished Kaji's legs, grew bigger. About the same size of a normal human dog. The other offspring too, within seconds after devouring Asahi, grow bigger. The bigger mutant dogs looked at Kaji hungrily. The biggest dog signaled them as if giving permission, and they charged at him.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"

Back to the mating room…

"What the…" The nins caught every sound, the screams, the growls… everything.

"Come on men! Those guys need help!"

The nins readied themselves… except one.

"Come on! What are you waiting for!?"

The nin was trembling… as behind him, one of the mutant dogs has planted a stinger on his neck, injecting eggs after eggs. The three eyed dog swung the poor nin to the wall while releasing its stinger.

"YOU BASTARD!" The squad leader charged ahead when three of those creatures jumped out of the shadows and quickly rips the man to pieces.

"CAPTAIN!"

"ARRRH!" Three tails stabbed through another nin before ripping the man to pieces.

The remaining nin panicked but before they can escape, from each of their shadows, at least 3 of those dog creatures emerged.

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Inside the maze,

"Well isn't this a nasty surprise?"

"Right… of all the possibilities…" Neji swore under his breath. They did climb… but of all the possible village they could ran into, they found themselves face to face with a sound nin! Of all the possible nin groups they could ran into, they have to run to their mortal enemy.

"Well isn't this quite a situation we're in?" The sound nin smirked.

Neji, Naruto, and Yukiku were still hanging on the hole. Neji was in the lead, followed by Yukiku and lastly Naruto. The hole was tall and steep. They've reached the end of the hole and it's a far way down to the ground. If they fall there, it won't end with just an ouch. There's no question that their position, given the current situation, is quite disadvantageous. "What are you going to do now? Or I suppose, the question should be… how are you going to kill us?"

"I'm running the scenario in my head right now." The Sound nin chuckled. "Raining through all of you with a kunai… or send you plummeting down with a sound blast… see… there are so many choices."

"…" Neji frowned. Unless he counted wrong, it's been more than 5 minutes since they've climbed that hole. 'The rotation would occur any second now. From what I see here… there are 5 ways from this here spot, the next will be 7 ways.'

A few seconds later, Naruto yelled from below. "NEJI! The hole's closing!" down below, sections of the wall began snapping in, one by one.

The Hyuuga snapped. Their time's up. The Sound nins laughed. "Walked into a trap eh? Well, looks like we only need to keep you in there, tree huggers."

"Remember what Hiko said: watch your own back."

"HA! I am watching my back. Watching to make sure you guys-" The Sound nin's smug words were stopped when a wall suddenly came crushing on top him. The other two sound nins were horrified, to say the least. The wall around them also began to shift shape and turns.

"NOW! Get out of here!" Neji jumped out of the hole and extend his hand to Yukiku. The Haku twin grabbed the arm and hopped out. Only Naruto remained. He was quite far behind, Neji or Yukiku's arm had no hope reaching him.

"Naruto! Come on! Climb!"

"Gah!" The blonde climbed as fast as he can. But the walls on the hole closing in on him fast, section by section. A section just snapped shut right behind his toes. Then he felt the section he's in began moving.

"NARUTO!" His two friends yelled in horror.

Realizing he won't make it, Naruto did what could probably be the craziest thing he can think of: he stabbed Tenrou on the section below him. As the two sections close in, the Tenrou smashed against the opposing side of the wall.

Naruto gritted his teeth, waiting for his doom. But it never came.

"…whoa…" Naruto gulped and hold Tenrou tightly in his hands. "…Neji! You might want to drop a rope… I don't know if it'll hold!"

"What the… erh!?"

Tenrou managed to prevent the two sections from crashing on Naruto. The 1,5 meter long piece of steel managed to hold down two giant sections from squeezing the boy flat. And it shows no sign that it will be breaking up soon. Even more, Neji could feel that the transformation of the entire structure had been halted.

Neji quickly regained his composure. "A rope!?" 'Where in the world can I find a rope in…'

Yukiku nodded. "Naruto, no matter what you do, don't let go of that Nodachi!"

"Alright!" In fact, the boy had to hold on to the long Katana for his dear life. Neji wondered what the Kunoichi had in mind. Yukiku started to unbundle her package, and revealed another sword. This one is slightly smaller, somewhat thinner than the re-forged head cleaver and both sides of the blade are serrated edge.

"What are you up to, Yukiku?"

"Trust me." Her right hand holds the handle, the other hold the edge of the sword. Yukiku pulled both sides, and the sword separated itself into smaller sections, connected by a set of chains.

"A… whip-sword?"

Yukiku start swinging the whip-blade, took her aim and lash out. The whip sword managed to swivel itself around Tenrou. "YOSHA! Now PULL!" Yukiku pulled the blade with all her might, but boy! What a weight! "Neji! Help me! It weights a ton!"

Neji grab hold of the handle and the two pulled. The wall sections began to tremble. Naruto holds on to Tenrou while at the same time pushes it upwards, helping his friends unstuck the nodachi. "Let's… GOOOO!"

After one final pull, the nodachi finally unstuck and sparks of fire lit up as both sides of the Nodachi graze the wall as it was pulled out along with Naruto. Moments later, the hole snapped shut. The whole structure resumed its transformation, and Neji immediately realized their spot is not a safe haven anymore.

"Come! We have to get out of here!"

Sections of the wall began to shot out of their place while some retracted. The three ran as fast as they could avoiding falling ceilings and floors. A few moments later, everything quiet down. The transformation is complete. They found themselves in an intersection with three ways out. Naruto checked each door. None of them smell fresh air. And thus, they decided to rest.

"Gasps… pants… I'm… I'm still alive am I?" Naruto looked at his hand. Seconds again they would've to dig him out as a human flattened bloody lump of ham.

Yukiku laughed weakly. She swung the whip blade and returned it back to normal length. "Well… thank goodness for this right? Alas, I never thought I'll use it so early."

"That's the new weapon you brought along before?"

"Kira-sensei gave it to me… he said its name is: Ryujin Shippo (Dragon's Tail)."

"Dragon's Tail? Well… it saved my tail for sure…" Naruto sighed.

"That it did."

Neji took a breather. "But… the mechanism of this building is interlocked with each other… if one fails, the other will stop working too it seems."

"How can you tell?" Yukiku looked at Neji.

"Back in the hole when Naruto stopped the two sections from crushing him, he didn't stop just one section… he stopped the whole building from transforming."

"I don't think I have that kind of strength."

"I don't think it's you either… I think, it's Tenrou… that Nodachi stopped the whole mechanism of this building."

Naruto, Neji and Yukiku looked at the ordinary looking 1,5 meter nodachi. 'As expected of the so-called god-slaying katana I guess…'

"…in any case… let's just wait for the change to happen again… the next transition will be 5 ways."

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Outside, in the monstrous dog den…

Mutilated corpses of the mist nins were being feasted by the demon dogs. One of the dogs were about to take another bite on a nin's arm when something went through his mouth. The other dogs turned around at the commotion. The black acidic blood of the dog managed to outline the object that went through its head: a large wide spear. The skewered dog still managed to move slightly, but the spear quickly twists and turned, emanating white and blue surges of energy. The energy crystallized the dog instantly before shattered to nothingness, leaving nothing but the black blood bathed invisible spear.

The hounds growled and roared. The edge of the invisible spear began to unravel its form, along with its wielder: the large serpent like creature. The dim lighting of the nest showed a bit of the serpent's feature. The creature has one large long tail with large fins instead of a leg. Large muscles bulging out beneath its metallic like scales. Some of the said scales had enlarged abnormally to the point it turned into casing, forming some short of natural hide armor. Shark like Gills can be seen on its long neck which is bent forward. The lower part of the creature's head doesn't seem to be having any mouth, but two slit on both sides of the lower part shows signs of breathings and the upper part of its head was enclosed in a thick carapace. Tentacle dreadlocks adorned the creature's head just underneath the carapace.

The serpent's eyes were ocean blue and slit. And those eyes looked at the hounds with intense ferocity and hate. As if some short of a battle cry, the serpent roared. That's when it became clear: the entire lower half of the serpent is the creature's large jaw. Rows of teeth and fangs all lined up right beneath its eyes. Following, six more of the serpent creatures appeared out of thin air behind the first one. They all pulled out a crystal shard from their wave markings, and after a pulse of energy, turned into crystal spears, glaives and axes.

"**There're plenty of Three-tails for all of us, so may the best Naga wins!"**

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Meanwhile, another 7 minutes has passed in the maze, and the whole structure had transformed again. Like before, their room also changed, and now, there are five roads connected to their room.

Naruto sniffed each door. "…this one… but the air's kinda foul in here… but I don't smell air from anywhere else."

"So… what should we do Neji? We wait or we go?"

"…let's take our chances. We'll go there."

"Then off we go."

The three go through the said road. After a while, the foul smell sharpened even more. Naruto frowned. 'This smell… I feel like I've smelled this before… and why are you… chuckling… Kyuusei?'

Naruto just noticed this. Ever since he caught that foul smell the first time, Kyuusei seem couldn't stop chuckling.

**HM? NOTHING, NOTHING… IT'S JUST THAT… UNEXPECTEDLY, THIS CHUUNIN EXAM IS GOING TO BE MORE EXCITING THEN I IMAGINED. BLOODS WILL SPILL. THAT'S WHY I'M EXCITED.**

"Bloods already spilt."

**MORE THEN YOU KNOW KIT… MORE THEN YOU KNOW.**

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Back in the den, the four Nagas were finishing their job. They start pouring blue luminescent liquid on the remains of the Hellhounds as well as the remains of the dead human, and they melted upon contact. Just then, the other three nagas appeared from the cocoon room. One of them, the largest of the 7, carried a large spear, and stuck on the spear, was one of the cocoons. The cocoons crystallized before shattered soon after.

"**This is not all. This den was built recently… and the number of cocoons… there are too few… most are still immature. I'm guessing it came from single birthing."**

A naga, apparently the leader of the group, observed the last poor living soul left in the den. The woman who was raped recently by the Three tails. The woman looked in horror through trickles of her tears. The serpents communicate with each other in a tongue she did not understand.

"**That doesn't change the fact that there's the male strain on the loose. When one of them is around, those Garou's reproductive capability increased phenomenally."**

"**And phenomenally disgusting too."** One of the Naga looked sadly at the impregnated woman.

"**So?"**

"**First one to kill the male strain gets all the credit." **The Leader concluded. **"But remember, whatever happens, we mustn't let them off this island-no-off this maze. Use whatever means necessary to ensure that!"**

The other six nagas hissed an agreementand they left the leader. The Naga leader looked at the poor woman. The woman for a moment was mesmerized. The serpent's eyes are glowing blue. The Naga touched her skin gently with its scaly fingers. The creature's hand has four fingers and two thumbs and it was quite rough. The Naga began speaking in human language. "Ma'am. Listen. I'd like to say to you that everything is going to be okay… but no. Everything's not going to be okay for you. You are going to die. Now you must choose how." The Naga's jaw remained immobile even as the words flowed in to the woman's ears. "You've been raped by those creatures. And now, in your womb, you're carrying the creature's offspring."

The woman gasped as she looked in horror at her swollen stomach.

"In a few minutes time, the offspring will split open your stomach, and you will die, painfully. But I can end your suffering, right here, right now. But you must choose. Die by my hand… or by theirs. If you choose the first I promise you it'll be quick and painless. If you choose the latter, I will not complain, and I swear to you I would not let a single one of those monsters escape this room. Choose."

The woman looked at her stomach and then to the serpent. The woman firmed her resolve and then nodded.

"May Seiryuu-sama guide your brave soul to the safety of your ancestors' cradle." And with that, smoothly and painlessly just as he said he would, the Naga stabbed the woman right on her heart and swiftly, an energy surge flowed through the spear into the woman, crystallizing her before shattered, leaving no trace. The woman died with a smile on her face.

The Naga pulled out his spear. The spear reformed itself into a small crystal and then disappeared into the Naga's markings. The serpent looked around the nest and pulled out another crystal from a different symbol on his body. This one shaped like a cube. The serpent swayed his fingers over the crystal cube, and it began to let out a high pitched sound. The serpent placed the cube crystal midair, where it started rotating. The Naga disappeared from sight as the cube began emitting light. The sound getting louder to the point it resonated with the surrounding area. A few seconds later, the resonation and the sound reached its peak. And in a flash of bright blue light, the rats in the minuscule cave, the ant colony rested on the recesses of the den, every last living organism, down to the bacteria… all vanished including the Garou's nest.

The Naga leader arrived at the front gate, where his subordinates had already opened the giant door.

"**Hunting time."**

And thus they slither in.

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Deidara's days in Interrogation

Minichapter 12:

The tragedy of the Chicken soup 2

Suna Nin Headquarter…

"Aaah? A package for Athrun-dono? And it's important you say?"

"The postman died delivering it!"

"I see… but… such impeccable timing, Athrun-dono wasn't here."

"What do you mean wasn't here?"

"Athrun-dono left this morning to the Kappagakure together with Gaara-tachi and Nara-san. Something about… Kappa's Convention about Making Desert a better place with irrigation…"

"Eeehhh?"

"But if the postman died delivering, then there's no mistake… it is important. Very well then. Let's keep the package here, until Athrun-dono's return."

"When will he return?"

"…erm… he said a week."

"A week? Say… that package… can it last that long?"

"I… don't know… what do you think this is? Is it degradable item?"

"Dunno… it was encased in vault… it was heavy… maybe some short of… something?"

"…let's open it."

"Open it!? Are you crazy? A postman gave his life to deliver it! It must be a package of utmost importance! We can't just open it without permission!"

"Then how are we supposed to deal with it, genius?"

"…well… hmm…"

"Let's take a peek. At least we'll know what we're dealing with."

A few minutes later…

"EMERGENCY! EMERGENCY!! THERE'S A POISON OUTBREAK IN THE SAND HEADQUARTERS! GET THE MEDIC SQUAD AND ANTI POISON SPECIALIST IMMEDIATELY!!"

"THE NINS IN THE INFECTION AREA IS TRAPPED INSIDE! HURRY!"

To be continued…

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And another relatively fast update… whoa…


	32. The Water Extremist

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": special case (Naruto Berserker mode, different language)**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA! : Giant creature speech **

"_Journal no bla bla": Renald's writing or other uses_

Disclaimer: I own nothing… except the plenty of OCs in the story.

This Chapter, as the title said, features the Naga. But they are **NOT** the same Naga in the Warcraft world. For pictures of them, the link is in my profile.

**Chapter 29:**

**The Water Elemental Extremist, Naga**

Naruto, Neji and Yukiku were quite amazed by themselves. In the last a few hours, they finally managed to get used to the maze transformational sequence. In fact, they beginning to think it was all too easy.

"Well?"

"Fresh air, from here."

"Let's go."

Thanks to Naruto's exceedingly keen senses, they didn't have to spend a long time making their way through the maze. After another walk, a transformation later, they arrived at another room, this one with 5 roads.

"Well?"

"…none. We have to wait… but I do hear footsteps coming from there."

"Me too."

The three readied themselves. The footsteps stopped. Clearly both parties had realized they're not alone. With a snap, the two groups charged at each other. Naruto slammed his Tenrou on a dusty sword, Yukiku blocked a giant cat from scratching her eyes out, and Neji almost got rammed by a puppet.

"Eh?"

"What the…?"

"Goodness me!"

"Huh?"

"Who the…"

"This is… Sand nins?"

The two teams eased themselves.

"Naruto-san!"

"You are… Guccha from the Sand nin team, aren't you?"

The boy retracted his sword, which immediately dispersed into sand and travelled back into his gourd.

The other nin also immediately retract their respective weapons.

"We've been circling around this place for hours. We don't know where else to go and just pick our way randomly."

"Have you encountered any other team besides us?" Yukiku wondered.

"You're the first one… that still alive."

"What do you mean?"

"Well… we do meet some teams… but they were …eh…" Guccha found himself choosing his words carefully. His teammate, the cat user finished it for him.

"Some are squashed on flat, the others got grinded… mostly because of the unpredictable transformation sequence." Just then, the room transformed again. Carefully they avoided falling walls, flipping floors and the lot. Just then, a door flipped… revealing a large human shaped blood red splat on it. The Konoha trio gulped. Apparently some genin was unfortunate enough to be caught during the transformation sequence.

"…I suppose… that's one of the things you just told us?"

"…kinda like that yes."

"Don't worry. One way or the other, we're bound to meet them living ones on our way out. Sooner or later. For now, let's just work together to get out here, agree?"

"Right."

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Meanwhile, in another part of the maze…

"Damnation! We've lost a member already!" A mist nin gritted his teeth.

"How would we ever get out of this place!? This is nothing like senpai told me about this place!"

A black figure stalked the two arguing nin.

"Watch out! It's changing again!"

"Whuaa!"

Unlike the nins, the figure find no trouble avoiding the switching blocks and environment. Once it's over, the two nins were beat and the figure still observe them.

"Hah… hah… we'll never make it at this rate…"

"Pant… gasp… what on earth were they thinking? Putting us through this hell?"

The two rested on the wall. The lighting generated a shadow on their back. The figure tensed at the sight. Sure enough, without anyone knowing, the shadow extend abnormally and began emanating devilish aura.

"**Oh no."**

The shadow suddenly began take form of a creature. A pack of the infernal Hellhounds. A few moments later, three Garous jumped out of the shadows. In a just a split second before the tip of the claw even reached the nin, as set of crystal six edged fuuma shuriken barraged the monsters, slicing their arms. The limbs and the sliced wounds crystallized and shattered upon impact, right in front of the shocked Mist Genins. The half emerged Garous were frozen on the spot, unable to move. When the nins looked up, they paused for a moment upon seeing the grotesque dogs bearing down on them, before they scream altogether.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!"

The two nin immediately ran away from the spot. But before one of them can go far, another Garou appeared from one of the nin's shadow and bite the poor guy's neck, injecting its eggs.

Before more eggs can be inserted, something long and sharp suddenly stabbed the Garou, right on the chest. A large long spear. The figure, now fully reveal itself to be a Naga angrily pulled the beast away from the genin and throw it away. The beast crystallized completely midair and shattered to nothingness upon impact.

Seeing the beastly appearance of their supposed savior, the two nins disregard that fact and ran away. The Naga looked at the two and growled. One of them is heavily invested. **"…he's beyond help… sorry, kid."** The Naga pulled out a small crystal, flickered it, and the next second, it turned into the same six edged fuuma shuriken. The Naga throw it with eye blinding speed. Three blades of the shuriken spin clockwise, while the remaining three spin counter clockwise. The shuriken sliced through the nin and carried the upper half of the nin's body before stuck on the wall. The Mist genin head didn't even realized that the lower part of his body is no more. He gasped as his body crystallized completely and dispersed to nothingness soon after.

The last Mist nin, upon seeing the death of his comrade take one last look at what's left of his friend's body and then turned towards the murderer. The Naga looked at him.

"…**this one's clean… sorry. You have to survive this place alone."** The Naga turned away from the nin, intending to finish off the Garous stuck on the wall.

Of course, the nin didn't understand. The next second, he went hysteria and charged at the Naga. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRH!" The nin threw kunais shuriken, daggers, swear words… everything he can throw at the serpent creature. However, the kunais, the daggers, the shurikens… they were all stopped by some short of a spherical barrier. None of them managed to touch the serpent not even a bit. The Mist nin draw out his sword, intending to slice the beast. But before he can do so, the Naga already realized his intention, and, with a speed so unlike its sluggish structure, turned around and grabbed the nin by his neck and roared, exhibiting its fangs.

The Mist nin struggled to break free. The Naga checked him again, as if to make sure the nin is totally 'clean'. **"…clean." **And with that, the Naga smashed the nin's head unto his hard carapace, rendering the genin unconscious. The Naga dropped the nin there. **"Right… I can't leave him here… he'll be a potential target for you guys."**

The three half emerged Garous were still struggling to break free. They growled and roared-

"**Shut up!"** With one stroke, the Naga cuts off all the demons' heads. The bodies crystallized and shattered as usual.

The Naga observed the surroundings. **'…nothing else around here… well then… the transformation should be occurring in 3, 2, 1!'**

True enough, the room changes structure again. A doorway appeared right in front of the Serpent. Carrying the human unconscious body, the serpent slither away as it vanishes from sight.

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"…I see… so that's how it is… we never actually noticed…"

"I don't think we'll be the only ones who'll see this though. Given the time, they're bound to figure it out." Neji is in the lead. Their group of two teams decided to team up until they get out.

"What's with the time limit though?"

"Hiko said 3 days… but he also said he'll pick us up in a week."

"What does he mean by that?"

"I think he means something is coming in 3 days… something big and dangerous. And we have to survive from it until he pick us up."

Thanks to Naruto's extensively keen senses and Neji's calculation, the group encountered every transformation easily. In fact, Neji began to grasps the basic transformational sequence, and was able to predict not just when but also where and how the changes will occur. The journey through the maze that supposed to be mind boggling became a road trip for them. Regardless however, Naruto could not help to feel something was wrong. Kyuusei was excited. It's true they definitely getting deeper, and perhaps, much closer to exit. But the deeper they gets, more and more of the smell of blood became thicker. Heck, Neji should've realized it by now as well. True, they pick their road based on the freshness of air. But now, more often than not, that fresh air is accompanied by a foul smell: like rotten eggs.

Naruto could've sworn he knew this smell… but he could not remember where he smelled it.

Yukiku however, answered the question for him. Not wanting to alert the others, she whispered it to him. "…Naruto… this smell… I've smelled it before… remember our little misadventure in Konoha woods?"

"You're kidding! This is Mist Training grounds! How did those dogs get through here without swimming? And you remember all the hassle we went through to get here don't you?"

"News flash, we're not dealing with a normal dog here. It's a mutant doggie on the loose, remember?"

Naruto gulped. A demon mixed in a chuunin exam? Well, well… killer exam indeed. "Hey, Neji!"

"I know, I know… I had my suspicion for some time now… of all the creatures we could've run into…"

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A shinobi was running for his life as a three tail chasing him. Before the demon can go further, a rain of spears impaled it from the side. Destroying it. A few meters away, a naga chuckling like mad and scratched another mark on his arm. **"20. Top that!"**

"**I'm hanging 36. Try to keep up will ya?"** Another Naga showed up with a Garou hanged on his halberd.

"…**you didn't cheat did you? Last time I checked, you were trailing by 15!"  
**

"**Well some Garous got trapped on the transformation sequence and I killed the sole escapee here."**

"**THEN IT STILL COUNTS AS ONE!" **The loser protested.

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"Heeeh? Alchemy, a new curriculum in Sand? I never even heard of it."

"It came from the distant world. The priest that Gaara-sama brought the other day introduced it to us… A few months ago during our Chuunin Exam he beat the crap out of a Stone nuke nin, an Akatsuki member in fact, as he strip him naked in a demonstration." Guccha chuckled. 

"My only regret is that I weren't there to see it." Naruto muffled laughter as he tried to picture people like Itachi and Kisame without anything on. Just then, Neji signaled another change is about to occur. There are three gates. A few seconds later the transformation began, and the next instance, there are 5 branches. Naruto instantly caught the sound of people running and screaming.

The group readied their weapons. A few moments later, three cloud nins came crashing into the room, scared out of their wits. They fell down right before Naruto and the rest.

"H… HELP! Demons! Monsters! T… t… those… things…!"

They were delirious. One of them were in complete bloody mess.

Guccha was the first to retract his weapon. "Kumo Nins."

Naruto particularly eyed the bleeding kumo nin. "What happened?"

Upon seeing that they're back among the humans, the Kumo nin relaxed slightly. "We… were ambushed… a bunch of… dogs… the size of horses."

The Suna cat user laughed. "Dogs? Yeah right!"

The Konoha nin however, became visibly tensed. Their suspicion was proven true. "Hey, those dogs… were they… got three tails swishing on their asses?"

"Yeah! One of them BIT me!"

Naruto gasped in an instant. He quickly slammed the other two kumo nins away from the infected.

"Hey what the…!?" The kumo nins gasped at the sudden rudeness. Neji and Yukiku hold them.

"How long did it bit you?" Naruto frowned. He hastily ripped off the nin's clothing. Horrible gash were shown to everyone. The suna nins winced. It was sickening. Black acid spurt out from the wound holes.

"W…"

"Answer ME! HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN SINCE IT BIT YOU?"

"…a-around 10-15 minutes."

Naruto sighed exasperatedly. There's still some time. This doesn't go unnoticed by the victim. "W… What's with that look? W… Y… You know what this is do you? Tell me! WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS!?"

He blond gave the kumo nin a look, a mixture of pity, exasperation and exhaustion. "…the thing that bit you… it's Garou."

"Garou?"

"A tailed beast. A demon. The same kind as Shukaku the One Tail, and Kyuusei the Ninetails. The one that bit you… was three tails. When they bit, they put a stinger at you, in short they licked you. And they don't do it for fun. They inject some of their puppy gonnabe INTO your body. Given time, it'll mature, and then it'll kill you inside out."

It was as if someone just drained the last colors out of the Kumo Nin's face. "H… How did you know all this?"

"…it bit me once. Those damned creatures. You may feel it's just mere flesh wound yes? Well that's what they want you to think." Naruto sighed. "Their fangs are acidic and their saliva is anesthetic. It dampened your nervous system."

"S… b… but you're still alive?"

"Yes… because I got lucky. That thing bit me only 5 seconds. And I got 3 eggs. And they were taken out quickly… any of you know how to do some surgery?"

Everyone shook their heads. The Kumo nin was getting paler and paler. "GET THESE THINGS OUT OF ME!!"

Naruto sighed. After the incident back in the forest, Kyuusei taught Naruto all there is to know about Garou.

_Flashback_

"I don't really remember anymore… I mean… from what I learned in our demonic history, Garou was descended from Beelzebub, the Wind demon king. Holding the element of necromancy, these doggies were… well… just your average undead doggies. They only, eat, poop, eat again, poop again… the cycle… till they're dead."

"Those eggs… when they inject it into me… I don't feel a lot of pain…"

"Because their saliva was anesthetic. It dampens your nervous system." Kyuusei scratched his red hair. "Normally a Garou's egg laid in the open environment would take a month to hatch. But inside a human body, it'll mature in a day. AND it took them around 5 hours to go and find your pinto and swallow them up. After that, there's no hope of getting it out."

"My what?"

"Your manhood… or womanhood… whatever… and then, it'll kill you."

"Ghosh… now I'm glad I brought Tsunade Baa-san to Konoha."

"If by the way, in some chance you were in the situation where surgery is a luxury, try to use Tenrou."

"Tenrou?"

"Yeah. Remember? That's the sword of foxes, wolves… and dogs. Demon dogs are no exception. Just be warned the five hours rule is still applies. Using Tenrou after 5 hours will be pointless."

"What should I do?"

"The katana… can impulse the creature… it unleash some short of a… scent… aura… whatever that the demon dogs react to… depending on the situation… it'll either scare them, in which by the case you can literally scare those infant puppies to death before they even hatch, no joke intended… or, you make them more ferocious and it make them grow prematurely. By which case you're still gonna die when they hatch."

"You said… certain situation?"

"I think it's… somewhere around… I don't know… 300 to 400 millennia after the war of the world started or something… During the War of The Worlds, the climatic battle between demons and gods, some of those typical mad scientists and evil geniuses in the Demon World wanted to breed a new type of Garou. It is understandable given that Garous are pretty simple life forms. They can perform tons of genetic engineering on them and even if they fail, the Garous can be quickly replaced. From what I've read in the report… they tried to create some sort of… intelligent Garou. They attempt to expand their consciousness… creating a commando type, a better breed of Garou that can control other Garous."

"I'm trying to follow…" Naruto frowned.

"Try to keep up. From what I know… they failed, miserably. Or so it would seem. The genetic strain however, got implanted on a Garou, who later died and gave birth to three more Garous, one carries the strain. Several life and death and rebirth cycle later, the strain was lost… mixed amongst the millions of the genetic pool of the offspring and finally, through some egg injection and all, it merged with the rest of the species. The Scientist named the strain: the Reaper Strain."

"Reaper Strain?"

"You know… because of its bizarre appearances, most people never realized that Garou is actually a she."

"That THING is female?"

"The Reaper strain is the male strain. Over the course of history we finally establish… that only one every a billion can be born with that strain."

"So… you're saying that those crazy scientist and evil geniuses… in sense they got what they wanted?"

"And more. The reaper strain is a hundred times more powerful than your average Garous. Slightly more intelligent with crude yet vast mind control over their offspring but still beastlike. Also, being the only male in the pack, it granted the ability to copulate… mating with the female. The eggs born from this natural mating are quicker to mature… and before then, a mental link was already made with the said father. The mental link that continues to the sons of the father and the grandson and the great-great-grandson and so on and so on… This is why Tenrou won't do well when a Reaper was around. You try to impulse an egg that was born from a Reaper or its descendants; it'll drive those unborn puppies mad, accelerating their growth instead of stopping it." Kyuusei chuckled. "I first find out about this… I was only… anyway I was pretty young and naive… that thing rip my arms off when I tried to heal my infected with Tenrou."

"So you're trying to say is… using Tenrou when there's a Reaper around is a bad idea?"

"Yep. And don't use it near the egg laid by the Reaper."

"Okay… how do I know which egg is laid by the reaper descendants?"

"That's the trick kit. You don't know that." Kyuusei smirked. "It's a gamble. Sink… or swim."

_Flashback ends._

Naruto grabbed Tenrou, but he's somewhat still reluctant. "…this is a gamble."

"H… Huh?"

"…I think I can destroy those eggs without killing you. But it's a gamble and a risky one. I'm going to use this sword… to destroy the egg. But there's… a 50 chance… it might kill you instead." Naruto decided not to cause more panic. Kyuusei did say that the chance there's a reaper in the midst is only 1 to a billion… but better not take his chances.

"…you don't have any method to remove it without the risk of killing me!?"

"Surgery… but as we all know, that option is impossible."

"…NO! I DON'T BELIEVE YOU! You're going to kill me aren't you!? GET AWAY FROM ME!?"

Naruto remained in his spot. He looked at Neji, Yukiku and finally to the remaining cloud nins. The cloud nins unfortunately, were also at lost on what should they do. "…fine. We still got… 4 hours 20 minutes, think it through."

"4 hours 20 minutes? What do you mean?" The infected blinked.

"Garou's eggs took 5 hours to reach the point of no return. After 5 hours, you're officially sterile and a walking dead. Because after 5 hours, forget Tenrou, surgery won't be able to help you."

"…" Faced with the prospect that he's going to be sterile sent the sentenced into a deep thought. "No. I don't believe you. There's got to be some other way!" he nin tried to be calm but his voice was obviously trembling.

"…have it your way then. But after 5 hours… I will kill you."

"!!" The two cloud nins dashed towards Naruto. But Neji and Yukiku quickly stood in their way.

Neji glared at the two nins. "Naruto's right."

"You guys had no idea how terrifying those creatures are." Yukiku would never forget the horror she felt when she had to fight those horrendous creature.

"I will not risk having that monster, infant or grown up, in a closed space such as this." Naruto growled. "Can you guarantee we can get out of here in less then 5 hours? Can you guarantee that infant won't infect anyone else!?"

"…in the end… I had to risk it? Aren't I?" The Infected cloud nins lowered his kunai.

"…" Naruto sighed and was about to take a step… when suddenly his eye caught something else. Suddenly, something went through the Kumo Nin's body from his back. His blood outlined an invisible… thing… that just went through his chest.

Everyone's eyes widened. The kumo nin was raised to the air. Naruto's eyes were able to see some bended air that outline a shape… it's long… and serpentine. 'Orochimaru?' indeed. Understandably, he always relates anything serpentine to that snake loving of a sannin. He traced the outline into a hole just above them. One of the entrances formed by the maze. The Kumo nin was brought floating in front of the hole. And then, the creature dropped its camouflage.

Everyone's jaw hung.

A serpent… or was it a dragon? With two hands, tentacle hair, and well toned scales and muscle. Its long serpentine tail just went through the kumo nin. The spectators were so dumbfounded by the creature's shape; they don't know what to do. The serpent brought the kumo nin to meet him eye to eye. The serpent sniffed the boy several times and flinched, as if it just smelled something foul. The serpent took out a crystal, which glows for an instant, before transforming into a long staff, one side sports a glaive, the other side a spear. Both sides are made of pure crystal while the staff itself seems… bionic.

"NOOOOO!!" One of the Kumo nin awoke from his trance, but it's too late. With a stroke, the serpent thrust his spear end to the nin's head. The dead genin freezes before shattered.

"GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!" The remaining Cloud nins throw a set of shuriken and Kunai at the serpent. The creature didn't even try to dodge, the projectiles was repelled by an invisible barrier. For an instant, the barrier's shape was outlined. It was spherical… and swirling. Neji gasped at the shape. He had seen that shape a thousand times… since he had performed it a thousand times.

'K… Kaiten?'

The Serpent took no notice of Neji's comment but turned towards his attackers. '…right these two are clean… the boy with black hair clean… the girl clean… these three are also clean… the boy with the blond hair…!! In the name of Seiryuu's hide!'

The Serpent crashed into the room. The ground shook as the serpent landed. The Serpent readied his glaive and pointed it at Naruto. The boy, sensing hostility readied Tenrou. Everyone in the room also took out their weapons. Neji was the last to draw out the twin dragon.

The Serpent realized he made himself enemy of the entire occupant of the room. Suddenly, the Kumo nin charged headfirst at his side, brandishing a kunai. The serpent quickly spun around and smashed the kunai from the genin's hand with the glaive. Guccha charged forward. The serpent quickly jutted his spear end to the sand nin's direction. The spear was shoved with such force; it smashed through Guccha's sand sword and scored a blow on his shoulder. Another sand nin, a puppet user, sent his Karasu at him. The serpent throws Guccha towards the puppet, sending both crashing towards the puppeteer. Yukiku, A sand nin and the remaining Kumo nin charged from the serpent's back. The creature seeming realized this as it suddenly stabbed is glaive to the ground, and then using it as a pole; he spin his entire body in a 360 degree arc, whipping his tail on all three humans, smashing them back. Naruto and Neji quickly charged from the front, their weapons in hand and quickly slashed all three of them towards the serpent. The said target, having just recovered from his latest feat, didn't have time to raise his weapon… nor did he need to. Before the three katanas hit its target, they were stopped by something blue, spherical… and revolving. Neji's eyes widened. A spherical barrier had appeared as a protective barrier around the serpent. In an instant, the rotation went up a notch and smashed the two Genins away.

The two crashed on the wall, creating a large tremor in its wake. Naruto grunted. "W… What was that?"

Neji gasped for breath and took another look at the serpent. The spherical barrier revolves around the creature. "…there's no mistaking it this time… It's kaiten."

"What?"

"I've done that technique a thousand times… I know it when I see it… it's a kaiten… a genuine hakessho kaiten!"

The Serpent turned his head to Neji for the first time. Judging by the widening of his slit eyes, the creature seems surprised.

"Are you sure?"

"But how!? Kaiten is shooting chakra allover your chakra opening points and then you take a spin… the serpent didn't spin at all! Unless…" Neji blinked. "Unless… you can make the chakra spin on its own…"

"You mean… like Rasengan or something?"

"Well yeah… there's another way actually… when I learned water elemental chakra, I theorize that… given the right amount of control it is possible to spin your chakra allover your body without moving them at all. I'm guessing this creature… It managed to perform the same thing!"

"So… you're saying… this serpent got a water elemental chakra… and he's using it… to generate a personal chakra barrier?" Yukiku coughed several times. The serpent's tail knocked the air out of her lung. "Some short of… personal absolute 360 degree defense?"

"Well that's ridiculous! How the hell are we supposed to penetrate something like that!?" The Cloud genin was frustrated.

"You all can walk away and live." Suddenly a voice echoed in their heads. They looked at each other to see which one of them just spoken. "I'm the one who had spoken. Via telepathy, right into your brain."

"I think… the creature spoke…" Guccha nervously pointed at the serpent.

"Correct." The serpent nodded. "And by the way, I'm not a creature. I'm a Naga. And I am not your enemy."

"Naga?" Naruto blinked.

"If you're not my enemy, why did you kill my friend?" The cloud nin growled.

"Because he's infected. In three hour's time he'd be dead, and you guys will be stuck with 5 demonic dogs!"

"Garou's eggs need a day to hatch in human body! He still got like… 4 and a half hours before we consider him terminal and you just killed him!"

The Naga turned to Naruto. "I see you know your enemy well. But did you know that eggs planted by a garous born from the Reaper Garou hatch faster than the normal ones?"

Naruto gasped. "Reaper strain? HERE!?" 'This just keeps getting better and better…'

"YES! Though… there's one more demon I did not expect to see here…"

Naruto instantly understand why the Naga attacked them. 'This creature must be some short of… demon hunter…' "Kyuubi's sealed tight in me. My sensei ensures that."

"And who is your sensei that he can seal an eons old demon with an unlimited power in you?"

"…Kira Yamato."

This time, the Naga's eyes widened to the size of a teacup. He hissed angrily. "USO!"

Seeing their sensei's name had provoked an apparent response, Neji stepped forward and showed his twin dragons. "Look… this is the twin dragon… Kira-sensei gave it to me!"

The Naga observed the twin katana. "…it is the genuine twin dragon alright…" He looked at Neji and then to Naruto. "But this boy carries Tenrou, the godsaying blade of fox, wolves, and dogs… as far as I know; Kyuusei wouldn't let anyone even near it without getting cut to pieces."

"There are some complications." Naruto sighed. "But… if you're not our enemy… who are you!?"

"…I'm a Naga. And I'm a Berserker. I'm here to hunt those demonic dogs. But you got Tenrou in your possession? No wonder those creatures were scared shitless…"

"Scared shitless huh?" The blond tapped the nodachi to his shoulder.

"And when they're scared shitless, they become bloodthirsty frenzied." The Naga hissed. "I found three of them trying to inject more eggs into the poor boy-" The Naga was inferring to the dead cloud nin. "-I killed them on my way here, and, my, were they scared. Too scared to chase after their future meal, in fact."

"I see… oh, heads up!"

The room suddenly transformed. The nins jumped and rolled, avoiding falling blocks and twisting pillars. Now, there are 7 intersections. "Right." Neji nodded. "I almost forgot the time… he looked around. Everyone is still alive, including the Naga.

"You've caught the transformation sequence?" The Naga looked straight at Neji.

"Just a bit… they change every 7 minutes right?"

"Yes." The Naga nodded. 'And he correctly deducts how Nagas created our barrier. Not bad'

"Neji's the brain of the team." Naruto snickered. "Of course he understands."

"I see." The Naga looked around. The other nins were gasping and sighing. The nins with leaf symbols in their forehead protector is the only ones that were not troubled by the slightest. **'These guys' stamina… there's no doubt about it. They've been training under Kira-sama…'** "Very well then. I'm guessing you guys were in some kind of test right? Fine. I'll take my leave."

"What, you're not interested in killing me anymore?"

"You guys been studying Kira-sama yes? There's no more secure place in the universe than the one under his protection. Knowing that is enough insurance for me."

"Good." Naruto sighed a relief.

"Though… a little tip for you people. Call it a gesture of good will and an apology for killing one of you: if you wish to get out of this structure I suggest you do so before three days had passed."

"Why?"

"Because in three days, a giant and powerful tidal wave storm called the Jormungand's Breath will come and swallow this entire structure, completely flooding it for two days straight. Unless you guys can breathe underwater or hold it that long, I suggest you hurry it up."

Everyone's jaw dropped. Now they know why they should reach the top of the building in three days. Naruto nodded. "Thank you… Naga, sir."

"It's Killio."

"What?"

"My name. It's Killio." The serpent took one last nod and disappeared into one of the intersection.

Once the creature disappeared, the whole group snapped. "WHY MUST THINGS ALWAYS BE SO COMPLICATED!?"

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"What did you say?"

"We've lost contact with all the Jounin squad stationed in the island."

"…all of them." Hiko tried to confirm if his hearings are troubled.

"Yes sir. The last transmission however… sent this." The Jounin played a tape. The sound of terrifying screams and yells, mixed with roars and incessant growling coloring the background.

Hiko heard enough. He looked at the window of his ship. It was dark. Sailing in the dark of the night was never a good idea. "Prepare a team of elite Jounins. We sail back there. Tomorrow at dawn we get those kids out of there. Whatever those things are, it feeds on my men, and I'm not adding Genins into their diet."

"But sir, the Genins are still on a test, and there's the Great Tsunami coming in two days-"

"Soldier, this is no longer a test… this is a rescue mission. Might as well bring lots of breathing apparatus if you're worried about the tsunami. The point is: We. Get. Those. Kids. Out. Of. there. Understood?"

"Sir, yes, sir."

00000000000

"**A HUMAN? Carrying Tenrou around? And you said the other human carrying Kira-sama's prized twin dragons?"** A Naga, larger than the others, blinked as he received Killio's report via telepathy.

"**I saw the blades with my own two eyes."** Killio gritted his fangs as he mercilessly stabbed a Garou to its frozen death.

"**That would explain the riot… I've never seen a Garou this frenzied before…" **The Naga quickly beheads one of the Garou that just blindly charge out of the shadow with his giant axe.

"**Neither did I, bro."**

"**Discipline, Killio! Remember on duty you call me Chief!"** Killio's brother grunted as he slammed a Garou off his back to the ground and bashed its head with the butt of his axe.

"**Lighten up a little. Anyway, I suppose we have to scratch plan A and go to plan B?"**

"'**Scratch plan A'? Where in blazes you get that idea? With Jormungand's Breath coming in two days, you still think we have the luxury of Plan B?"**

"**Chief? Need I remind you that we're sworn to protect humanity?"  
**

"**Don't try to recite the oath of Protection in Silence to me; I remember them by the word and I remembered them because you would broke them first chance you get: Protect the Humanity at all cost without them knowing it. I know. That's exactly why we must go with plan A! When the wave comes, the current could swept thousands of Garou's eggs hurling them to the sea, and then to a distant land where they can kill more people. Think statistically!"** The Naga grunted.

"**Kids. Bro, they're just kids. They got a lot of future before them, you can't be seriously thinking of blowing the Bio Particle Bomb with them along with it!?"**

"**To stop these monsters? Let me think about it. ABSOLUTELY!"**

"**Bro? Come on. Do they have to die? Let's at least evacuate them. Left the infected to die. See, they were trying to get out of this building too. How do you say we help them? After all, the Nagas built this thing."**

Killio's brother sighed in exasperation. **"Sigh… alright. You better start doing the evacuation tomorrow. On the third day, finished or not I'll blow this place to hell. If you're late, on your head be it."**

"**Yes Chief."**

00000000000

Back to Naruto and the others…

Now knowing that a giant tidal wave is coming, the nins doubled their pace. If initially they had to stop in one room to wait for the change, now they walked past two or three rooms before waiting for the change to happen. And they're usually cutting it pretty damn close.

"We can't go any further… until we take a breather!" The cloud nins gasped for breath.

"Makes sense… we've been running for hours dodging falling blocks and wall segments, that ain't easy…, this is a one way room. We'll rest for a rotation, what do you say?" Guccha and his teams were also catching their breath. The three Konoha nins were the only ones still capable to stand upright.

Neji looked at the nins. They were dead tired. Naruto, Yukiku and he were fine because they've undergone stamina training. "Okay. Distribute the hyorogan. We all need some stamina and rest."

Naruto took the time to contact Kyuusei and asked him about the Nagas.

"Nagas? A walking hunk of trouble, that's what. 2500 pounds of killer instinct embodied. The Berserkers are brutal, methodical and through killing machine. I used to have trouble dealing with them."

"Good for you."

"Har, har, har. Oh yeah. REAL pain in the neck and ass combined they are. They were on one occasion belonged to an Oni clan. An ancient humanoid race that once fought alongside Shushin in the war of the worlds. The Oni worshipped the four gods. Some worship one god more than the others. The Oni that would be the Nagas worship Seiryuu. In their zeal, they try to emulate their god's powers… and in doing so… they began to gain Dragon-like quality… well, half fish half dragon anyway to be exact."

"Half fish… half dragon… I almost mistook them for snakes!"

"Can't blame them. Snakes and Dragons are reptiles. In any case, the additional dragon-like qualities made them stronger physically than the average Oni. Several times more powerful, in fact. They were able to take more punishment than normal Oni, and that's saying a lot. Anyway… a point that one must emphasize about Naga, they are the experts… no, the extremist user of the water element."

"Extremist?"

"They have a penchant to take things to the extreme level. Chakra manipulation was no different. I think that snowstorm girl's ability was to… manipulate water in every form? Well, the Naga's basic ability is just that. They use ice and crystals to make their weapons and equipment, they use water to generate their shield, and they use blood to enhance their movements, making their heart beats faster pumping abundant amount of adrenaline to make them able to react faster and more precise. They are a perfect fighting machine. That Lizard (Seiryuu) was one lucky God to have that kind of warriors worship him."

"How did they know which one of us is infected or not? I mean… do they have advanced senses like me?"

"That is a given. You see… these Nagas hailed from the Oni race. A race of humanoids… and the source of bloodline limits."

"What!?" Naruto blinked.

"I told you, the Oni clan is a race of humanoids. Long ago, at the end of the war of worlds, some Oni married humans. From this cross breeding born were humans with special abilities, such as the abilities to meld chakra, the ability to see 360 degrees… things that you people would call bloodline limits."

"Hoo… So… Neji, Yukiku, Sasuke, Kira-sensei… and all those guys with weird abilities, they…"

"A very distant descendants of the Oni." Kyuusei nodded. "But you could hardly call them half Oni anymore. It's been eternities ever since the first half-human half-Oni was born… the traces of the Oni characteristics have been lost throughout the ages."

"And the Nagas? You said they are Oni."

"**Were.** They hardly can be considered the same creature anymore. They don't seem mind though. The Nagas however, descended from Onis with great affinity to water. Inside them you'll find all sorts of water related bloodline limits. Their favorite lies in their eyes: the Liquid Vision."

"Liquid Vision?"

"They can see liquid in things: humans, plants, anything with a drop of liquid in them. This is how they can determine whether someone's clean or not."

Naruto jerked back from his mind storming. Neji snapped him awake as the maze is about to transform again. The alley transformed into three way. Just then, they heard running and panting from one of the doors. The group readied themselves for the coming surprise. Just then, three grass nins, scared out of their wits came crashing into the room.

"ARRGGH!! H… Huh?"

The Genins looked at each other. "H… Human? Finally! Normal people at last!" The Grass was about to lop towards them when Naruto aimed Tenrou to his throat.

"Stay where you are. Neji?" The Hyuuga prepared a set of seals, ready to cast a high level lightning jutsu. Naruto quickly scanned them all, one by one. "All clean."

The group sighed a breath of relief, whereas the grass nins were somewhat confused. "Anoo… something's wrong?"

"No. We were just afraid you were infested."

"Infected?"

"Hai." Naruto nodded. "It's kinda complicated… put it simply, we got a horde of demons mixed in this exam."

"You tell me! One of them appeared in front of us and chased us here!"

"Heh?" Everyone jaw hung. "Just one?" Naruto was expecting a group of 3 or 4 Garous…

"Yeah, and it's freakin' huge! What was it looked like? A snake or something?" The Grass nin tried to describe the creature. "It suddenly appeared out of nowhere and roared! Scared the living day out of us…"

"Excuse me… you mean dog?"

"It looked like a snake! A snake! How could you mistook snake with a dog!?"

"A snake? Naga?" The Konoha team was bewildered. "Oh well. In any case, we're getting out of here. You'll welcome to join us if you like."

"Whoa, whoa! What's the big idea, you were about to fry us a minute ago and then suddenly you're asking us to work together?" The grass nins were annoyed.

Yukiku sighed. "It's not an order, it's an advice. Understand this though… we are not alone. There are creatures lurking in the dark. Creatures that is completely out of this world. You guys were lucky had only met the good guys. But you can't stay lucky forever."

"The Konoha got better luck on picking up ways with less danger so far." Guccha added.

"The bad dogs. Trust me, you'd rather be dead than meeting one of them." The Cloud nin clearly won't be forgetting the horror they felt when facing Garou, any time soon.

"My advice, we have more chance of survival, only if we work together." Neji concluded.

The Grass nin looked at one another. "Alright. But only until we get out of this maze."

"Of course." Naruto nodded. "Now come on. This way smells fresh air." And the group continued their trip. After several times of maze changing, the group came across a wounded Stone nin. He was bleeding heavily, but Naruto smelled him and find him clean. Yukiku stopped the bleeding with her needle. Another time they came across a lone Mist nin. The poor boy was frightened and kept muttering serpents and dogs.

"I don't understand this. If following your story, the serpent was supposed to be our friend! This guy and that guy, they kept telling us that the serpent tried to or managed to kill their teammates!" The Stone nin growled.

"Because those guys were infected. Those dogs left their eggs. And once it gets in, you're beyond help!" Naruto explained again.

"The Naga seemingly had some method to check whether a person is infected or not." Yukiku stabbed another needle on a certain point to calmed the mist nin.

"Aye, they have. Liquid vision. Unfortunately we don't have that… but we do have the tool to see it."

"What?"

"This Nodachi." Naruto pointed at the Tenrou in his hand. "This nodachi can tell whether a person is infected or not. If it is… the eggs will instantly hatch and kill the infested."

"Wowwow! Back off! You said kill? Not save?"

"You heard me. Normally, yes you can be saved… but this is not the normal situation. There's certain breed of this demons that make the other demons stronger than normal."

"Horse shit!" The Grass nins exclaimed.

Just then, the whole room transformed again. Three way – five way. Just then, in one of those ways, they saw a Yuki Kunoichi, laying on her back in a pool of what seems to be saliva. Her lower clothing had been ripped off and her stomach was swollen huge.

"Oh god… what happened to her stomach?" Guccha's teammate, the Cat user closed her mouth.

"We have to help her." Yukiku was about to step forward when Naruto seized her shoulder. "Naruto?"

"No. We're too late. This one's infested." His nose couldn't tell lie. That smell of rotten eggs… sipping out from the poor girl's womanhood… there's no mistaking it. The girl was stuffed to the brim with the demon's eggs. "Neji, get your Fire jutsu burning!"

Neji readied a Fire jutsu set. The Grass nins were perplexed though. "She's still alive!"

Just then, the Yuki nin start screaming. Her stomach contorts and expands in an impossible manner. Something is trying to burst open from her womb. "What in the blazes-" Before the nin can finish the sentence, the kunoichi's womb exploded, and half a dozen demonic puppies charge out amidst the flying limbs and blood.

Neji roared: "KATON, KARYUUENDAN! (Fire Element, Fire Dragon Blast)" A dragon shaped inferno burst out from Neji's mouth, incinerating the still weak and scale-less demonic puppies. One managed to escape but Naruto caught the demon midair right on its throat. Naruto glared at the demon and put it on a chokehold. The creature's shape was more disgusting rather than scary. It's like a miniaturized dog but totally skinned, leaving its rotten black colored flesh to bear. Naruto grinned sadistically at the seemingly helpless puppy. But oh, he knew better. The creature was growing in size even as his arm choked the live out of it. "Now, will you please come and look and say it again in front of _this guy_ that I'm horse-shitting?" Naruto showed the little demon in his hand. Everyone gasped and somewhat frightened since, as they looked at it, the demon had reached the size of a small cat and start clawing futilely at Naruto. Naruto quickly tightened his squeeze and instantly rip off the demon's head. He knew what was coming though and quickly cast: "Jigoku Katon, Kitsune Endan!"

The burst of hell fire left only ashes and vapor with foul odor. The blond blow the smoke away. 'Thank goodness Kira forgot to close the demon seal in my belly… I won't have anything else besides half assed Rasengan and explosive tags otherwise.'

"T… that thing burst out from her stomach!?"

"Hai. I told you, didn't I? We got one freakin happy family of demonic dogs in this place." Naruto smirked.

"What you saw were the younglings. But the adults are much-much stronger and bigger than the babies. Bout… 1.5 times the size of a horse." Neji remembered his short lived skirmish with the Hellhound.

"And then there's ability to multiply at a geometric rate. Not only they can infest you with their eggs, these demons could also multiply themselves. If they were killed normally and their remains were left behind, it will resurrect itself from the remains, spawning three more of these abominations." Yukiku explained.

"And then there's problem number three: as I mentioned before there is a special type of this creature that can enhance their reproductive capabilities."

"O… okay… we get the picture already… then what does this Naga thingy comes to the picture?"

The three Konoha nin, unanimously chosen by everyone as the expert in dealing with things like this decided to choose their words carefully. Neji decided to answer the million dollar question: "I can say that… the Nagas… were Garou's enemies. On one side we got one of those infamous Bijyu demons, and on the other side, we got an unspecified number of these, Naga creature, that has been battling the demonkind for eons… and then there's us, the Chuunin exam Participant, who found themselves in the wrong time and the wrong place… stuck in the middle."

The verdict did a very wonderful job dampening everyone's spirit.

00000000000

'**Man, I could get used to this…' "GRWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!" **Killio jumped out of the shadow, scaring the wits out of a team of Mist nins, sending them running to a pathway. Killio smirked. **'Good.** **Another group sent away from danger.'**

The Naga had been circling around, killing Garous, looking for human survivors, and scaring them just so that they took the right path. **'I think it's best if I sent them to Naruto and his friends' groups. Though a large group like that may attract the Garous, if they already know how to deal with them, then those guys stood better chance surviving when they are together.'**

Just then several Garous charged out from one of the branches. Their faces smacked flat on Killio's Kaiten barrier. The Naga roared angrily before he tore them to shreds.

00000000000

As they go further in, more and more shinobis joined Naruto's group. All of them were either scared out of their pants by a certain Naga (Naruto's beginning to get a good idea on who) or got chased by the Garous. In the latter, there were, unfortunately, several infested that they had to regretfully kill. Regardless, after hours of walking and dodging, Naruto realized that the smell of fresh air is strengthening. This may mean that they're nearing the exit. Just then, the 7 ways room turned into an alleyway. "I see some light. Let's go there."

"Could we be nearing the exit?" A young Waterfall Genin hopefully asked.

"I don't know. We all hope so." A Stone nin answered with a tired face. In fact, the only nins who can still act and think as if nothing happened are the Konoha nins. Most nins wondered how on earth the three can handle the situation of being stuck in a hellhole swarming with demons quite easily.

"Does Konoha start training demon hunters or something?" A Grass nin dared himself to ask Neji.

"No. Not really… it's just that… we three had a very close call and quite an intimate experience with these abominations. More so than any of you. Just stick together. We'll have more chance of survival if we stand united."

"O… Okay."

Neji raised his hand, signing the crowd to stop. He nodded at Naruto, who made a bunshin and sent the clone as a scout. The clone was stabbed with a dozen kunai the moment it ran out of the hole.

"What the…? That's a person!"

"A bunshin in fact!"

Voices. People's voices. The group cheered happily and many sighed in relief. Naruto sighed happily. "Humans. Finally, a break. Don't shoot! We're not your enemy!"

The crowd walked out of the alleyway and they arrived at a rather large hall. Somewhat similar with the room they entered when they first entered the maze. Nins from the same village hugged each other, glad that they make it alive. And just when the peaceful moment only last a few seconds, a riot broke out as a cloud nin smashed against a Mist nin.

"OKAY, assholes! I want explanation NOW!"

The Mist nins gathered together. The whole group of survivors suddenly divided to two: Mist nins and non mist nins. "YOU BROUGHT US TO THIS FREAKY PLACE!"

"WHAT THE HELL WERE THOSE DOGS EH? YOUR IDEA OF FUN!?"

"WHAT'S WITH THOSE SERPENTS EH!?"

"WE DON'T KNOW THAT!" The Mist nins retorted. "Hell, my senpai only tell me this place was a maze! I don't even know it can FUCKIN' CHANGE!"

"Well, those creatures must be COMING from SOMEWHERE!?" A stone nin growled.

"Listen, we don't even know such creatures even exist!"

"THEN WHAT THE FUCK ARE THOSE SHITS!?"

"I lost, two friends… to one of those motherfuckers. WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU PEOPLE WORKING HERE!?"

The two parties were ready to explode and kill each other when Naruto finally decided to had enough and sent a Hellfire blast right between them. "Alright! STOP RIGHT THERE!"

They looked at the Konoha nins. "Chill it out you guys. If you want to kill each other, I suggest we do it after we get our asses out of this place." Naruto glared. "Anybody else got a complaint?"

A sound nin groaned. "Yeah. What's with you suddenly acting the boss?"

"I'm not the boss. But we're all wanna get out of here alive, don't we? We're in the same mud now. So I suggest, keep your hothead to yourself, and put your shoulder to the wheel for a moment." Naruto's slight Youki aura did a wonderful job on sending a creepy feeling to everyone. Chilling them all instantly.

"You guys seem to know what the hell is going on." A mist nin

"What's going on?" Yukiku chuckled tiredly. Telling these guys and those guys the same thing over and over again is really tiresome. "We're caught in a… eons old interspecies war. You Mist nins simply pick the lousiest place and time to do an exam."

The Mist nins growled. "Listen: cut us some FUCKING slack will ya!? We've been using this place for years and we've never experienced something like this! So please don't joke. You wanna make bullshit, make a better one please?"

Neji glared at the nin. "Do you hear us laughing?"

The Mist nins looked at each other. They turned towards the non Mist survivors. Guccha representing the other survivors spoke up. "I… see things today I can barely comprehend. But in truth is… when I think of it… it all fits everything the Konoha have said. They've dealt with these creatures before, they know things we don't about these creature. We managed to get here was pretty much the proof." The Mist nins looked at Guccha, and then to the Konoha.

Neji looked around the room. The place was large. Larger than the other rooms. With three doors, a distant clanking sound echoed. The maze changed again. But the room doesn't show any sign of making the slightest change.

"Hey, Neji… its already way past 7 minutes, isn't it?" Yukiku eased up. She was prepared to jump and move.

"Yeah. My guess is… this place is like… a safespot. We can rest here alright." The Hyuuga was glad. "I guess those Nagas were pretty considerate after all."

"Well powerful we may be, invincible we are not."

The three jumped upon hearing the sound echoing their heads. They turned around and saw a Naga dropping his camouflage. He dropped an unconscious Waterfall nin. "Well… at least I managed to get most of the humans gathered here… quite a crowd eh?"

The thud brought everyone's attention towards the noise. And upon the sight of a giant serpent with arms was enough for everyone to ready their weapons and pointed it at the creature. Killio laughed it out.

The Three Konoha nin stood between the two. "Wait! Lower your weapons! He's an ally!" Naruto raised his hands.

Only those who had been in a 'friendly' contact with the serpent comply.

"That snake tried to attack us several times!" A grass nin gripped his kunai tightly.

"Correct that, I didn't try to kill you. I'm just scaring you." Killio chuckled. "I've been sending you guys to a specific direction so that everyone converges here. In this safespot."

"Y… you mean you put us in here? F… or what?"

"Cause you humans would stand a better chance of survival when you're grouped together. Plus, I also led the Konoha teams here. The way I see it. Without them you guys are just lambs to slaughter."

"Yeah right." A sound nin chuckled angrily.

"You can toss every piece of weaponry you got at me, and I assure you there won't be so much of a cosmetic damage." Killio stated confidently. "Plus, it's not that you're guys are in a very fit condition to fight."

The crowd snickered. "We outnumber you, you know that? It's 300 to one Mr. Snake!"

"It's Killio. And it is 204 people you got there. Less than a tenth of the original number of people coming in."

"Doesn't matter. We still outnumber you."

"Oh, I see. Then, can you outnumber over 750,000 Garous nesting in this place?"

Everyone gaped. Yukiku gulped. "750…"

"Well I don't know for sure… I stop keeping track a moment ago… there may be over a million by now." The Naga's tone in their head sounded like a man making a weather report.

The whole room was terrified. Naruto sighed. "…errhh… we kinda caught the idea of what is going on here… my question is… how many of you? How many Naga are there in this building?"

Killio know his answer will definitely scare them shitless. "Seven, including me."

"…you mean seven hundred? Or seventy?" Naruto gulped.

"No. Just seven. It's our, what was it, mystical number. One squad, Seven Nagas. 204 humans. Vs Over a million Garou. What do you think of that?"

Several nins fainted upon hearing the odds.

"In any case… those seven were already here." Folowing the statement, 3 Nagas appeared at the front door, 2 on the left, and one big Naga, covered in scales, with 4 arms: two normal sized arm at the front, two oversized ones at his back, appeared at the back door. Everyone was alarmed. They were completely surrounded before they even know it. The humans readied their weapons. The Naga didn't even seem to care.

"**Killio! You blithering idiot are you demented!?" **A naga hissed and growled in his native tongue. **"You showed yourself to the humans!? Are you crazy!?"**

"**Maybe. But I sure am not an idiot." **Killio slithered to Naruto. "Naruto-san, I'm in a little bit of a mess here. So if you don't mind, please show them the… Nodachi, otherwise I'm screwed."

Naruto blinked. He took out the Tenrou, and raised up for everyone to see. The largest Naga, apparently the leader of the squad slither nearer to Naruto. Neji and Yukiku was so enthralled, they forgot to move. The Naga looked at the Nodachi. **"…it has… Kira-sama's jutsu stench on it alright… but there's no question it is Tenrou."** He looked at Naruto. His hand moved towards the boy. It paused for a second midair. "May I?" The Naga request permission to intrude Naruto's personal space.

Naruto knew what the Naga wanted to see, so he opened his clothes and showed him his stomach. The spiral seal were no longer visible, but a single tattoo of a dragon slithering around his belly button and his chest was enough proof for the Naga.

"**So that's where-" **Before the Naga could finish what he was trying to say, a shriek from their backs draw everyone's attention. A Naga had pulled a kunoichi away from her shadow, which just sprouted out 3 Garous. **"ARM YOURSELF!!"**

In an instant, the Nagas pulled out their crystal weapons. The leader in particular, pulled out a crystalline Halberd while his two other arms draw out a pair of enormous crystal sword. Neji, Yukiku and Naruto all readied their weapons.

Two Nagas quickly charged forward. A garou welcomed them. But one sliced off the hellhound's claw as he proceed lashed out his tail to the next incoming Garou. The other one finished off the first garou and throw his spear at the third Garou before the demon can even act. And then the two quickly charged and finished the last remaining one.

"**Light!" **The squad leader roared.Killio flicked a switch, and the ground, the wall the ceiling all shine brightly, minimizing the shadows on the ground, effectively closing the possibility of the Garous creep out of their shadows.

"**Vision!" ** In an instant, the Nagas' eyes turned bright luminescent crystal blue. They looked around. Naruto's nose suddenly caught a strong odor of the all too familiar rotten eggs odor.

Killio's liquid vision looked around. Everyone in the room is masses of red liquid. Naruto is blood red, with a stench of dark purple in him. Just then, he saw masses of black liquid emerging from every door. "WE GOT COMPANY!" Leaving the back door to the squad leader, Killio went to the left door. Naruto finished his seals. He aimed at the back door. "First doggie to pop his head is so gonna get it."

The Nagas pointed their spears and axes at their respective gates. Neji and Yukiku took the front and left gate, helping the Nagas. The other nins gather together at the center. Not really sure what they have to do. Naruto answered the confusion for them. "If you guys weren't too busy, would anyone with fire, lightning, or ice jutsu in their repertoire and some guts in their veins step forward and fight!?"

"I can fight!" Guccha stepped forward.

"No Guccha-san. Gaara fought them once and sand jutsu were no good! Protect those that can't fight!" Neji yelled. The growling grow louder and louder. Neji prepared a seal for a fire jutsu. Strongest one he knew. "The vengeance for that humiliation in Konoha forest is right here!" Hearing these words the Naga slither a step, knowing the fire blast will be extremely powerful.

"Roger!"

Some cloud, grass, waterfall and Mist nins step forward and readied themselves to fight… for all the good that's doing them. One Mist nin, Yukiku noted, literally pissing his pants as he gripped his sword with trembling hands. She shook her head and pulled out both Dragon's Tail and the Headcleaver. Both are enormous in size and length. The nagas looked at it and let out what sounded like a whistle of admiration. She smirked. "I chop, you freeze. Deal?" The Naga snorted in agreement.

Hellfire burning fiercely in Naruto's hand and Kyuubi's Youki start trickling.

"Funny. I heard you were forbidden to use Kyuusei's demonic power." The giant Naga, the Avenger, frowned.

"There's a loophole… I was forbidden to use against humans-not demons. Now that I think of it, I think it was intentional."

"As expected of lord Seiryuu… always think ahead." Satisfied, the Naga returned his attention to the soon to arrive enemy.

A few moments later, as expected, Garous start popping out from the gates simultaneously.

"KATON, GOUKARYUUHA! (Literally: Fire Element, Powerful Fire Dragon Wave) A wave of flames blasted out from Neji's mouth, forming a raging fire shaped like jaws of a beast. The wave engulfed the first Garou, and the others behind the first, turning them all to crisps.

"EAT THIS!" Yukiku slammed the Headcleaver to the first Garou entered her side, splitting the hound's head to two right in the middle.

"LET'S ROCK'N'ROLL!!" Naruto shot a Kitsune Endan to the gate.

00000000000

00000000000

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Deidara's days in Interrogation

Minichapter 13:

The Tragedy of the Chicken Soup 3

"The Package claimed the life of the postman?"

"Yes."

"And then there's this… outbreak… Chiyo-baa-sama, what do you think?"

Chiyo scratched her hair. "They were poisoned. That much I can tell… I just can't figure out what kind of poison it is. Not lethal, from what I've seen. No vital organs were permanently damaged. But it'll stay in the system until their body developed immunity for it. Beyond that, there's nothing else I can do."

"The package was sent for Athrun-san you say?" Baki scratched his chin. "I'd like to see it."

"Umm… that might be a little bit of a problem…"

"Why?"

Just then, a group of medic ran to the hospital, carrying a group of nins wearing corroded Hazmat suits, all of them spewing bubbles of various colors from their mouth. "That's the tenth Hazmat team we sent to the building."

"My god… What kind of poison was in that package?"

To be continued…


	33. Who Let the Dogs Out Remix!

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": special case (Naruto Berserker mode, different language)**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA! : Giant creature speech **

"_Journal no bla bla": Renald's writing or other uses_

Disclaimer: I own nothing… except the plenty of OCs in the story.

This Chapter, features the Naga. But they are **NOT** the same Naga in the Warcraft world. For pictures of them, the link is in my profile.

From this point onward, I'm changing the Jigoku Katon into a shorter Goukaton. Both mean the same: Hellfire. I'll change the others when I had time.

**Chapter 30:**

**Who Let The Dogs Out II –REMIX!**

A garou was torn apart inside out as Naruto pulled out its stinger and jammed a flaming Kitsune endan to its mouth before shooting it point blank range. Neji stabbed the hound's jaws with one Katana, finished his handseal and shot out a fireball from his mouth, incinerating the beast. Using the Dragon Tail, Yukiku pulled one Garou towards her. She lifted her other sword and with all her might, hurl the headcleaver at the beast, nailing it. But due to lack of force, the blade was unable to pierce its target completely and there it stuck. "I'LL RIP YOUR GUTS OUT!" The Ice user jumped before kicking the headcleaver, pushing it forward even further, forcibly shoving the large blade through the creature, brutally ripping it apart. Before the remains can regenerate, three nagas stabbed it to frozen death. The other Nagas also do quite well considering they were outnumbered at least 10 to one. The narrow doors funneled the otherwise overwhelming number of the demons. The other nins could only be on support. They don't know much of powerful jutsu, at least powerful enough to kill a demon.

Killio's group wasn't so lucky though. The gate they guarded was large enough to allow several Garous to come through. Killio roared. **"Guilon! Kaine! The grinder!" **The two Nagas who guarded the gate with Killio nodded. The three quickly formed a formation. Guilon, who's quite built, was slightly larger than his two comrades slither around to the top of his glaive. Kaine and Killio stood below him on both of his sides, forming a makeshift pyramid. **"GRIND!!"** The three Naga boot up their Kaiten to the max, and the three Kaiten interlocked with each other. The speed of the rotation creating some short of vacuum, sucking every Garou in vicinity towards it, funneling them all in, freezing them, and then grinded by the three interlocked spinning Kaiten.

The Naga squad leader had no trouble fending the Garous on his own. He just slashed 6 charging Garous in a heartbeat when his other arms slashed 4 and 5 Garous each with its giant swords. One Garou tried to catch him off guard, the Avenger grabbed the demon by its neck and a surge of cold energy flowed, freezing the demon solid before the Avenger crushed it. Naruto, with the full arsenal of Onijutsu in his repertoire, spare no tricks. "DORYAAAAAAAAAA!! Goukaton, Ixion Kuruma (Ixion Wheel)!" A giant burning wheel appeared on Naruto's palm before he tossed it towards a pack of Garou. The wheel cut through everything in its way. It dissipate after cutting through about 10-20 Garous. The sliced Garou were burned before they had time to regenerate. One Garou managed to escape the attack, but Naruto dashed forward and caught one of its tails and start swinging it like mad, bashing every other three tailed ugly demon dog in the way. Finishing an Onijutsu in the meantime. "Goukaton, Ouja Kubochi! (King Snake Pit)." Naruto literally barfed a horde of snakes. But not your ordinary snake: a full cohort of scorching hot lava giant King Cobras. The burning cobras creep through the surviving Garous, melting them slowly but thoroughly. 'That being said, I don't really like that jutsu… reminding me too much of that blasted snake lover…'

**RESULTS. THAT'S ALL I'M CARE ABOUT. I'D EVEN MODEL A JUTSU AFTER YOU IF THAT WILL GET A JOB DONE.** Kyuubi frowned in his cell. 'Then again… I wonder what kind of purpose a jutsu modeled after him will serve…?' and somehow, the image of a Kitsune Endan bearing Naruto's head appeared in the demon lord's mind and he had to fight an urge to vomit. '…no… definitely not.'

The survivors hold on to each other as they saw the battle unravel before their very eyes. One time a Garou almost clawed one of them to death before Neji cross slash the demon to four pieces and use a "Katon, Goukyaku no Jutsu!" to finish the job. More and more of those hellhounds arrived. "Come!" Neji jumped and landed on one of the Garous. The other Garous jumped towards the prey. Neji took a breath: "Nitouryuu Hakke: Rokujuuyon-setsu! (Two sword style Hakke: 64 Slashes) Ni-setsu! Yon-setsu! Hachi-setsu! Juuroku-setsu! Sanjuni-setsu! ROKUJUUYONSETSU!" Every garou that attempt to even get close by 5 meters diameter were sliced and diced. "One more time: Nitouryuu Hakke: Hyakunijuhachi-setsu! (128 slashes)" This one was aimed on the Garou he stood on. At this point, Neji's hand moved so fast, it's practically turned invisible, only flashes of the twin dragon can be seen. Once every Garou in his vicinity has been chopped down to size, the Hyuuga finished a handseal: 'Katon, Goukaryuuha!' and all that's left is dust. The Hyuuga landed on his two feet, ready to fight some more. "Mada-mada! I'm all out of mercy today!"

The spectators couldn't help but to feel awed by the three Konoha shinobis. The Sound nin in particular, was perplexed. 'What's with these Konoha nins? Do they even realize what are they fighting with!?' And then, he remembered something back in the village…

_Flashback_

A few weeks ago, the day of departure to Mist Chuunin exam…

"Yosh! Let's go show those Mist what we can do!" The Sound nins grinned at each other. They were totally confident.

Kabuto and Sasuke waited at the gate to see them off.

"Why should I do this?" The Uchiha groaned lazily.

"Maa-maa… Sasuke-sama! You have quite a prestige in our village. Might as well make it into a good one eh?" Kabuto let out a kind laugh.

"Kabuto-sensei! We're off." The Sound nin bowed.

"Hai. Good luck."

"Heh. Just watch us, Sasuke-_sama_!" The nin sneered.

Sasuke looked at the Sound team. They've sent three teams to the Chuunin Exam in Mist. He had a moment of afterthought and sighed. "A word to the unwise."

The Genin teams paused for a moment.

"If you happen to run into a Konoha team with an obnoxiously loud shinobi with blond spiky hair, forfeit the exam, you'll just die." And with that, Sasuke disappeared, leaving the bewildered Genin team and a sighing Kabuto.

"Huh?"

_Flashback end. _

'So this is what he meant?' the Sound nins reluctantly had to agree with Orochimaru's so called golden boy. How were they supposed to fight a guy who can beat the living day out of demonic dogs with his bare hands and spitting lava and hellfire?

The demons unfortunately, are smart enough to see that close range battle is a lost cause. Killio and his gang were the first to see it: "INCOMING!!" And the Nagas break ranks.

A Garou swung its three tails. Naruto remembered what would happen when the creature does that. He pushed a grass nin to the ground. The storm of vacuum blades cut through the room. The survivors dispersed themselves. Some who weren't quick enough were cut to pieces. Some Garous were also cut by the blades, but three more began to resurrect from their corpses. "God damn it all! I HATE it when they resurrect." Naruto muttered under his breath before he quickly send a jet stream of hellfire.

The Garou seemingly understood that long range attacks are devastatingly effective. So they start sending one salvo of vacuum blades after another. "BURN YOU SUCKER BURN!" A Cloud genin lost it and start sending currents of electricity haphazardly. That being said, he nearly hit his own allies as well.

"Somebody stop that wacko!" The Nagas were having enough hard time dealing with hordes of demonic dogs already. Naruto grabbed his Tenrou made his way to the unhinged Kumo nin.

"Snap out of it yo!" He bashed the kumo nin's head with the Tenrou, knocking him unconscious. A garou suddenly jumped at him. Instinctively, Naruto bashed the demon with the Tenrou. He drove the blunt Tenrou into the Garou's back and he stood on top the squirming downed demon to prevent it from getting back up. He rummaged his jacket and strapped half a dozen explosive tags, red and normal ones to the demon's back. "HERE SOMETHING FOR YOU!" He lifted the demon, spin it several times before tossing the soon to explode Garou to another pack of its friends. It went off right on their face. The other Garou, upon seeing the sheathed nodachi whined as if they were being lashed by an invisible whip. The Garous stopped attacking altogether and their eyes locked into the said Nodachi. "It's… afraid?"

To test his theory, Naruto move Tenrou closer to the other Garous. Like before, they whined and quickly backed away, cowering and whimpering in their paws. "…it's afraid of Tenrou… the Garous are afraid of Tenrou!"

Everyone quickly gathered around Naruto. The Garous keep themselves on the edge of the entrances and dare not to take another step.

"That… would explain why we didn't encounter any Garous on our way." Neji surmised.

"We're encountering them now!" Yukiku remained in her battle position.

"Any ideas?"

"My guess would be… the Reaper ordered them all to come." Killio sighed.

"The reaper knows there are people here?"

"Well, Garous would usually hunt the big pack." The Naga Avenger followed.

"Righto. But since they're afraid of Tenrou, I'm guessing we'll be quite safe as long as we stayed near the Katana, will we?"

"**Sticking my tail near an Artifact of demonic origin any closer than 10 feet isn't exactly what I would call safe…"** Kaine muttered in their native language. Other Naga simply nod their heads in agreement.

Just then, a loud roar unlike anything they've ever heard before echoed throughout the room. The Garous stopped on their tracks and the group also froze.

"What… was… that?"

"Big boss is here." Killio concluded. Following the statement, one of the entrances literally exploded, blowing every Garous in it to bits, followed with another loud angry roar. "And the big boss is very angry." The Naga finished.

"Why?"

"Naturally because he's the ONLY male in the pack, other Garous followed him in fear. But now, he's not the only thing the pack feared." The leader explained. "The Garous feared the Tenrou. Probably more so than the alpha male. So the reaper will try to reestablish its dominance."

"In short, he'll try to kill me." Naruto concluded.

Another roar followed and this time, coupled with the trembling floor. Something's big is coming… and fast. The Nagas turned their vision, and they saw it: a big black mass of molten glob shaped like a creature is heading their way from the left gate. Naruto aimed his palm ready for one big hellfire jutsu… when a stinging pain suddenly ravaged his stomach. "Urgh!" Naruto holds his stomach and fall on his knees.

"Naruto!?" Neji and Yukiku quickly come to his aid. Neji put his hand on Naruto body… and it was hot. "Fever? In times like this!?"

"Naruto! Naruto you're okay?" Yukiku saw something shining beneath Naruto's clothing. "Neji… Neji! Something's wrong with his chest!"

Another giant tremor shook the room. The reaper's getting close.

"Open his vest! Hurry!" They quickly undo Naruto's clothing. The two gasped when they saw his belly. The dragon tattoo that is Kira's seal is burning red. Naruto weakly stared at the dragon tattoo. Inside him, Kyuusei looked excitedly at one of the floating dragon pillars chaining his cell. The pillar is shaking and he can hear growling. Also, unless he's mistaken, this pillar seems to be lower than the others.

Another tremor and an equally loud roar, louder than ever.

"Damn! That blond friend of yours chooses a really good time to fall sick isn't he?" The Sound nins whined.

"I don't want to hear that from you lazy asses who didn't do anything but whine!" Yukiku glared. "Naruto! Get up! He's coming!"

"It's… hot…!" Naruto gritted his teeth.

"INCOMING!!" Killio and his team jumped to the side. As if on cue, something huge, dark and stink burst out and disregarding everyone else, it jumped straight to downed Naruto. Yukiku pushed Naruto out of the way while she and Neji jumped away. The creature's attack ripped a Naga on his belly in the process, tearing through the Naga's kaiten shield as if it was nonexistent. **"RAAAAAAAAARGH!!"** The beast landed with a loud thud. The remaining Nagas ready themselves for battle. Neji and Yukiku looked towards the attacker and gasped.

The creature is three or four times the size of the normal Garous, at least. Given the size of the room, the creature had to bend over a little, but it clearly dwarfs the already impressively large Naga Avenger. Unlike the other hellhounds that stood on all four, this one stood with its two legs. The hellhound looked more humanoid than a creature. Three giant spiky tails sprouted from its back. His entire body is covered in a hardened spiked carapace and some bits of his spiky spinal cords seem to be showing. Its upper jaw has no eye. His head is somewhat reminiscent to a bulldog, but it was covered in a thick carapace, and has no eye. Its large nose was visible, and it comes with 6 nostrils. But his lower jaw, which consists of four scaly carapace mandibles, had 4 eyes. One per mandible. Its fangs were overgrown, some seemingly sprouting haphazardly out from its jaw. Its claw covered the entirety of its four fingers.

But what put them all at tense was not the grotesque appearance of this new enemy. No. But the sheer wave of dark energy this creature is emanating is filling every bit of the room to the brim, everyone felt the pressure. Its spikes, its fangs, the tips of its tails, paws and feet are all bright evil green, emanating dark energy the likes of which they've never felt before. His veins are pulsating every now and then, as if his very blood is composed of the dark essence. The demon beast took a step forward, and his footprints left a trail of dark youki. The humans in the room, not used to such overwhelming Youki had trouble to breathe let alone standing straight.

Neji gasped for breath. 'W… what is this overwhelming amount of… youki!?' His vision is getting blurry.

'Different… this is WAY too different!' Even Yukiku had to rely on the Headcleaver to stand. Her head spinning.

Naruto groaned even louder. The heat in his seal is scorching him. The Reaper sniffed the room and caught his scent. It looked at him. Its four eyes blinked once, and its mandibles opened as it roared. When it did, Naruto felt like he's going to burn to death. The spectator got thrown backwards by the sheer wave of sound. The beast jumped again towards Naruto and dive in, its claw came crashing first towards the downed Naruto. Before the claws can make contact, a naga, the one who had his gut torn, rammed himself to the said claw. It didn't stop the massive arm, but it managed to redirect the attack. The claw landed just a few millimeters away from Naruto's shoulder. The hit made no visible damage, but the room's bright lighting began to dim. Shadow began to appear around them.

The wounded naga grabbed Naruto and tossed him towards Killio. He turned towards the Naga Avenger. **"Okashira! You have to get out of here!"**

The Naga Avenger looked at the injured Naga. He realized what the Naga intend to do. **"Farewell, warrior."**

The Naga nodded before he charged towards the Reaper.

"Come on!! We have to go!" The leader instructed the nins.

"What about him!? We have to help him!" Yukiku looked horrified as she saw the injured Naga frantically holding to the Reaper's giant arms.

"Never put cold water on a determined warrior's heart, young lady. GO!"

And they ran, leaving the injured Naga alone. Without Tenrou to scare them away, the Garous poured in. The Reaper, realizing his prey is running away, attempted a chase, but the Naga quickly stabbed his spear on his leg. **"You're not going anywhere!" **The Crystal spear froze the reaper's leg on the spot. The Reaper roared ferociously and bashed the Naga towards his lesser kind. The Garou quickly overwhelmed the poor creature before he can put on his Kaiten. The Reaper breaks the ice freezing his leg and was prepared to leave the room and follow his prey, when a loud roar and an explosion occurred. The Naga, bathed in red blood, filled with bite marks, losing an arm, roared and jumped towards the Reaper, scoring a stab on its spinal cord. The Reaper roared in pain. For a moment, he forgets his primary target and using his tail, the demon stab the serpent clinging on his back.

"**GAhAK!" **The dying Naga choked a lot of blood. He was carried before the beast. The reaper looked at him angrily. The naga respond in kind. **"What are you looking at you four jaw-eyed freak?" **And he spit on one of Reaper Garou's eyes. The demon responds the insult by clenching his jaws at the Naga's head, and rips it off its socket. The Reaper munched the Naga's head and tossed the lifeless body to his minions for them to feast on, while he left the room, chasing after the survivors.

The Garous began devouring what's left of the serpent. They were too busy feasting on the Naga's dead body; they fail to realize the Naga's remaining arm unclenched, revealing a cube like crystal that begins to rotate, coupled with a high pitch sound. Once the rotation and the sound reached its peak, the crystal explodes, engulfing everything in the room in a blue light, disintegrating every organic thing in the room, the Garous and the Naga's dead body.

00000000000

Neji, Yukiku, the remaining Genins and Nagas were all running. A loud roar at their back and the subsequent thumping sound signify the Reaper is on their heels again. Killio was carrying the still in pain Naruto on his back when the transformation sequence started again. Blocks of buildings are moving left and right, but they continue running and choose to take their chances. And then suddenly, a giant block of wall came crashing between Killio and the rest of the group, separating them both.

"Naruto!" Yukiku gasped. But before they can do anything, the transformation caught up on them, and before they know it, everyone was separated.

Killio found himself in a wholly different room now and it has three roads. The thumping sound of the Reaper was lost during the transformation; clearly it was cut off from its pursuit. "Naruto? Are you okay?"

"The heat's gone… but what happened? When that thing appeared my seal start burning!"

"If it wasn't Kira-sama who made that seal I would say that there's a flaw in it. But he did make it… so it seems impossible for a man of that caliber to make such a miss."

"You're saying its intentional?"

"Try to remember what he said about the seal. Any catch?"

"Not that I remember of… except he said later that the seal used my own chakra to maintain… something about keeping my own energy from devouring my body… and then… oh."

"Oh… there's an 'Oh'! What's the oh!?"

"…I… forgot."

Killio banged his head to the ground.

"Hey… I didn't smell air from any of these doors…"

"That's why we have to wait." Killio looked around. "No demon in sight… well… at least… no one in close vicinity."

"You sure? They won't just… break through the walls?"

"Break through Seireikin (Spirit Gold)? Impossible."

"Seireikin?"

"Aye. The material which we used to construct this entire building. A unique mineral. You see… normal mineral base form is solid. You have to burn them to high heat in order to turn them liquid. Sereikin base form is liquid metal. Can you stand? It's going to change."

"I can. Urgh." Naruto managed to get back on his feet. "So… Seireikin base form is liquid metal?"

"And a very cohesive one as well. Left alone, a pure Seireikin will merge into seemingly solid ball of gold. Practically indestructible and unbendable. Until you put a drop of water on it."

"Water?'

"Aye. It's the unique property of Seireikin. Oops, here comes the transformation." The two jumped and rolled around the falling blocks and segments while maintaining their chatter. "When it absorbed a drop of water, the molecule binding these mineral became loose, and they can expand, multiply and enlarge for a moment… Simply put, they melt upon contact with water and then they'll converge once more, larger than before. This property makes Seireikin virtually inexhaustible. They're renewable. All we need is a drop of water and a ball of pure Seireikin."

"Wait, wait. Back off a little bit. You said Seireikin will melt upon contact with water? And this whole building, in the middle of a sea, is made of Seireikin?" Naruto jumped to the side as a block of Seireikin nearly crushed him.

"Impure Seireikin. We've added titanium, adamantium, all sorts of -ium minerals, even diamond dust… we've mixed it with various other materials. Once melted, Sereikin can be easily mixed with other minerals. In some way, its purity is very fragile. Once it's mixed with other materials, the Seireikin will amplify the property of the material it was mixed with; creating one tough material, but it lost its own unique property in turn."

"Oh… I see."

"Yeah. And when I said tough, I mean real tough: you can shower it with acid, bomb it, nuke it, shoot it, stab it, punch it till your bone breaks, this thing is stainless, and it won't even budge."

"Okay, that's very interesting." As they finished the chat, the transformation had stopped. "Too bad there's no information in that story of yours that can help us beat that son of a bitch of a demon dog."

"Well… there's actually one way…"

"What?"

"If we have a pure seireikin, we can seal that son of a bitch in a hunk of solid gold statue, that thing will cover your entire body if you're in contact with the gold when it melts. Unfortunately we don't have pure sereikin. So that's out of question."

"Any other bright ideas that is feasible?"

"There is… but you won't like it."

"Spill it. Things couldn't get any worse no?"

"That's the problem. Things will get worse. We have a failsafe system built in this building." Killio pull out a cube like crystal from one of his markings. The cube crystal emits an eerie blue glow. "This is a Bio Particle Bomb. We use it to wipe off every organic creature in a mile radius. It's called Bio because it only kills living things. You me, them. We're all potential victims. You follow?"

"Yes."

"At the core of this structure, we got one bomb, a hundred times the size of this one. Powerful enough to wipe out every living organism in this building no matter where they hide."

"Let me guess, you intend to blow us along with them."

"And along with us as well. We were prepared to die in this mission. You see… our problem is that the Jormungand's Breath is coming in less than three days. When the tidal wave hit this place, it'll flood this entire structure, but the current will send all the Garou's eggs and cocoons away. They may land somewhere on other side of the earth, grow out… and start killing again."

"So we have less than three days to evacuate the Genins and detonate the Bio Bomb?"

Killio sighed. "Knowing my brother, after what we've seen today… I bet he's on his way to the core now."

"Brother?"

"Aguillio. The four armed Naga who fought with you." Killio frowned. "He's a Naga Avenger… the one in command of this mission."

"He's your brother?"

"We never get along well. He's the strict by the book type… as for me… well…I'd break a rule first chance I get. Oh, here goes another transformation coming." The transformation begins again.

00000000000

In another place, Aguillio and Yukiku along with a few Genin survivors. "Anoo… Mr. Naga… Do you know where we're going?"

"It's Aguillio. And yes. I think I know a place where we can solve all our problems."

"You sure?"

"If it didn't work, then I don't know what will." The Avenger couldn't find a better solution than the bio particle bomb. **'…I've underestimated the Reaper's strength. How long that thing has been in the human world?'**

Yukiku found the Naga's answer seem ambiguous. But she decided to leave it at that for now.

00000000000

In another part of the maze…

"I'm tired… How long are we going to walk?" A nin groaned.

Neji groaned. He had to admit. Unlike some of the remaining Genins, some of them, Neji included, didn't had the chance to take a breather. His group consist of two Nagas, One cloud nin, a group of Mist nin, Grass nin, and stone nin. The Mist, Grass, and Stone nins' jutsu are not suited to battle this kind of enemy. And the Cloud nin… the same cloud nin that Naruto wacked with his nodachi, the one with the nervous breakdown. He looked at the Nagas. "Anooo… errrh…"

"Guilon. And this is Kaine." The bulky naga pointed at himself, and then pointed at his thinner darker brethren. The thin naga nod once.

"Right. Guilon. Where are we going now?"

"Well, judging by all that's been happening. We've been trying to find our way to the core of the maze."

"The core?"

"The Nagas built this place. We used it as a training facility. But the event only occur once every… well several hundred years. So, you see… the occurrence when there are other unwanted visitor appearing is a possibility. Such as the Garous… and you humans."

"Are we really that unwanted?"

"Well… as far as I'm concerned, you guys have been keeping most of this place intact for us. What's more, you haven't perverted its purpose that much. And for that, we are grateful. The human with the Mist mark has been using it for training premises. That's why we built this thing in the first place and so we let them use it. Of course we didn't count on how that Garous managed to infest this place."

"Don't you have some sort of… you know, anti demon barrier or something?"

"Seven levels of them. Apparently it all broke."

Neji sighed. 'Without Tenrou, we're pretty much at danger of being stalked by those damned dogs…' His nose suddenly caught the scent of rotten eggs… from his back! The Hyuuga reflexively stabbed one his katana to his back. As expected, a Garou just jumped out of his shadow. 'Katon, Karyuu endan!' A fire dragon from his mouth finished the job. But more and more of the demon begin to appear.

"As I thought… they were afraid of Tenrou before…" 'The others will also be in quite a danger…'

In other parts of the maze, indeed, the same thing has been happening. Now that Naruto and Tenrou are no longer in vicinity, the Garous found their courage once again. The difference being, unlike the well experienced Konoha nins, the other shinobis were all pretty much unprepared to deal with enemies of demonic origin.

A Grass nin just poisoned a Garou to death, but the beast multiply before his very eyes. The Grass kunoichi freaked out and start running towards exit leaving her teammate to be slaughtered. Before she can get far though, a Garou's claw emerged from her shadow grabbed her leg and drag her back screaming. In another part, a group of cloud nin were too busy frying their target, they ignored another pack of demons charging their back from the shadows. Three mist nins found themselves completely surrounded.

00000000000

Killio's vision caught a lot of red masses disappearing rapidly or otherwise tainted with black substance that is the Garou's. The one fact that troubles him greatly.

"How was it?"

"It was so bad… I couldn't find the right word to describe it. But that's an understatement." Killio turn away when he saw another group of red masses were completely taken over by black masses.

Naruto sighed. "You know… those guys would've a better time coping with the Garous if they don't have to worry about the maze changing all the time."

"Ah. We turn the transformation sequence on to prevent them from escaping."

"Great. You know where should we go?"

"The giant crystal gave off a different form of color. To a naga's Liquid vision it looked like one giant big white diamond. It's located at the center of the building along with it, the system that controls the transformation. If I can get there… I may be able to create some short of… safe passage or something. But… we're gonna risk fighting the whole horde of them on our way out. Smart bastard that Reaper is."

"One thing I still don't get… how exactly those creatures get here in the first place?"

"That makes the two of us… another transformation coming."

The two rolled and jumped from blocks and falling segments. When the transformation was over, Naruto caught a breath of fresh air, and a strong one at that. "I can smell frsh air from here…" The two headed towards the fresh air. Killio observed the surrounding.

"We're in luck… this is yet another safespot."

"Hey… a window!" Naruto saw a hole in the wall. "…the sun… is shining!? We've been here all night?"

"Yeah. We're quite in the outskirt of the maze. And yes… I suppose we've been here for a long time now." Killio looked at the bright sun. "It's morning."

Naruto stared out and smelled for the first time, a true fresh air. Unfortunately, the hole is simply too small for him to crawl into but he can still peek outside. What he saw though, bewildered him. "Hey, Killio… what's with the sea?"

Killio looked outside. Two things caught his attention. One of them, he understand. "It's the deep plunge before the storm. It happened before the Jormungand's Breath. The sea level will continue to drop and it's gonna be like that for the whole day. By tomorrow, you could even see the seabed and then the next morning, the wave arrives."

"That explained how those corals sprouting out. And that mist?"

"Bite me."

00000000000

Outside… a few kilometers away from the shores of the maze…

"Sir, it's no good, sir! I don't understand! Every time we sail in we're back right where we started, sir!" A mist nin reported to Hiko.

The swordsman looked at the maze. The whole island and structure were enclosed in a veil of eerie translucent azure mist. 'That's no natural mist…? Someone… or something doesn't want us to come in?'

"That's right."

Hiko blinked and turned around. A man full of bandages and white hair smiled at him.

"Who are… you!?" Hiko suddenly realized that every jounin aboard his ship had fallen unconscious. He quickly unsheathes his weapon.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk…" The white haired man shook his finger and walked towards the alarmed swordsman. For some awkward reason, Hiko found himself unable to move from his spot. The man continued his pace and grabbed hold of the blue sword before he let it run through his palm. The swordsman gasped. The blade visibly had gone through, but there's no blood let alone injury. The bandaged man grinned before he tapped Hiko's forehead. The swordsman dropped to the ground, sleeping like a statue.

"My… word…"

"Hmm?" The white haired man looked at the startled Renald. The journalist tensed a bit but almost instantaneously reasserts himself. This greatly attracted the person's attention. "You know… you can tell a character of a man by the sound of his heartbeat. Normal people would usually spike like a drum when they saw that trick… but you're… strangely calm."

"**I've heard about you."**

Setsuna's single eye on his forehead opened instantly. Did he just hear what he thought he heard? **"You…!? You're a human!... How did you!?"**

"…**I never thought it'll be this useful… the Naga language that is."**

00000000000

Day has come, for all the differences it could make, which is almost none. Naruto, Neji and Yukiku were all separated but they are quite capable to fend for themselves. The same cannot be said for the other survivors. Outnumbered and overpowered, one by one the number of survivors decreases rapidly. The Nagas and other able survivor met some other less fortunate Genins along the way. Everyone finally came to an unspoken agreement that they had to set aside their differences for a moment to survive. Time passed quickly, and it's already evening.

"So… where to now?" Neji look around the doors. They've managed to outrun the nth Garou incursion a few hours back, all the while they managed to rescue a few more survivors, and now things had been strangely quiet.

"We're going to the center of the building. There's a failsafe system down there that can be used to take out every Garou in this building." Guilon refrained from telling the human survivors about the true nature of the failsafe.

"Then we go." Neji nodded. Suddenly Kaine turned around. His bright blue eyes scanned the surrounding.

"**Incoming!"**

"What?"

"He said we got company." Guilon translated as he pulls out his weapon, a double headed crystal pickaxe.

In another place…

Naruto and Killio left their safespot a while ago and make their way as fast as they can towards the center of the building. Killio's vision scanned the area. The black masses that are the garous were running around them but dare not to come closer. Truth be told, around them, Garous were sniffing their scent. Some Garous came close but immediately freak out upon seeing the Tenrou in Naruto's possession. Unfortunately… not every Garous are afraid of them.

"How… how the hell that thing found me!?" Naruto gasped.

"It caught your scent. And remember, dogs have great sense of smell. Moreso when it's a Demon dog and if you noticed, this one got SIX nostrils!"

Behind them, roaring and growling, the Reaper angrily chased the challenger of his superiority, Naruto.

Another spot…

A garou was whining in pain as it was hung by its gut at the tip of Aguillio's halberd. The Avenger's other pair of arm scissor the crystal swords at the beast' neck and cut it. A garou was trying to jump on his back, but a chain blade slither on its belly and swivel, spilling its guts out. As it did however, the Garou's remains froze and shatter as they fell on the ground. The Avenger looked at it and then to the person responsible: Yukiku, with one of her sealing gloves removed.

"Most impressive, young lady."

"Let's not make a saint out of a sinner, next time I may not be so useful." The Haku twin quickly put the glove back. "Now come on! They're still on our tails and they're pissed."

The two quickly led the remaining survivors towards the alleged solution to their problems dodging through the transformation sequence in the process. After seemingly a long battle and walk, one final transformation led the group to an alleyway, leading to a dead end.

"What now?"

"Don't worry… we've arrived. This is it… Hm?" The Avenger scanned the room and found masses of red liquid inside, next to the giant crystal. "Someone's already inside."

"Demons?"

"No. They're all red masses." With that, The Avenger scratched the wall in a specific point. The dead end suddenly melded and slit open, a door. When it does, Yukiku and the other humans closed their eyes, welcomed by a sudden burst of bright light. Once they managed to regain their sight everyone get a better look of the room.

The room is circular and huge. Bigger than other rooms. From above, the room looked like a giant halo with crystals sprouting here and there. The large hole at the center has one big floating crystal flying at its axis. Like the previous safespot, this room has lightings everywhere. The walls, the floors and the ceilings. Their shadows were reduced almost instantly to a vague wisp. The bright lightings were outshined by the glows of the giant crystal at the center. Two Nagas were already there.

"**You two!"**

"**Okashira!"** The two naga greeted their superior. **"Okashira, we're preparing the bomb now, but… how should we proceed?"**

"**What do you mean?"**

The two nagas nod their heads towards another group of humans. The survivors from Aguillio's group finally took notice of the said group. The survivors quickly ran to their fellow human. Yukiku remained in her spot and looked at the giant crystal. "Hey… those demons… they can appear out of shadows, can't they? We got a slight shadow here."

"Don't worry, it's not enough for those demons to warp through. Especially the Reaper. It needs big thick shadow to warp in." The Avenger explained while he began tapping and moving around a crystal tablet.

"Great." Yukiku nodded.

Aguillio's fingers smoothly swishing and flicking around it. On the flat surface, writings and markings began to appear. The characters on those markings were alien, and it seems only the Avenger that understands them.

"Is this… what you mean by solution to our problems?"

"…" The Naga Avenger remains silent and focused to his work.

It doesn't take a genius or a mindreader to guess what's going to happen. The girl walk closer to the Avenger and quietly whisper. "If you want to kill us all along with those abominations, you should've been frank with me in the first place."

The Naga Avenger's fingers paused midair. He looked at Yukiku. The girl's eyes seem to be a mixture of pain, sadness and plenty of understanding. Aguillio take one more look at the girl and then to the writings before him. The Naga's expression was hard to interpret. His train of thoughts was stopped when the door opened again from another direction. And this time, a bunch of genin came crashing inside. Outside, they can hear roars and barking. Aguillio and the other two Naga quickly slither towards the commotion. At the door, Neji, Guillon, and Kaine were engaging a pack of crazed Garous, big time.

"**Guilon, Kaine, and you brave human!! Step back!"** Aguillio began charging cold energy to the core of his crystal halberd.

Neji didn't understand what the Naga was trying to say, but when he saw the gleaming halberd, he knew what's coming next. The three jumped into the room just in time.

"**Diamond Blizzard!" **With a roar, the Avenger stabbed the bright crystal Halberd to the ground. In an instant, like its namesake, freezing tempest burst out from nowhere. Minuscule ice particles were blown along, reflecting the light from the room. To the onlookers, it was as if the wind sent countless sparkling diamond straight at the three tailed beast. The radiant freezing tempest barraged the Garous mercilessly, mutilating them piece by piece while freezing them at the same time. When the technique was finished, there were barely anything left of the demons.

The Avenger swished around a symbol and the door was shut tight. "Are you okay?"

Neji nodded. "Somehow…"

Aguillio looked at his subordinates. Only two of them. **"Killio's not with you?"**

"**No." **Kaine shook his head.

"**I think he was with the Kyuubi's host."**

"**Kira sama's apprentice." **Aguillio confirms it.

"**Yes."**

Kaine looked at the crystal. **"Okashira, how's the procedure for the bio particle bomb?"**

Aguillio snapped back to reality. **"I'm having it prepped right now… yeah… right now."**

"**Okashira?"** the other Naga suddenly sensed the sudden reluctance in their leader's tone.

The naga in question realized their eyes were cast at him. He quickly reasserts himself and relied sternly. **"Yes. I'll prepare the Bio Particle bomb right away!"**

Neji looked at the leader and then to Yukiku, demanding explanation. Yukiku whispered in a very low tone to Neji of the Naga's intention. The Hyuuga gasped at the point where the kunoichi told him of the mass suicide plan. Neji looked at the giant cube crystal. It doesn't take a genius to figure how things will be going. He looked at Guilon and Kaine as if hoping for some encouragement. The two nagas looked back at him and Neji understood fully. They gave him the same look his father gave him during his last moments. The look of a man ready to die.

Neji was at loss. What can he say to stop them?

Suddenly, a loud BANG echoed from another door. The door quickly opened, revealing Killio and a pale and panting Naruto. He was holding something… or someone in his arm… and it was a bloody mess. "Kichi… KICHI! GET BACK TO BUNTA-OYABIN!!"

It was Gamakichi. The small toad that Naruto always summoned… and both of his eyes were slashed out.

Behind them, the Reaper attempted to charge in. Killio quickly punched the symbol on the wall and the door instantly closed. The Reaper's claw managed to get through and tried to get to weakened Naruto. Killio, Neji and Yukiku charged forward and stabbed the demon's arm. It weren't much of a cut but it managed to hold the claw in its place. The door however couldn't close since the Reaper's squirming arm was stuck in the middle.

"Hello." Killio greeted Naruto's friends. "I don't think Naruto will be in any capacity to help as of the moment. He's been running and holding the pain of that seal for the whole day. And then there's that poor frog."

Outside the reaper growled. Something held his claw on the inside.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!" Naruto roared angrily. His chakra flared and enclosed the Tenrou. The furious blond blindly swung the chakra infused sheathed nodachi and impressively managed to cut one of the demon's fingers. The beast's blood splattered on the floor and on the gate. The reaper outside roared in pain and quickly retracted his injured claw. The door closed for good. Naruto gasped in pain and fell to his knees.

Everyone breathes again. Killio stretch his hand to Naruto but the blond toss it away. He quickly stood up and ran to the bloodied little toad that is Gamakichi.

"Kichi! Kichi! Are you okay?" The boy fell to his knees right beside him.

The toad choked slightly. "Heh… fine I guess… as fine as a toad without his eyes…"

"Y… YOU BAKA!! Why do you always… why do you always…" Naruto looked sadly at the giant scar on Gamakichi's face. The little toad could never saw the light of the day again. Neji bent his head down. Yukiku closed her mouth.

"I… thought… I could just get out and play… you know… the usual stuff… I guess I overstep my boundaries…"

"I shouldn't… I should have never tried to call you… Baka… I'm a total baka…" Naruto tried miserably to hold back his tears.

The little toad caresses the ground with his webbed hands and found Naruto's hand, caressing his. "Hey… lighten up will you? It's occupational hazard." The now blind toad disappeared with a puff.

Neji and Yukiku looked at the blond and then to Killio. The Naga decided to relate what happened. "The Reaper kept chasing us. He caught Naruto's scent, and he's hellbent on destroying his competition. We were about to arrive to this place when the Reaper strike again. This time Naruto decided to take a stand but… the pain on his chest keep throbbing him."

"What was I thinking!?" Naruto's voice was shaken with anger and remorse. "I decided to take a stand and I tried to summon one of the frogs to help me. I thought with a small bit of Kyuubi's chakra I could at least get a decent fighter frog… but I HAD to mess up in the last step and call HIM instead… sending him straight to slaughterhouse… God… the arrogance…" Naruto closed his face with his hand, ashamed, sobbing and breaking tears and in frustration punched the floor. "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH ME!?"

Killio could only gave the boy his silent sympathy. Now he has more pressing matter to attend to. **"Okashi… screw it. Brother! Stop it!"**

"**It has to be done, Killio. We're through this!"**

"**No it's not! We're not killers of innocent children brother!"**

"**No. We're not. But we are soldiers. And we have our mission."** Aguillio continue to furiously tapping the console. Killio growled and stopped his brother by pulling one of his arms, momentarily stopping his pace.

"**Our **_**mission**_** is to kill demons. Do they-"** Killio pointed at Naruto and the other group of human survivors. **"-look anything like a demon to you?"**

"**No. But they are warriors like us. They know the risk when they took the job."**

"**Warriors my tail! Right now they're not soldiers yet. They're students. Innocent bystander got caught in our eons old vendetta! You push that button and you seal their fate!"**

"**What do you think is better fate: get raped and slaughtered by those demons so that they can be breeding vessels, or at least die painlessly and with their dignity intact along with the bastards?"**

"**How bout fight their way out of here alive and then you can blow this place to hell?"**

"**A small number… of-as you said it-students… against that monster and his demonic army of Hellhounds!?"**

"**They stand a better chance of leaving this place alive… with **_**us**_** on their side. Uzumaki Naruto, Yukiku and Hyuuga Neji had raised their chance from none to slim. The question now is which side are we, Brother?"**

The brothers looked at each other. The other Naga dare not to intervene. Personally, they too feel conflicted with their options: blow the place now and condemn them all… or risk their lives saving the humans, and what's with the Tsunami is coming in less than two days.

Outside…

The reaper examined the blood trailing from the stump that was his finger. Inside, the finger starts throbbing. The light from the giant crystal hit the finger and behind it, the shadow extend. Not big enough for him, but big enough for his lesser variant. The demon beast seemingly knew this and remains silent to keep the element of surprise. Telepathically he contacted the bulk of his hellhound forces and had them prepare for a mass shadow teleportation.

Inside the Naga brothers continued their argument. **"There's no way you can get them out of here and then come back and activate the bomb before the Tsunami hits!"**

"**I still can if we do something fast. First of all deactivate the transformation sequence-"**

"**And that's what I call insanity. You have to turn off the power grid if you want to deactivate the transformation sequence!"**

"**Just give me a moment with the damn Tablet and I'll show you!"**

"**No! We don't have time for your experiment, Killio, we got job to do!" **Aguillio turn back towards the console. But before he can put his finger on the Tablet, a loud roar echoed from their back, alarming everyone. A pair of Garous burst out from the Reaper's finger's shadow. The emerged Garous generate more shadows and more Garous can be brought in. Within moments, their numbers had amassed to hundreds and counting.

"**PREPARE YOURSELF!!"**

The Nagas forget the conflict and quickly lined up to battle the enemy before them. Naruto, Neji, Yukiku and several other nins march up and gear up their equipment.

"**CHARGE!!" **The Garous rushed towards them like a black dark flood. The two forces collide. The Nagas with their physical prowess and skills cut and tossed the demons to pieces. Naruto, fueled by rage, did not allow the Garous to run away from him just because he held Tenrou. No. He grabbed one of its tails, and start swinging the beast haphazardly like a maniac, bashing every Garou in vicinity, coupled with bolts of hellfire bursting from his mouth and palm every now and then. Just like the reaper's hell bent on killing him, now he's hell bent on making them more afraid to HIM then some oversized katana in the sheath. Yukiku dared herself to remove one of her gloves. She pulled a Garou up close with the Dragon's Tail and grasped the demon's snout. The creature froze upon contact. Neji, not wanting to be left behind, also began slicing the demons left and right and occasionally combine it with a burst of flames or lightning. The other nins fought with much less ferocity than what the Konoha nins can do but they fight nonetheless. Exploding tags, lightning jutsu, rain of shuriken, anything goes.

But the Garou continue to multiply, and despite the fact that the ground is littered with shards of their fallen comrade (frozen and/or burnt), their numbers didn't dwindle by the slightest. The Reaper outside waited patiently as he continues to order his lesser variant to teleport to the growing shadow inside. The Garous continue to pile on each other. Soon enough, the pile generated a large shadow on their backs. Large enough for the reaper to teleport inside and teleport he did. From the shadow of the Garous, the Reaper rose up. With a swoop of his arm, the demon smashed the pile of Garous away. The dark suffocating pressure engulfs them all once more. The reaper took the cut off finger and put it back to his stump. Within seconds, the severed limb reattaches itself as if there was no wound in the first place.

Despite Naruto's best efforts, the seal burns him and he can barely stand. Right now, the Kyuubi Jinchuriki could only rely on willpower. And as in the case of an angry Naruto, that's saying a lot. "YOU WANT ME YOU SONOFAGUN!? WELL COME ON!"

Answering the challenge, the Reaper roared and charge forward. The Reaper balled his fist and Naruto, gritting his teeth, holding his pain, welcomed the attack with Tenrou. The two attacks collide and the shockwave generated was enough to push every human in vicinity a step. Unfortunately, Naruto himself included. Thrown off balance, the Reaper mercilessly continued the attack with one swipe to Naruto's stomach, tossing him to the opposite end of the room and fall unconscious.

The reaper took another step forward, intending to finish the job. But then, Neji, Yukiku, Killio and the rest of the Nagas stood in its path. "Sorry, I guess it's pushing it for Naruto after all." Killio growled.

"Your opponent is us!" Yukiku took one deep breath and assert herself.

"Let's send this guy flying or something…" Neji cracked his neck. 'It does sound like something Naruto would do though.'

The reaper roared and jumped towards them, claws landing head on. Neji dodged the claw with paper thin margin. The next instance: Nitouryuu Hakke, HyakkuNijuuHachi Setsu!" The black blood spurt out when 128 slashes all landed on his chest. Neji rolled to the demon's back and groaned. 'Damn dog's skin's real thick…' Truthfully, the cuts on the reaper's chest were nothing but flesh wound; what's with it closing before their very eyes. Guillon and Kaine slither at low altitude and simultaneously hit the reaper's legs. They managed to score a cut and it freezes the leg in its place. The Reaper roared angrily and tried to break free. But before it could, Yukiku appeared on top of him. Gripping the two large swords tightly, the ice user start spinning like a chainsaw. "I'LL RIP THAT NECK!" the two blades landed on its target hard. Yukiku groaned. "Grh!... wha… what is this… diamond!? GRRRRRHHH!!" The girl forcibly finished her slash. Though it only leaves a small scar, the force was enough to smash the demon's head to the ground. "Ima-da (now!)!!"

Killio and Aguillio charged forward attempting to stab the downed beast. The reaper roared and before they managed to get closer, swung his giant claw. The swung generated a barrage of kaimaitachi, not dissimilar with ones produced by the normal Garou's tail, but clearly of greater power and quantity. The two serpents quickly activated their Kaiten. The spherical barrier managed to block the attack and deflect them all, but air explosion knock them both off course. With another roar, the reaper broke through the ice and charge forward.

"**Hey! Over here you overgrown bulldog!"**

"**Grrh?"** The reaper looked at the two remaining Nagas. Their glaives are joined one another. A giant cold blue energy floating between the two glaives. Everything near it was frozen and the room's temperature drop rapidly, including the Nagas performing them.

"**We'll freeze you to eternity!"**

Aguillio roared. **"AHOU! You guys are not strong enough to pull that move on your own!"**

Too late, the two nagas grunted and tosses the giant freezing ball and roar. **"Ghost of Niflheim!"**

The giant ball of frost energy was launched towards the Reaper. The demon's eyes widened. The cold energy hit him full and in an instant, turning him into a miniature iceberg.

Everyone cheered. The two nagas that performed the technique collapsed. Exhausted. But damn satisfied. The remaining Garous charged forward, but this time, Aguillio welcomed them with a fully charged: **"Diamond Blizzard!"**

The Garous were reduced to nothingness the moment the attack is finished.

Yukiku sighed in relief. "What about this giant hunk of dog popsicle?"

"Don't worry, human! Niflheim no Seirei is our most powerful ice jutsu. It's an eternal ice tomb! That thing will be locked like that forever."

"**AHOU! Do you guys want to die or something!? Pulling out something like that with just the two of you!?" **Aguillio began berating his subordinates.

"Niflheim no Seirei?" Neji looked at Killio.

"Our most powerful ice technique. They say the full extent of that technique can turn summer to winter. Used on any living being, it'll freeze them down to the last cell. But the power drain is murder and in normal circumstances it took seven Berserkers to use that technique at maximum power. And even after that, the technique would leave us exhausted."

"But because it's done by ONLY two nagas…" As if answering Aguillio's comment, the iceberg that is the Reaper began to shake.

"**This things just don't die."** The two nagas groaned. Overexerting themselves utilizing a technique wrongfully and they both end up on the ground.

"We need a plan. We got like… 2-3 minutes before this creature get up. We have to figure out how to beat the hell of him."

"Our weapons can freeze him… but as we have all seen, he can break through it within seconds."

"Just a few seconds is enough. Trying to shoot any jutsu from his exterior seems quite useless…"

"It's the scales… Hellfire can penetrate that damn skin of his well… unless I'm mistaken, the blond can do it." Everyone looked at the unconscious Naruto. Currently he was being tended by the surviving humans, specifically Guccha and his teammates.

"Not an option." The fighters concluded. Meanwhile the trembling from the iceberg is getting harder and harder. The beast will break free any moment soon now.

"If you can stop his movements just for a few seconds maybe I can shove the strongest fire no Lightning jutsu I know right inside of him." Neji proposes.

Everyone gulped at the seemingly suicidal plan. But all things considered, they simply couldn't find a better plan.

"So be it."

As if on cue, the iceberg breaks apart. Revealing the angry Reaper's arm.

"**Here we go again."** The fighters prepare themselves. Within seconds, the iceberg breaks apart, revealing the demon. The Reaper looked towards the group of fighters, ignoring the other survivors. He was enraged now. Forget the competitor. He'll just kill everyone in this room. To prove it, the demon charge forward and take the initiative by attacking first. The demon beast swung his claw. As expected, a storm of Kamaitachi burst out. The group instantly jumped away. Aguillio, using his two extra hands, carried his underlings to safety. Everyone charged at the demon, and the attack begins.

The Reaper started first by making a turn, swiping its three tails at them. Kaine and Guillon were hit by the swipe, but Yukiku, with her relatively small figure managed to slip through, simultaneously swinging her blades in a 360 degree spin. The giant blades managed to score a slash or two on the said limb. The beast roared in pain and shoved his left fist at her. Yukiku smirked and jumped away. The claw landed on the solid ground. Yukiku removed both of her sealing gloves and grab the said claw. She quickly emit a burst of ice chakra, effectively freezing the said claw in its place. The Reaper growled and tried to pull his claw back to no avail. Yukiku didn't let go and she won't stop sending the freezing chakra to his claw.

The other fighters quickly charge forward. Killio, Guillon, and Kaine attacked the demon from his right side. Naturally, the demon responded by swinging his right arm. That's precisely what the nagas wanted. Guillon get on top of his spear, Kaine and Killo stood on the sides. **"GRIND!!"** The three interlocking kaiten creates a sucking vacuum. The force pulls the demon's hand right into the middle. The force didn't mince the claw like it did to lesser Garous, but the cracking sound from the said claw signify that the demon's arm is being pulverized nicely. What's more, it effectively locked the Bijuu's claw in its place. Aguillio followed and jumped to the demon's back. His extra arms generate one crystal sword after another and throw them to the Reaper's direction. The crystal swords nailed the demon's annoying tails, all three of them. The naga slither around those tails and made his way to the demon's mouth. He grabbed the Reaper's upper jaw and pulled it upwards, exposing his throat. "NOW!"

Neji swallowed 10 hyorogans all at once and jumped to the demon's mouth. Standing on its lower quadruple jaws, the Hyuuga completed his seals. "Raiton, Tajuu Raikoudan!" The Hyuuga shot a barrage of giant lightning balls rapidly, one after another straight into the demon's throat. The Reaper obviously roared in pain. And the other parties had trouble holding the demon's claws.

In the mean time, due to all commotion, Naruto woke up and saw the whole thing. Neji is still jamming one thunderbolt after another to the Reaper's throat. Some of the electricity burst out from various spot of the demon's body. His stomach also starts to swell up. Naruto smirked. "Go get em."

After shooting another 10 Lightning spheres or so, Neji finally collapsed due fatigue. Smoke rose up from the demon's mouth as his innards were fried. But somehow, diabolically, the creature still managed to move. Aguillio Halberd had been charged to the max. To finish things up, the Avenger shove the whole thing to the demon's throat and hop off. The glowing crystal Halberd jammed the Reaper's mouth. The next second, the crystal halberd exploded, bringing about the force of a blizzard. Killio recognized the technique.

"**Ghost of Niflheim? Nii-sama!?" **Killiogulped and smirked at the same time.

"**Well, it is the most powerful ice spell I can think of…" **Aguillio smirked, almost mirroring that of his little brother. **"It's not only about power... but where you do it is also important."**

The two Nagas who almost blackout from using the same technique also smirked. The Reaper roared painfully. Both groups let go his arms. But no matter how much the demon scream and struggle, the cold freezing pain won't subside. Ice crystals burst out from his mouth, his chest, the holes Neji made when he barraged his throat with Raikoudan, his nostrils, even his ears. The cold freezing energy of the Ghost of Niflheim's technique seemingly burst out from every opening. The demon even clawed his chest out in pain as more and more of the cold energy burst through. Yukiku winced. It was strong enough to hurt the demon from the outside, how must that feel when the inside is on the receiving end?

With one loud roar, the Reaper drop on all fours. Unbelievably. The damn demon is. Still. Very. Bloody. Fantastically. Damn. Much. Alive.

"What the… all that and it's still won't DIE!?" Yukiku bashed the ground in frustration. "What would it take to bring this thing down? An act of god!?"

"ORAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!" 10 Naruto suddenly charged forward. Glowing and swirling in their arms were none other than a fully charged Rasengan. "THIS IS FOR GAMAKICHI!" All ten Rasengan exploded on the demon's half frozen body. The Reaper's organ has been fried, and then it was frozen. His insides were pretty much at an icy fragile disposition. The Rasengans look pretty unstable and smaller than the usual, but since there are ten of them, unstable or not, the destructive effect is inevitably catastrophic. Four on the face, six on the chest. The reaper was smashed to the wall, and every last bit of his bones were crushed to dust and it stayed up there for some time. They waited for a second, two second, one minute… it seems, unlike the Garous, the Reaper Garou do not resurrect themselves. The demon finally fell, seemingly dead, this time for good.

Naruto laughed and fell on all fours. All his bunshins disappeared "Finally! MY FIRST kill of the day! After being chased for hours by that scumbag…God that felt good."

Neji laughed weakly. "It sure is…"

Yukiku shook her head and smiled. "Geeze… you two…"

It took another three more seconds for the survivors to fully absorb the situation. When they do, the first thing came out from their mouth were obviously. "HUZZAAAH!"

"THEY DID IT!!"

"WHOOHOOO!!"

Yukiku came to the two boys. Neji was totally exhausted. He took 10 Hyorogan to make sure he can shoot as many lightning balls as he can. And now, he's completely out. Naruto's face is like a mixture of smile and pain. His hand is still holding his chest. It seems the seal is still burning.

All Nagas, except Killio and Aguillio, had a little celebration dance in their head as well. But Aguillio kept his vigilant. Killio in particular now wondered what his older brother would decide. **"Brother. What are you going to do now?"**

Aguillio looked at his little brother.

"**The true demon is dead. There's no need to hurry destroying this place. There's still time. Without the Reaper to control them, the Garous will be less than threat they could be. We can still rescue these children and then come back here and blow this place up before the wave arrives."**

"**Killio I-" **Aguillio's sentence was cut short when he saw the alarmed look on his brother's eyes. He looked to his back and to everyone's horror, the Reaper stood up again. The Hellhound was half dead. His ribcages were showing from his exposed chest. His arm was bent on awkward position. His face is a total mess: it was a literally messy sack of flesh hung on its neck.

"It's already half dead… right?" One of the survivors fell on his back.

The Reaper Garou seemingly tried to growl, but he no longer had any functional mouth nor throat to let it out. But regardless, he clearly wished to fight some more. Telepathically he began contacting the rest of his army. Tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions… all of them. Everywhere on the maze, the Garous heed his call, merged to their shadows and teleported to the Reaper's massive shadow. The Garou jumped towards the Reaper… and they merged together. More and more Garous teleport inside and merged with the reaper. His wounds regenerated before their very eyes at an alarming rate… and more. The tails grow longer and bigger. And then something began to sprout out from it. It burst out from the tail: a Garou's head. As more and more Garous merged with the Reaper, more and more heads appeared on the demon's three tails. His body grows larger and green evil energy veins start appearing here and there. The dark energy that previously covered only certain limbs is now shrouding his entire body. The messed up head of the Reaper finally fell, and from the stump of his head, something began to sprout out. The next second, no less than three demonic hound's heads burst out from the severed neck. The heads are all similar in size and shape to the Reaper's original head except that each head now sports only two mandibles and its demonic green eyes rest on the upper jaw. Bright green bone protrusions and demonic eyeballs start sprouting out here and there in a bizarre way.

Everyone gaped at the transformation. Not only the physical size but the power output exerted by this new demon is truly out of this world. The Youki emitted by the reborn demon literally knock some of the Genins unconscious, unable to withstand the pressure. The Nagas also had trouble breathing. The Three headed reaper roared. The shockwave from its roar shook the whole place. The Nagas instinctively put up their barriers. Unbelievably, the roar also cancels out their absolute defense.

Naruto roared in pain. "AAAAAAAARG… AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!! D… DAMN YOU!" The seal in his chest burn even hotter now. He felt like he's going to melt.

Neji don't know what's better to vent out his frustration: to scream, to cry, to punch anything… EVERYTHING! They've risked everything on that attack, and this is what they get!?

"It's a… Cerberus…" Yukiku was on all fours. She almost forgot to breath. This level of Youki is just plain insanity.

The Cerberus Reaper roared once more. At this point the survivors had all lose hope.

Aguillio roared. "Killio round up the survivors! Get them out of here!"

The leader's roar snap the Nagas back to the living. Killio quickly rushed towards the nearest humans: Naruto and his friends. The Naga quickly swoop Neji to his back while Yukiku grab hold of Naruto. The Naga quickly round up the survivors. The Cerberus, realizing its (or their) prey escaping, charged forward. And not only its strength, but its speed also increases by leaps and bounds. In an instant, the evolved reaper was already in front of the human survivors. The demon brought down its massive claw towards them. But it suddenly jerked backwards and the claw missed the intended target by a mere millimeters.

Aguillio grab hold of its leg with all his hands and had pulled it at the last second. Using all the strength he can muster he tossed the Cerberus away from the evacuating survivors. "GO!"

The Nagas followed the leader's command. The survivors had all left the room including the Nagas. All that's left is the leader.

"**Nii-sama!! Come on!" **Killio extend his arm. His brother grabs hold of his arm… and instead gave him something else. And then he let go. Killio looked at the item: A weapon crystal. His brother's Halberd. **"Bro…ther!?"**

"You lead them now." Aguillio smiled and punched the close symbol. The door instantly closed down, leaving the Avenger and the three headed demon behind.

"**BROTHER!!"** Killio roared and start banging the door to no avail. He tried to open the door from the outside but it won't open. His brother must've somehow jammed the mechanism.

The Avenger turned towards the demon cracking his fists, all four of them. **"You're locked here now. I bet you've used most of your underlings to fix the damage before. Strong stuff ain't it? The ghost of Niflheim that is. But that black eyed Hyuuga's lightning cocktail ain't bad either… but the ones from your competitor are probably the hardest."**

The Cerberus Reaper growled angrily.

Outside…

Killio rest his head on the door. "Get ready to go."

"**Killio…"**

"Hurry up! If we got caught I'll never forgive you lot!" The newly appointed leader roared. And thus they rushed away.

Inside, the Reaper Cerberus display its power by literally mop the floor with Aguillio's ass. The Naga, refused to become punching bags, rushed forward and jumped to the demon's heads. Slithering around the demon's massive body, the Avenger use his tail to grab hold one of the demon's leg and pull it down, effectively dropping it to the ground. Seizing the momentum, Aguillio stabbed the last of his armaments, a pair of crystal sword on the demon's chest. It managed to freezes and locked the demon's body in its place. And while one pair of arms holds down the other two heads, the remaining pair of arms began pummeling the Cerberus' middle head mercilessly. Each punch creates a small shockwave and the power level shows no sign of decreasing. The Naga continuously, almost desperately, sent one punch after another, even when his fists were covered in blood: his and the demon's. Infection be damned. He's ready to die anyway.

The Cerberus finally had enough, and with one mighty roar, the middle head roared and bite both of his arms off. In retaliation, the Avenger bites the demon's neck with his equally massive jaws. The demon growled and finally broke free from the ice lock. Using its free arms, it grabbed Aguillio's remaining ones and pull. But The Naga won't let go his bite. After a moment of struggle, the demon finally managed to pull the Naga away from him, but not before the Avenger took a big bite off his neck.

The Cerberus began pulling the Avenger's remaining arms to different direction, intending to rip him apart. Knowing his fate is sealed, Aguillio laughed hard. **"HAHAHAHAHA!! I may have failed to kill you demon… but my brother will not! HAHAA!-"**

And with that, the Cerberus tore him to two down the middle.

00000000000

A few blocks away, Killio paused for a moment, sensing the death of his brother. He gritted his teeth and mourn the passing silently. "Keep moving!"

"**Killio…"** Guillon and Kaine looked at their new team leader.

Neji didn't really know much about the two brothers. But judging by how things are, he could assume that the two were close.

Meanwhile as the group ran, the transformation sequence happening all around them. Just then, the block of stone between Yukiku and the rest caved in, creating a crevice. It was too far for her to jump. Especially with an unconscious Naruto on her back. Neji noticed this but realized they could not stop for her. The girl understood. "Minna! Just go! We'll find my way back! JUST GO!"

Killio nodded. And they left, leaving Yukiku and the feverish Naruto. "Hang on Naruto… I'm not gonna have you dying on my back now…"

00000000000

Back in the core room, the Cerberus Garou sniff around and look at the jammed door. It remembered the four armed creature he killed just now punch a symbol on the said wall. And it found a lot of symbol on the wall. The Cerberus roared… and started punching the symbols one by one.

00000000000

A few hours later, after the most recent transformation avoided Yukiku is still walking with Naruto on her back, still feverish. She managed to get to a room that fortunately, doesn't change. "A safespot…"

She laid Naruto to the floor. She sighed. 'Okay… let's see just how bad it is…' Yukiku opened Naruto's jacket and after taking note how well toned Naruto's body had developed, gasped when she looked at the seal. Veins start appearing around the glowing dragon seal. It was as if the dragon seal is overworking itself, and in the process, it burn Naruto. Yukiku poke a finger on the seal… and boy! It burns! She looked at the blond and saw the boy was unconscious… upon closer inspection, he's asleep. 'It must be really painful…' Just then, Naruto start moaning.

Yukiku look around for something she can use to lower the blond's temperature. And then the answer came and she slapped herself for not remembering it sooner. "Naruto… if it's too cold, do something okay? Punch me… slap me… yell… just something… okay?" She removed one of her glove and concentrates a chilling chakra to her hand. Gently she touched the hot seal. The cold sensation protected Yukiku's skin from being burned. But it still felt warm. Unfortunately, it seems it still not enough as Naruto still groan. "…" Realizing this, Yukiku look around. '…No one's around right…?' She removed both of her gloves and she put both of her arms around the blond. 'Hang in there… Naruto…'

With the two cold arms easing his pain, Naruto's face seems to be more at ease. Yukiku smiled and gently rest her head on Naruto's shoulder. 'Heeeh… I never knew he had quite the broad shoulder…' Feeling comfortable, she fell asleep like that.

00000000000

00000000000

00000000000

Ixion Kuruma: Wheel of Ixion. In Greek Legend, Ixion was the king of Lapiths, an ancient tribe of Thessaly. He lust over Zeus' wife, Hera. Zeus tricked him into coupling with a cloud made to look like Hera, and from the session born was a half man half horse creature known as Centaur. For this act, Zeus punishes Ixion to be bound on a wheel of fire casted to the flames of Tartarus, forever.

Ouja Kubochi: King Snake Pit. China, at the end of the Yin Dynasty, Da Ji the beautiful concubine (which according to legend, was a fox demon herself) of Emperor Zhou, had a taste for creating torture device. The snake pit is one of those. It's a pit (duh) plenty deep. The king would then order the citizen (which number in around a million) to gather at least 4 poisonous snakes. The snakes will then be put inside the pit, where the victims will be thrown inside.

Ghost of Niflheim: in Norse mythology, before there was anything, there were only two realms. Niflheim is one of those realms, a cold freezing realm covered in cold mist, the home of Frost Giants. After Ymir's death, the story goes that Odin sent Loki's daughter, Hel, to Niflheim, and since then, Niflheim become the realm for the dead (perhaps it is also the origin of the word Hell). Its opposite is Muspelheim, the realm of fire.

Omake:

Deidara's days in Interrogation

Minichapter 13:

What others are doing

We leave the tragedy of the Chicken soup for a moment…

In the borders of Lightning Country…

"Oi… do I have to do this?"

"The way how hard headed you are. The least you can do is don't be a freeloader."

"Oh hell…"

"So… is this the volunteer?" A policemen looked at Deidara.

"Yes." Athrun answered with a smile.

"God help him."

"Okay… so what's the situation?"

"Muder. This man killed his own brother… The problem was his brother tried to blackmail him. The younger one lost it and… well… accidents happen. One, we're about reconstruct." Gaara read the report. Apparently, a Sand ambassador was killed during his visit to the Lightning country. While initially suspected of international matter, they found out it's more of a family problems. "Reading from this report… it seems the Ambassador WAS quite a scumbag…"

Deidara nodded in understanding. It happened all the time really. Murder case, and they need to reconstruct the scene to find out what the homicide division had missed.

Athrun smiled. Glad his prisoner catches on. "You'll play as a victim, and you… you're going to demonstrate whatever it is you've done to your brother. Relax. We have all day."

A Sand jounin with a remorseful look on his face nodded nervously.

"Okay… take 1… action!" Kankurou clapped the filmmaking clippers he get out of nowhere.

"Begin by the brother meet brother part."

"O… okay… Errhhh… I get to my brother's room and I start yelling at him." The sand nin look at Deidara and somewhat unnerved.

"Then yell. Go ahead… pretend he was your brother."

"O… okay… urm…I grabbed his collar like this…" The nin grab the clay user's collar and began yelling. "YOU GOOD FOR NOTHING S.O.B OF A BROTHER!! LEAVE ME AND MY WIFE ALONE WILL YOU!?"

The spectators looked at the commotion and start murmuring. Deidara cold sweated.

"And then he laughed it out and shoves me away." The nin let go. "That's when I knew that he isn't just gonna let me go… and I lost it."

"Ahou! Hm!" Deidara commented.

"He turn his back on me and was about to leave…"

"Turn around Deidara." Athrun ordered.

"What?"

"You heard him. Turn around."

For a moment the nin seem a bit deviant, but realizing who hold his leash turn around nonetheless.

"Okay. Please continue." Athrun smiled.

The nin continued. "And then I grabbed a napkin and a chandelier."

Realizing what's coming next, Deidara instantly turn around. "I DARE YOU TO DO THAT TO ME! HM!"

"CUT!!" Athrun clapped his hand. "Excuse me mr. Did your brother know you're going to hit him with a chandelier?"

"I… wasn't going to hit him… I didn't hit him!"

Deidara blinked and continued his glare.

"I see. Deidara! Back to your position."

"WHAT!? I'm not gonna-"

"Deidara! You're a powerful ninja. You'll live through this… I hope."

"IF YOU'RE GOING TO ENCOURAGE ME AT LEAST DO IT FULLHEARTEDLY!"

"Maa… maaa! Back to your position! That's an order!"

"No."

Athrun pressed a button… and electricity electrocute the missing nin… right on his groin.

"NORAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-!!"

To be continued.


	34. A whole new level of power

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": special case (Naruto Berserker mode, different language)**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA! : Giant creature speech **

"_Journal no bla bla": Renald's writing or other uses_

Disclaimer: I own nothing… except the plenty of OCs in the story.

This Chapter features the Naga. But they are **NOT** the same Naga in the Warcraft world. For pictures of them, the link is in my profile.

Headcleaver: Kubikiri

**Chapter 31:**

**A new level of power**

In another place…

Neji, Killio, Kaine, Guilon and the rest of the survivors continue to make their way through the maze. Killio looked to the remaining survivors: there are exactly 125 genin left. Fortunately for them, unlike before, there haven't been that many Garous. Apparently, the Reaper had really taken all garous just to transform into that bizarre form of his.

"Out of curiosity actually… but how do you plan on getting us out?"

"I'm going to lead you guys back to where you guys came from. It's closer to the sea, so you can quickly escape."

"Aren't we supposed to get to the top? When the tsunami hits, we won't be able to outrun it." One of the nin commented.

"You have to. There's a bomb that will wipe out every organic creature in this building. And we intend to blow it." Killio's tone shows no hesitation. He's clearly determined to finish what his brother started indeed.

"Hey you can't do this to us!?"

"What do you prefer? Fed to that three headed bastard!?"

"No! I want to live!"

"THEN STOP WHINING AND SAVE YOUR BREATH!" Killio growled menacingly.

"Grh… if it wasn't for you-!"

Neji just had it. "Will you shut it!? We've all lost friends and family. Right now he's also in the same shoes. He just lost his brother alright. He understand how you feels! And still he's trying to help you. And unless you have a better idea, SHUT YOUR TRAP!!"

The nin was silenced after that. The Hyuuga seem satisfied with this. He looked at Killio's back. After his brother's death, the laid back auras the serpent always emitting seems disappear. After an hour of walking, they ended up in a dead end.

"Dead end?" Neji frowned.

"…we're back to the core room…" Killio confirms. His eyes turn to Liquid Vision and checked the insides. He gasped and then angrily growled. '…' he scratched the door on a specific spot, the door slid open. Neji and the rest of the human survivors gasped.

There were no one left in there.

"I… I don't understand… I thought your brother locked the Reaper inside…" Neji looked around the place. Blood splattered here and there, Aguillio's and the Reaper's fight must've been quite brutal.

"…" Killio thought up for a moment. "We'll rest here for the night."

"What? But… where's the Cerberus?" One of the nin gulped.

"Apparently… he had learned how to use doors." Killio pointed at one of the doors, which was opened wide. "Lock it down. All of it!"

The Nagas quickly closed all doors. No one can come in from the outside.

"Rest! Tomorrow you're gonna need all the strength you can muster!" Killio looked at the tablet. He checked several things. **'…brother didn't get to finish the self destruct sequence… right.'**

"…I'm sorry… about your brother."

It was Neji.

"It's alright. We Nagas face death every day. Friends, family… we taught our children about death before they even know how to slither or swim."

"I saw… the way you guys looked back there… you looked like those who were ready to die."

"Of course we are. 7 against a million? A human would rather kill themselves than facing such odds." The serpent chuckled.

"Why don't you cherish it… don't you have… people that will be sad when you're gone? Family? Children?"

"I do." Killio sighed. "Sairi my wife… Sota… and Haney. My son and daughter. In fact, every Naga warrior you see, are those with children to carry on their name."

"Wouldn't that become a bigger reason for you to return home safely? To see them again?"

"I'll be dishonoring them if I didn't do my job well. It's… our way of life. I don't expect you to understand. And yes, I do cherish my family and I do want to see them again. If we didn't think that way, we might be fighting with reckless suicidal abandon."

"…did your…father or your brother… teach you that?" Neji choked the word 'father'.

"…" Killio looked at Neji. Capable of mind reading, he inadvertently read Neji's memories to a certain point. He knew now about the Hyuuga, and Neji's father. Understanding where this conversation going, Killio smiled. "I… never actually met my father. I only heard he died… long ago. My brother is like a father to me."

"I'm… sorry."

"No. _I'm_ sorry. You understand the feeling of losing someone important to you. You understand that pain. I'm sorry… that I may not be able to understand yours… you know your father so well… I barely knew mine." Killio chuckled sadly. "You better get some rest."

"…yeah." Neji left the Naga and find himself a comfortable spot to sleep.

"**No mean to be rude but… what happened to him?"** Guillon blinked.

"**We accidentally reminded him of bad memory, I'm afraid." **Killio let out a deep breath.

And so the night passes on peacefully.

00000000000

Outside, the water level had dropped considerably.

Setsuna was standing on the dried seabed, he pick up a dying fish and examined it. After a moment, he placed his hand on the said fish, and it sprang back to life. It flippers around, looking for water. Setsuna smiled and created a ball of water before he placed the fish inside. **"This year's Breath is gonna be quite a storm."**

"Isn't it?" Kira begin checking the surroundings.

"Kira-sama. Are you sure it is a good idea? I mean… that's your students in there."

"And it's precisely because they are MY student… that I can remain calm. They will survive. If they cannot survive even this… then what's the point of training with me all this time? THIS… is the very reason I trained them for."

"My apologies." Setsuna bowed his head.

Kira chuckled. "Now then… could you show me this interesting human I've been hearing about?"

"Well you should know him already…" Setsuna looked to his back. Renald standing nervously at a distance, escorted by 4 Naga Avengers.

00000000000

Naruto banged Kyuubi's cage. "WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH ME!?"

Kyuusei was a bit taken back but he quickly shrugs it off.

"I'm asking you a question Kyuubi!"

"You're asking the right question, and but you're asking it to the wrong person."

"Yeah right! You're innocent. Fancy that!"

"What're you gonna do? Sue me? Well I'm already in prison."

Naruto sighed. "So it wasn't you?"

"There are a lot of ways I want to kill you… but not before I get out of here. I'm stuck with you, so I'm pretty much in the same mud. I wouldn't do something as messing up with your body like that."

"Okay." Naruto nodded. "Still… you never told me the Reaper can do that."

"I did say that the Reaper is something the likes of which you've never seen before. And besides, absorbing an inferior to regenerate isn't something completely new. Every demon with a conscious and sentience should be able to do that. The Reaper, being part of the Youma'ou should be able to do so."

"…so how am I supposed to kill this guy?"

"When in Cerberus form, the Reaper is at its strongest. My guess is, he used all his subordinates to regenerate himself to that form. However, this also bodes an opportunity. His body is now composed of 1 million Garou mixed into one body. And another catch, it's a one way trip. Once the Reaper absorbed his underling it can't change back."

"If we destroy him, we can nail them all at once. So how do I do it?"

"Brute force. That's the only way. This is different when you fight Shukaku. Back then, you have to wake up the host. Here, there are no tricks. No backhanded shortcut or weakness you can expose… you have to overpower him. That's the only known solution against Cerberus."

"…the one thing… I'm currently not in capacity to use…"

00000000000

Outside, morning came. Just one more night before the Tsunami hits. The sea around the island had literally dried.

Naruto's eyes popped open. What was the time? Inside this maze one can barely tell. And who is this person snuggling on his chest? Naruto blinked several times. His eyes trying to get adjusted to the lightings, everything seems to be a bit blurry… after some time his eyes finally get used to it. And then he looked at the person who was cuddling to him.

Yukiku.

Three seconds. Naruto rubbed his eyes.

Still the same girl.

Three more seconds. Naruto blinked.

Still her.

Three last seconds… and Naruto sighed. The slight puff of his breath was all it took to wake her up.

Yukiku opened her eyes and their eyes met. The two stared… and yelled.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!"

BANG!!

Yukiku's Kubikiri was barely blocked by Naruto's Tenrou. The girl was delirious. For a moment there, Naruto saw the demonic image resembling that of Zabuza's demon emanating from her. Her face is totally devilish red.

"Erhh… errhhgh… Yukiku did I do something…!? I… you were… cuddling to me…"

"Nrgh!!" The girl snapped and realized what happened last night. That's right. She took the initiative. She pulled back her blade. "W… well… s… sorry… I mean… you were scorching hot last night… a-and I… and I…" the thought of what she had done made her blushed even more furiously and by extension, mysteriously angry. She swung her blade at Naruto again who blocked it. "A… a-a-a-a-a-anyway… y-y-y-you're alright now. R-r-r-right!? W-w-w-w-whatever had happened last night… k-k-k-k-k-keep it to yourself, ok!?"

"B… but what happened?"

"I… I… h… h… h… hu…" Her stutter could give Hinata some competition. In her frustration she smashed the blade again. "J-j-just don't tell anyone…! If you do… KOROSU!"

"H… Hai." Naruto paled.

Yukiku sighed. She withdraw her blade for good this time and put back both of her gloves. "Still… what exactly is wrong with you?"

"I… I don't know. I asked Kyuubi and he said it wasn't his fault. And then there's the 'Oh'."

"'Oh'?"

"I forgot something. Kira-sensei said my seal used my own chakra to maintain… but also mentioned something else before… but I forgot what it was."

Yukiku don't know what should she do. Slap him or cut him.

"Anyway… we're in safespot aren't we?"

"Yeah?"

"…" Naruto sniffed all doors. "No Reaper's around… okay…" The blond motioned the girl come closer. "Kyuubi told me that the Cerberus Reaper is practically one million garous in one."

"That would explain why that thing is so god bloody damned powerful."

"However… that also means, if we kill him, we'll be nailing One million Garous in a go."

"And how exactly, are we going to do that?"

"When I was sleeping I've been thinking about it… of all the possible options, which is quite a few and none are pretty assuring… I was left with one option."

"Which is?"

"I tried to do the technique 10 times… succeeded only once. And the destruction it caused… it even left Kira-sensei jaw hung. It's risky… but to beat that thing, this is the only possible way out. I have to perfect the Fuuton Rasengan before I can fight him again."

00000000000

Back to the core room…

Most of the survivors had already awakened and began consuming hyorogan in place of breakfast. Killio is still interfacing in what everyone unanimously agree as the control system of the core unit. Neji contemplated to ask the Naga what he's up to. But before he could, Killio hissed.

"**Yosh! DONE!"**

"**Killio? What did you do?" **One of the Nagas asked.

"I created a timer." Killio announced.

Neji blinked. "Timer?"

**  
**Kaine, not understanding the human language turned to Guillon for translation. **"Timer."**

"I set the bomb so that it'll explode exactly 10 seconds… before the Tsunami hits us." Killio jumped from the platform and landed with a thud. "Our Naga Protector predicted that the Tsunami will hit us tomorrow morning at exactly 1 AM. So we have to evacuate this place, today!"

"You can do that?" One of the Naga was bewildered.

"**Hehehehehe…"** The Naga let out a devilish laugh in his native tongue. The sound of series of hisses chills everyone to the bone. Realizing he's scaring everyone out of their wits, he decided to tell them the good news. "Anyway… I've also managed to reconstruct the tunnel network… if you enter through that door-" Killio pointed towards the front door. "-It'll give you a safe one way passage to the exit gate. Unchanged, undisturbed."

The other naga were totally jaw hung. The survivors looked at each other in delight.

"People! Allow me to repeat: ONE WAY. That means, no one is going back."

"Of course! Like hell we want to return to this damn place again!"

Neji however still feel unsatisfied. "What about Naruto and Yukiku?"

"As of this moment, personally, I'm not really sure if those two are the only ones missing. That's why; I'll wait for them here. You guys can go. It should take… 4-5 hours to get out of here. It's quite far, I know. But there's no intersection so it's practically a straight road."

The survivors cheered and ran off. Neji remained.

"Just go. I'll save your friend. I promise."

"I'll stay. Don't worry, we still got plenty of time before the Tsunami hits and the bomb explodes. I can run faster than normal, I can probably cover those distance in less than 3 hours."

"…**So be it. Kaine, Guillon, and you guys, go with them. Give them cover."  
**

"**Kaine and Guillon, you go. We'll stay." **The two nagas volunteered.

"**No we're staying too!"** The two naga protested.

"**You two are the youngest generation of us. Go! And live!"**

"**We're Killio's generation!"**

"**But I'm assuming the leadership of this mission. And this is a direct order. Protect them. That's your mission now."** Killio ended the discussion.

Kaine and Guillon looked at Killio and finally nodded. **"Yokai… Okashira."**

The two serpents left their group with a heavy heart. Killio looked at tablet and pressed a symbol. Images of symbols and numbers began appearing allover the place. And then, only a set of symbols remained. The symbols constantly changing, as if signifying a countdown. "When the whole set of symbol disappear… kaboom."

Neji nodded. "Now… should I go and try to find my friends?"

"Personally, I think you should stay just in case they get here. That friend of yours, Naruto… he has a pretty good sense… right?"

"Yeah… but can he figure out a way here?"

"If he recognized your scent, yes, he will."

Neji nodded. Suddenly, an idea crossed his head. "By the way, you Nagas… you're all water elemental users, right."

"Yes. You too?"

"But I can't do it at your level."

"It's only obvious. Unlike you, we have time for trials and errors. What we did today was the results of many years of research and perfection. In our training regime, you had to be able to perform a Kaiten Barrier before they consider you an adult."

"Kinda like Uchiha's Goukyaku no jutsu."

"Correct."

"Back home, the Hyuuga can perform it too but… we need to spin our body first."

"The same goes with our old Kaiten. And believe me; it was troublesome with this body of ours. But, we use our water elemental chakra just like you've theorized and we did it. We trained our body, performing the technique hundreds of times, thousands, tens of thousands… millions of times… until performing the technique became some short of reflexes. We no longer wished it our body automatically performs it with first sign of danger."

"I see… can I do it too?" Neji nodded. So it wasn't entirely special ability. It was pure blood, sweat and endeavor. His respect for the Nagas grows further.

"Honest, diligent effort. That's the ticket. We used water in everything. Our weapons, structures, interface device… all using crystals. Water for this personal barrier and when we're swimming around, and blood to help us move around."

"Blood?"

"Oh yes, it's essential. Otherwise we'll be moving at a snail's pace. When we move, we manipulate our blood using chakra; we made our heart pumps faster. Human has 72 beats per minute. For nagas, in normal situation, our heart beats 150 beats per minute. In battle, we increased it to 750 beats per minute. This is how we were able to move so fast and so accurate even with such body mass."

Neji blinked. He never thought of using water elemental to that extent. "B… But fastening your own heartbeat… won't that kill you?"

"We were trained to withstand the pressure. Our veins and our bodies had evolved and adapted to suit the needs. This carapaces and scales were also part of that transformation. We were bombarded attacks after attacks forcing our own body to react and counter by forming the scales and carapace, creating some short bio-mechanical natural armor shelling. Plus… we're practically immortal. We will only die by external factors (as in killed). But we won't die by natural means like old age or disease if that's what you mean."

"Huh."

"But as you can see, just because we're immortal, doesn't mean we're invincible."

"We'll find a way to beat him. I'm sure of it."

Killio smiled at the optimism.

"Now… in the mean time… can you teach me?"

"Well show me how far you've gotten."

Neji showed him a ball of chakra visibly revolving. "But this is nowhere as fast as what I can do with my Kaiten."

Killio nodded. "When we were trained in the art… we do it at the center of a whirlpool."

"A whirlpool?"

"The point is, we have to be able to sit at the center of the whirlpool without getting swept aside by the current for a week straight. To do that, we have to use Kaiten. You see, when we expand our water type chakra we spin the chakra, but if we didn't spin it fast enough, our body will also get swept by the current. On the other hand, if we spin the chakra too fast, we're speeding up the whirlpool, effectively draining the air around us, choking us. So we have to be precise. After we managed to do it, now we have to do the spinning against a whirlpool that is in reverse."

"Reverse?"

"We have to change the direction of the whirlpool's current, forcing it to follow our current. The next phase isn't how to do it, but how to making it more powerful. After that, all we have to do is continuously perform the technique 24/7 at that output until you forgot you were performing it. Hundreds… thousands… even millions of times. Hence we get the instinctively performed, single bursts kaiten."

"I see…"

00000000000

Yukiku watched as Naruto and his clones attempted for the umpteenth time of performing this so called new fuuton jutsu. So far with little success. Each failure is sometimes coupled with an explosion that slices the user several times. When the latest attempt also fails, the reddening floor was enough sign for the ice user to stop him.

"Okay… I think you should have a break now. Naruto, we don't have bloodbags here."

Naruto seemingly turn a deaf ear as he began generating clones from his blood. Yukiku sighed. She removed one of her gloves, concentrates and slapped the ground. The frost started spreading through the floor and froze the half formed clones. Naruto glared at Yukiku. The girl had no trouble returning it. "Didn't you hear me? We don't have bloodbags here. Stop it or so help me I'm gonna froze you till you're only a neck!"

Naruto still look deviant. "We don't have time for this…"

"Yes we do. This is a safe zone. And even if you can perfect this jutsu, whatever it does, if you keep up like this, you won't even be able to perform it. NOW, sit!"

The blond growled but sit nonetheless and start massaging his temple. Naruto was angry. Not just to the demon. But to himself. His body so messed up right now. Truth be told, even if he managed to perfect the jutsu, he doubt his body would even follow his orders.

"…did you ask him?" Yukiku tried to break the cold grim atmosphere.

"Ask who?"

"'Him'."

Bad question. Naruto's expression turns from furious to outrage. "That's the problem. Son of bitch won't tell me jack, and he keep this smarmy smirk on his face. He knew something, and he zipped his jaws."

"…don't be too hard on yourself about Kichi."

"I pull him out on that fight."

"Did you ever, for once, think of sending an underage toad against a demon like that?"

"NO!"

"THEN IT'S AN ACCIDENT!" Yukiku stood up this time. "It's beyond your control… something is making it beyond your control."

"The bloods on me… I made the decision… I…"

"Lost control of yourself? Well… you know what I think? As bad as it could've been for you… I don't think I ever found someone with a body more messed than mine."

Naruto blinked. He almost forgot. The girl in front of her is literally is a walking breathing blizzard. "…you… you had this kind of problem before?"

"My whole life I think. Remember that day, you charge in into the blizzard I created? That was the second time it happened. And I was lucky, you were around. The first time it happened, it occurred in the Wind country. There's a small village there in the outskirts called the Taiyoukaze (Sun wind). My mother think, that in a dry atmosphere my power can be… well… I don't know. Corroded, lessened, suppressed… So she took me there when I was six. I was pretty confident that my power will be in check as well. Everything seems fine when I created some ice sculpture with both of my hands, off the gloves." Yukiku looked at her hands and smiled sadly.

Naruto for a moment forget his anger and looked at the girl.

"It all started… with a simple small ice ballerina. And then… a miniature horseman… and then a flower, a house, a toycar… by the time I realized it, I've created dozens. A show of icy sculpture which didn't melt in the scorches of the sun… it clearly attracts a lot of people. Especially children."

Suddenly, a memory came crashing into Naruto's head. The voice of children's laughter. 'God…'

"They were… enthralled. And they urge me to go on. That… was the first time in my life I actually get that much attention… and like a child… I strive to impress. I created bigger and more difficult ice sculptures… until…" The girl shivered and gritted her teeth. Her hands grasped her shoulders tightly. "…the children… was in close proximity when it happens… so they got hit first… but they don't even know what hit them… so their smile frozen to their face. The ones that came later though… well…"

"…" Naruto frowned and closed his eyes. He dares not to imagine the horror.

"You know what I did next? I was laughing. I thought I created a large number of statues in a single blast. I was six at the time… and I had no idea… that in one afternoon… I just turned into a mass murderer who froze almost all of the village population to death." Yukiku frantically combed/yanked her hair. "…after a few weeks… I finally realized the full extent of what I just did. And… and… it's… it's… well…" Yukiku showed her arms. Naruto's heart skipped a beat. There were scars on her wrist. Suicide scars. "And… before I met you… I did consider killing myself with various methods… but… something doesn't feel right about it and then I'm not even sure why I still live. When that second giant blizzard occurred again in Konoha forest… I gave up altogether. You gave me hope though… and so far…" Yukiku created an ice sculpture of Naruto in her palm. "…things… for the first time in my life… is under control… and I'm not afraid of myself."

"…"

"What should you get from this Naruto, is that we make mistakes. Sometimes we wished we could go back in a machine and fix it… but it happened anyway. I… would do anything… to go back to that horrible day and stop myself… but it happened. And from there I learned what I'm truly capable of. Mistakes happen… so that we can learn from it. You made decision to fight… and you chose to do summon. In a way… yes, Kichi's blindness is your responsibility. But let's not forget what he sacrificed himself for. Your mistake at the time… was trying to perform a high level jutsu with your body in a mess. So are you going to learn from it and lessen that suicidal training method… or are you going to just… keep going till it tore you to pieces?"

Naruto looked at himself. His clothes, safe that awfully resilient weight jackets and hand guards were in shreds and blood flowing profusely from his scars. Wait. Blood?

"I got an idea." Naruto smirked.

00000000000

Neji groaned as he concentrates all his effort on a swirling chakra sphere on his hand. The sphere was somewhat reminiscent to Naruto's rasengan, but unlike the boy's sphere of destruction, this one is less compact. The spin was quite fast regardless. He looked at Killio who shook his head.

The Hyuuga gasped for breath. He never guessed it was this taxing. But the concept had been engraved in his head. The problem is simply power. He need more focus and control to control them. "But… I was kinda lucky to be born with a water elemental type. I wonder…" He starts thinking the possibility for other Hyuugas to do it too.

Killio chuckled. "Unless I'm mistaken… the majority of the Hyuuga clan supposedly has water type chakra."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Don't freak out when I tell you this… from what I've learned, the Hyuugas were actually our descendants."

"WHAT!?" Neji stood up.

"I don't know if you already know… but long ago, the world was ruled by Onis. A race of humanoids. They have all sorts of special abilities… the thing you guys would know… as bloodline limits."

00000000000

"Kyuusei told me that."

"Bloodline limit." Yukiku frowned. "You mean… like mine?"

"Yep. Hyuugas, Uchihas, everyone with special abilities."

00000000000

"Even… me? The whole clan of Hyuugas?"

Killio nodded. "You see… we Nagas were once Oni as well. We worship the Dragon God Seiryuu… and in return, we gained dragon like qualities. But… it was given voluntarily. From what I knew, not all the Onis that worship Seiryuu-sama agreed. But Seiryuu-sama does not enforce his will. So he let them be. Those that remain Oni, some chose to marry humans. The offspring gained a bloodline limit or two."

00000000000

"But of course… that was ages ago. Time went by and the bloodline limit evolved." Naruto continues his explanation.

"I see… and later… some of their descendents with a bloodline limit marry another one with a different bloodline limit… from there, a melding between two or more bloodline occurred, giving birth to new bloodline limit." Yukiku caught on. So that's how she get her power. "So… probably somewhere along my lineage… either my great-great-great…grandpa or ma is… Naga?"

00000000000

"Correct. But usually it won't stray too far off the pack. And besides if you think about it, our liquid vision is similar in function with your Byakugan, no?"

"Now that you mention it… you're right. The shape was similar too."

Killio smiled and engaged his Vision. Veins popping out around his eyes and the slit pupil disappeared, replaced by flat luminescent crystal blue surface. "When we use this eye… we saw the liquid in your body. And to a certain extent, your chakra as well."

"Oh?"

"We can't exactly define the original state a chakra can be. Seeing how it flows in your body, solid seems like go out of the window. Gaseous is a likely possibility but it's too dense to be called so. And our vision confirms that it is indeed… somewhat liquid."

"When Naruto is possessed by Kyuubi's youki… the youki, which is a negative chakra, bubbles and boils like water."

"There you have it. In any case, when we use our eyes, I don't see you. I see masses of red blood. Two third of human body is composed of water, so it make sense."

"Very true. And Garous?"

"They're black. Pitch acidic disgusting black. And the Reaper had a little tint of rotting green on it… and its right behind YOU!?" Killio gasped.

Neji jerked and stood up. Behind him was one of the doors. "That thing… is just behind this door?"

"…" Killio narrowed his eyes.

Outside, the Garou caught a fresh flesh scent earlier and decided to return to the core room. When it get there though, the doors are all closed. Mimicking its success when it managed to open the door, it started smashing symbols around the room. Unfortunately, unlike before, these doors were all locked in the inside. After dozens of fruitless punches, the beast no longer found any symbol to punch and roared angrily.

Inside, Killio saw everything.

"That's funny. Why didn't he just warp in? There are some shadow here… albeit slightly."

Killio shook his head. "It's not enough for him to warp. You saw his size right? Garou needs a shadow which is proportionate with its own mass to warp in. The Cerberus was no exception."

The Naga observed the demon a little while longer. Outside, the Cerberus contemplated to try to smash through the door. Just then, he caught another scent. This scent was so familiar… it was the scent of his nemesis! Reassessing his priority, the Cerberus left the gate. The people behind it sighed in relief.

"Why did it left? I was expecting it to bang itself to the gate…" Neji frowned.

"Me too. My guess is… it found a new prey."

"But, if everyone is gone… who will he hunt?"

After a second, the two came to the same conclusion. "Naruto."

00000000000

The Cerberus continuously snuff around the maze and made its way to an intersection. It quickly found the scent of the pray. The thing is, when the demon attempted to chase the boy, the three heads went towards different direction and since there's only one body, they pull each other and fell with a thud. The three heads began to argue with themselves. There are three scents of Naruto coming from different directions hence one head wants to go to this direction, the others wants to go to different directions.

Meanwhile, in other part of the maze, Naruto splashed his blood on another side of wall, not much, but enough to leave his scent on the room. "Let's go!"

Naruto and Yukiku quickly left the room as it transformed. "Is this really a good idea?"

"That bastard of a demon got six nostrils and it caught my scent. His senses are definitely stronger than normal dogs… that would be his undoing."

"Since it'll catch your scent coming from everywhere... right?"

"Heh."

00000000000

Outside…

"Ahhh… I see… so that's how it was. Maa! Don't worry. I've found countless people who suffered the same fate."

Renald only blushed furiously. "Not exactly a suffering…"

"I suppose so."

"So… anyway… change of topic… let's recap and see if I get everything right: there's an army of demons and one specialized crazily powerful breed of it, investing the whole damn place, and a bunch of Genins trapped inside along with them, and the only thing you do… is sending a group of only **SEVEN** NAGAS!?"

"That sums it up alright."

00000000000

Time passed, and the Cerberus was getting more and more frustrated. Every time there's an intersection; the three heads had to argue because the smell of their prey came from every direction. Confused, they had to wait for 3 cycles for it to form one way so that the three heads can make a decision. Soon, it was nightfall, and there were only less than 5 hours left before the explosion.

Meanwhile, Naruto trained his jutsu every hour, and judging by the looks of things, at least, from Yukiku's perspective, it doesn't look so well. However, with each training generates cuts that color the ground red, the ice user felt it's her obligation to put an end.

"Err… Naruto, don't you think it's time we try to find Neji?"

"…" Naruto thought up for a moment. He was quite conflicted at the moment. But, after several train of thoughts. He had to agree. He had like, left his mark on dozens of rooms. His scent is literally all over the place. Surely he had done enough? "The question is now… where should we go?"

"You can't catch Neji's scent?"

"I can barely know where he is. His scent is so… thin."

Yukiku frowned. What should they do? Search for fresh air and the exit? Or blindly search their friend in a maze that can change?

000000000000

Back in the core room…

"Come on! Is there no way we can track their progress or their locations?"

"We have the system for that but we don't put it in this building." Killio was tapping the interface tablet furiously. "Don't want to spoil the fun of the hunt. This is a training facility, if we put detectors here, what's the whole point of it?"

"Well I have two friends out there stuck in an ever changing maze with no way to get to the core room, and in less than 5 hours they're about to be blown to kingdom come. This is not my definition of fun!"

"You're not helping…" The Naga sighed. Symbols appearing all over the place. Neji can tell from the bewildered look of the other Nagas, it was all gibberish for them. This proofs that whatever Killio is doing is something that was out of common.

"Your friends seem a little confused…"

Killio laughed. "Neji… I don't know… I mean I just got a lot of things going through me head right now… if they even know half the shit I know, their heads gonna go to pieces."

"**Seiryuu's hide…Killio… don't tell me you've been learning the Black Science!?"** One of the Nagas hissed in horror.

"**Black science!? Hell no! I didn't get much to study so I used what I get. I've tampered this kind of programming like… a thousand times. I knew this thing like the back of my hand already."**

"**It is forbidden!"**

"**I never used it in training or combat purposes. But right now, which one is more important? Upholding that cockscrew of a tradition or butcher that three headed mutt?"**

The two nagas reluctantly agreed.** "But if we live through this… we're going to report this."  
**

"Yes, yes… feel free to make my day." Killio sighed. "Okay… with the time limitation I can't program a concrete or accurate detectors… but I managed to jury-rig a working thermal detector… this one detect heat signatures… problem is… it won't do much good if they don't move their arse."

"What do you mean?"

"When human moves, their temperature will rise. Problem is, this whole building is quite warm, what's with the damn core, even though you don't feel it, is actually working hotter than the blazes of hell. SO…" Killio pressed a symbol, and a holographic image of the entire structure emerged. The whole building is filled with complex lines that completely cover the view, except for a gaping black hole around the basement of the building.

"What are those lines?"

Killio's tails slapped on one of the lines of light on the floor. Neji nodded in understanding. "And this thing flows allover the building, they got millions of it. This is how we power the structure. Wrapped in heat resistant material, that's why we don't get burned. But as you can see, the heat still there, and it's completely blanked the radar. If those two moves though, we'll see right away."

"What's with that blank area?"

"That's… three guesses on what kind of creature can be that huge?"

"Oh." Neji frowned.

000000000000

"**Humans!!" ** One of the Avengers pointed at a group of humans who just emerged from the entrance. The Nagas turned towards the survivors and pull out their weapons just in case some of them were infected. The group in question was obviously terrified at the sight of dried ocean and a bunch of giant heavily armed serpents. Guccha of the sand nin looked around. He had seen how one Naga Avenger fights, and now there are about a dozen of them, backed by a squadron of Berserkers. It's quite a small army. But clearly outmatched them in every sense of way and word. Guillon and Kaine immediately slither forward. **"Don't worry they're clean! They're the survivors."**

The Nagas began communicating in their language. A few moment of hiss and growl exchange, a few serpents slither towards them, and pointed their finger at them. Before they can react, a wave of sleepiness engulfed them all, and they dropped to the ground in a yawn.

The Nagas quickly and carefully gathered the survivors and carried them all on their backs. 3-4 people per Naga.

Setsuna nodded. Approved with his subordinates' discipline and effectiveness. Just then, his eye caught something closing in the horizon. A blue line appeared. "It's here."

"**Jormungand's breath…"** One of the Avengers whispered under his breath.

"Good god… it's here already?" Renald frowned.

"No. That was just the tip of the Wave's top. We still got… like 4 hours and thirty minutes."

"We still got four hours and already we're seeing THE TIP OF THE TOP!? How huge that wave must be?"

"Bout 2-3 km. Give or take a few hundred meters." Kira explained like a weather reporter.

The two naga survivors bowed before Kira. "Well done you two. You've rescued these humans. You should be proud of yourself."

"With your permission my lord, we would like to return there and help our brethren."

"No."

"Sir if I may-"

"Your part in this mission is over. That place is a deathtrap now. I'm not sending you both into it. Not after what you've done. Aguillio's has fallen. And that means Killio's in charge now?"

Guillon nodded. Setsuna perked up. **"Killio? THAT Killio?"**

"**The same."**

Renald wondered the significance of that name. **"Who's Killio?"**

The two Nagas were a bit taken back at the fact that a human can speak their language. Setsuna does the explanation. **"A Berserker. Graduate top of the class… and one of those hardcore maverick type kind of Naga."**

"That being said, he's rebellious. But let me guess: top of the class, a nail stick out of the fence?"

Setsuna chuckled. "Good enough to earn himself a name."

"But I'm still worried." The journalist frowned. He knew the things about demons and alike, but so far, all he can understand is that demons equal big problem.

"Don't worry. I've prepared a trump card among them to make sure they get out safely." Kira confidently stated.

000000000000

"YES! They're on the move!" Killio grinned, fin to fin. "Look. See these blinking? It's them. Fluctuation of heat signatures. It's them."

"Is there some way we can guide them here? Make a track or something!?"

"Too long. And they may get separated or even squished." Killio rubbed his chin."And besides, if we give them the clues, the Cerberus would follow them and lead the beast here… any other date I would love a chance to get a crack head to head on that thing but not today."

"So what should we do?"

Killio frowned. What can they do?

000000000000

Meanwhile, the Cerberus finally had it and roared loudly. Seemingly out of frustration. The loud roar can be heard all over the building.

000000000000

In the core room…

"Someone is very angry…" One of the Naga commented.

Killio frowned. That roar doesn't bode well… and then it happened.

Black dots start appearing from one corner of the maze. The naga's eyes widened and start tapping the tablet furious. **"No, no, no, this can't be happening… THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!"**

"What? What happened!?"

"SON OF A BITCH GOT REINFORCEMENTS!"

Truth be told, deep inside the maze, hundreds of cocoons carrying Garou infant hatches everywhere. Soon, they number in thousands and began spreading allover the building.

"I thought he used all his of his underlings to transform into that Cerberus form!"

"He did. What he just awakens though were his unborn underlings"

"They're heading towards Naruto and Yukiku fast."

000000000000

After hearing the Cerberus' roar, Naruto and Yukiku were on full alert. Few minutes after they start hearing the sound of loud stomping and roaring. Something big… and a lot of them are coming. Naruto caught the wind of the scent. "No freaking way…"

"The Cerberus?"

"No." The blond prepared Tenrou and put it before him. As if on cue, Garous burst out from one of the gates. Upon the sight of Tenrou, the three tailed dog paused in fear, giving the two ninjas the time to better observe the creature. Unlike the Garous they've fought before, the demons looked… weaker… somehow. For one, they don't have scales unlike the previous, and they are thinner and sickly. "Was it just me… or they seem to be…"

**THEY'RE MALNOURISHED. **

"M… Malnourished?"

**THAT'S RIGHT. AND THEY WERE HATCHED PREMATURELY TO BOOT. THERE ARE NO MORE HUMAN'S LEFT IN THIS BUILDING FOR THEM TO FEED SO THEY'RE FAMISHED. **

"So… question! How come they don't just… eat each other?"

**THAT'S AN IDEA. UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES THEY WOULD DEFINITELY DO THAT. AND I'M SURE THE CERBERUS CONTEMPLATED THAT. PERHAPS HE JUST WANTS THE GAROUS TO FIND YOU, ACTING AS HIS EYES AND EARS. IF A GAROU WAS EATEN, THERE WILL BE NOTHING LEFT, AND THE DEMON CAN'T RESURRECT. DOING THAT WILL SIMPLY DIMINISH THEIR NUMBER… THOUGH THE QUALITY'S QUITE FINE, WE, AND THE CERBERUS AS WELL, ALL KNOW A FULLY GROWN GAROU IS NO MATCH FOR YOU. SO HE SIMPLY USED THE WEAKER VERSION JUST TO FIND YOU.**

"So… they focused on just finding me… right. Goukaton, Paolao!! (Hellfire element, Bronze Toaster (Chinese))" The blond bashed the ground and a set of burning pillars with flaming chains encircling them appeared. The pillars impaling Garou's right where they stand while its chains swirling around, pulling other demons towards the pillar, roasting them to ashes.

"Naruto! Let's not waste your power on them! They're still Garou, and they're still afraid of Tenrou. As long as you had that nodachi with you, they can't touch us! Come on! We had to get out of here."

"Ok." The two shinobi quickly left the premise just as the room transformed again.

000000000000

Core room…

Neji sighed in relief when he saw the heat signatures that are Naruto and Yukiku mowed down the black dots surrounding them easily. 'That's right, Naruto got himself the Tenrou. The Garous wouldn't dare to chase him.'

He turned towards Killio and the others. They were preparing for battle. Not wanting to be left behind, Neji also look to his arsenal and gulp down a few more hyorogan.

"You're gonna need those Hyorogans on your way out."

"Excuse me?" Neji looked at Killio.

"It's less than four hours already. You can't get out of here if you come with us."

"Does it look like my teammates had the same chance?"

"You'll die."

"And so would they if I don't go and help."

Killio sighed and gave up. "Buckle up."

000000000000

The Cerberus roared as another group of its kittling found his pray. However, being too weak to even at least look menacing, none of them are able to hold Naruto and Yukiku for long.

"Whoa… that's plenty…" Naruto paused for a moment when a whole cohort of Garous was waiting for him.

"Naruto, step aside…" Yukiku placed both of her swords next to her waist and jumps to the air. "Iai… Nitouryuu… Tenshi Ruzu (Angel Falls)!" The slash generates an enormous wave of vacuum blade raining down like a waterfall; instantaneously carve a swath of destruction right in the middle of the crowd of Garous.

Naruto blinked. 'W… what was that… just now?'

"COME ON!" Yukiku roared.

"Oh, right!" Naruto shook off his amazement for a moment and the two dashed past the pulverized garous, which start resurrecting. Once they're on safe distance, Naruto finished a jutsu once again pointed both of his palms: "Goukaton, Tajuu Kitsune Endan!" A rain of burning fox heads scored a hit on every remains, burning them all to cinders. The two quickly left the spot.

000000000000

On the other part of the maze, Neji, Killio and the other nagas were welcomed with the same treatment by the Garous. Of course, like Yukiku and Naruto, they quickly noticed the difference and so they respond in kind. The weakened demons were simply no match for them. In the lead was Killio, with his vision, look around for the red masses of blood in the midst of black masses. Neji once again find himself in a situation where he wished his Byakugan is still unsealed. With it, he could've found his friends exact location within seconds. The Nagas liquid vision seems unable to discern other physical objects when they are activated. Only liquid.

A sudden gasp from Killio made the Hyuuga aware something's not right. "What happened?"

"The Cerberus didn't even bother ordering his malnourished puppies to eat each other as to regain their strength. He concentrated the bulk of the entire pack on Naruto and Yukiku to stall those two…and the demon is heading towards them… fast."

"Then what are we waiting for! Let's go!"

000000000000

Just like what Killio had seen, the Cerberus directed every Garous to surround Naruto and Yukiku. However, the beast knew only too well that as long as his prey held Tenrou, his children won't be able to come close to the boy much less laid a finger on him. So he ordered them to block their way at the front while secretly having them pile on each other behind them to create a large enough shadow for him to teleport. Not too far away, but still close enough.

And soon, just like he had planned, the demons puppies managed to pile themselves high enough to create one huge shadow. The Cerberus quickly emerged.

Simultaneously, Naruto roared in pain. The seal in his chest appeared again, alarming him and Yukiku that the big bad demon lord is here. The Cerberus smashed the pile of Garous away to announce his arrival. The boy tried to stand up, but the Cerberus charged forward and sent his claws at him. Yukiku step forward and blocked the attack. But the force was still powerful enough to send them both flying. Naruto's down for the count, though still conscious.

Yukiku get back on her feet again. She put the Kubikiri and the dragon tail parallel to each other. "Nitouryuu, Naruto no Uzushio!! (Naruto Whirlpool)" She disappeared, and only a trail of glimmers of her blades, swirling like a whirlpool, remained. The glimmers rammed itself on the demon, and that's when the Hellhound felt the full effect. The blast of the attack was so powerful, it lifted the huge three headed dog spinning OFF the ground. Yukiku reappeared behind the demon, but the spinning had yet to stop. The glimmer continuously barraged Cerberus until the demon got pinned to the ceiling, and still it won't stop. A few seconds later, the swirling stopped, and the demon fell down with loud thud, knocked unconscious.

Again, Naruto was left jaw hung. He had no idea that the girl was that powerful of a swordswoman.

"Come on! Time to go!"

"O… okay… Yukiku… back then… and now this… d… did Kira teach you that?"

"No."

"WHAT!?"

"I thought it up myself. Why?"

Naruto's jaw couldn't get any lower.

000000000000

"Yukiku-san… A natural born genius swordswoman?" Renald perked up.

"An unexpected find, that's for sure." Kira chuckled. "I first noticed her talent when we had some sword fighting training. And though her attitude may say otherwise, truth is, that's the reason why I gave her the Dragon's Tail."

Setsuna whistled. "She can handle the Kubikiri giant sword… I guess that's no surprise…"

"Relatively speaking… if I had fought her when I was her age, I probably lose. She's… what was it… when it comes to sword fighting… she's a once in a century genius."

"I see… so you reckon she can bust her way out of this mess?"

"No." the demi god replied.

000000000000

By the time the Cerberus woke up, the room had changed again and his prey had JUST left the room. The demon quickly rose up to follow when the room starts changing. But before the door that leads towards his prey is closed, the Cerberus quickly held one of the changing segments with his arms firmly. The whole building's transformation was halted.

Yukiku gasped. The door towards their room was only half closed. What's worse, the room they were in is a one way room and the exit weren't even opened yet. They're pretty much sitting ducks. The Cerberus lunged towards the door and managed held it open, though barely. The girl groaned. She quickly made several handseals. "Hyoton, Hakuryuu Boufusetsu! (White Dragon Blizzard)!" Since both of the demon's hands are preoccupied, the freezing white dragon bursting out from her fist hit the demon's chest. It didn't even faze him!

The demon roared and slowly but surely crawled towards them while holding the door from closing. Yukiku became more frantic and start shooting one blizzard after another. "Fall you bastard! Fall! Fall! FALL!" Alas, it was all to no avail. The girl was so caught up in using her ice jutsu, she failed to realize that the ice dragon is getting bigger and bigger. Until finally…

"FAAAALLL!" The blizzard dragon didn't came out. Yukiku suddenly realized her hands are trembling. 'O… Oh no… not again! B… but it's sealed… how come?'

At the same time, the Cerberus finally jumped inside just as the door behind him snapped shut. A new door opened just behind Yukiku and Naruto. Out of reflex, Yukiku grabbed Naruto, and throw him out through that door. She removed one of her gloves, specifically the one holding the Dragon tail. As expected, burst of cold aura dropped the room's temperature by a few degrees below zero. Cerberus winced. The cold aura was reminiscent to the ice technique used by the serpents. The memory of how much pain the technique was enough to stall the Cerberus. The Dragon Tail itself was coated in ice. Frost spikes appearing all over the sword's surface, creating a nightmarish visage of Samehada.

Yukiku spun both of her swords and held them in reverse. "Nitouryuu, Ichigo Shakku Wan! (First Shark Bay)." She swung the blade as hard as she could; creating a wave of air blade the shape of Shark's fin. The first shark fin was done by the Kubikiri, it was big. Big enough to smack one of the Cerberus' heads backwards. "Nigo, Shakku Wan!" The second attack was done by the Dragon's tail, and even the performer was quite surprised by its result. "D… Dekkai!" It was big and strong enough to actually grate the ceiling and engulf the Ceberus. What's more, the giant shark fin was coated in ice and sprout spikes here and there. The frozen shark fin managed to push the Cerberus towards the wall before explodes, creating an iceberg of icicles. The demon was pinned there, momentarily. "Y…YOSH!" Yukiku gave herself a little mental pat on her back and run. Holstering her weapon, she grabbed Naruto and was about to run when she realized her legs failed her. "W…Wha…?" The girl realized she was panting. The Kenjutsu took a lot out of her. "I…In times like this!"

The small icicle iceberg began to shake. Growls can be heard.

Naruto managed to stood up for a moment and helped Yukiku. The two finally managed to run just as the iceberg explodes. The Cerberus roared. Man, was he MAD! He was frozen TWICE! The beast chased the two wayward targets. Not knowing the way, they simply follow their instinct in choosing their way whilst the demon being a dog simply followed their scent.

Meanwhile, Killio kept monitoring the progress between the hunter and the hunted with his vision. "This way!"

The group followed the Naga's instruction. There were very few of the enemy left, and even if they do run into one, the fact that the demons were starving was a plus factor for their part. The most disturbing thing is the frequent 'lag' in between the transformation. Initially, every seven minutes, the whole place will change. Now, there's a lag of ten to twenty seconds before the transformation occurred. In fact, just now the transformation was cancelled altogether. "What do you think this means?"

"You told me, Naruto once used Tenrou to hold back a segment of the building from crushing him during the transformation?"

"Yeah. From that we knew that each segment is linked with another… if one part is stopped, so will the rest."

"My guess is… the Cerberus had gained enough strength to even hold the transformation. I suppose he was so hell bent on chasing Naruto, he refused the door snapped shut on him. So he forcibly reopened those doors. Or held it long enough for him to proceed to the next room."

"Where are they heading now?"

"Either by some sheer dumb luck or Naruto supercharged sense… towards us. And problem is… so does the Cerberus."

Meanwhile, the clock's ticking… and now, there's less than 3 hours left. And then, as if a miracle, the next time the transformation occurred again, the first face that showed up from one of the doors was a tired and sweaty Yukiku, with a worse for wear Naruto on her shoulder. Neji thanked every deity he can think of up there. Things are looking up at last…

"RUN! HE'S RIGHT BEHIND US!"

Or not.

True enough, as the girl jumped away, Cerberus' claw crashed in and sparks lit up as it scratched the floor, though there's no mark on it, courtesy to the Seireikin.

Killio glared furiously at his brother's killer but quickly reasserts himself. "It's too cramped here. We need room to maneuver. Come on! MOVE IT!" The first room Killio could think of was large enough to host an all out brawl with the Cerberus was the core room. Without a second thought, he and the reunited group quickly made their escape with the Cerberus hot on their tails, with Killio on the lead.

After running for a few more minutes, the transformation occurred again. The demon, finally used to the transformation sequence, stopped one of the transforming segments, preventing the door from closing in on him again. In fact, with one loud roar, he slammed the segment back to its place; the transformation was cancelled altogether, much to the shock of everyone.

And then, a terrifying realization hits Killio. If he led the demon into the core room, the demon would make its way out through the exit he had created. No. This demon must NEVER even leave the premise. But then again the demon had shown that he had the strength to prevent the ENTIRE building from transforming. If he had such strength, it would only be a matter of time for it to made itself an exit of its own.

"**I say we get him to the core room, Killio."**

One of the Nagas suddenly spoke, knowing what's on his mind.

"**But…"**

"**It's just like what you think… this creature could pretty much create his own exit. We HAVE to fight him. The core room is the only place with enough room for us to maneuver against him. There's no other way. And think of it this way: even if we're no match for him, if we could just slow him long enough… the core room will be the first place taken out by the bio bomb. He'll never be able to escape that one." **

Killio closed his eyes and nodded heavy heartedly. "Guys, we got some distance to put. We got like… Two hours and fifteen minutes. We're heading towards the core room. Regardless of what will happen to us, we. Are. Taking. That. Asshole. Down. To. HELL!"

Neji, Yukiku and Naruto understood the problem inherent. If they are going to die, might as well take this nightmare along with them. Neji take another look to their back. That's when he realized: the creature they want to kill isn't following them anymore. "Errr…where did he go?"

"!!" Killio gasped and quickly turned his Vision. He loudly cursed in Naga's tongue. "He's ahead of us. He's heading towards the core room!"

"What? He figured his way around already?"

"If he get to the core room before us, he'll escape through the exit, and then we won't be able to stop him in time."

"Not if we get to the core room first! Let's MOVE OUT!" The Naga roared. The group hastens their pace. Luckily the demon was far enough from them that Naruto can finally get back on his feet. Soon, there's only less than an hour left.

000000000000

Outside…

"By all that's holy…" Renald gulped. The full form of the wave was finally brought to bear. It was monstrously huge and cover the horizon. He flipped open his pocket watch. 'I'd say… we got 45 minutes left.' "Are you sure they can get out of there safely?"

Kira nodded. "They will."

000000000000

"It's not exactly a dead end… there's a hole up there."

With 40 minutes to go, the group found themselves facing a wall in a narrow path. It's a one way room, and they managed to overshoot the demon. Getting out from this room will give them a straight shot to the core room. Problem is the exit is 30 feet above them and the size of the hole will only allow one person at a time.

"Can all six of us climb it in less than… 5 minutes?" Neji looked at the hole.

"We have to try. We can't afford to try our luck on the next transformation, and we're running out of time in every sense of word." Killio calculate the possibility. Well, they're pretty much doomed anyway. It took more or less three hours to get out through the exit road he made. Even if they managed to get to the core room, the bio bomb would still kill them before they even manage to get out of the maze. But he won't take any chances when a demon's involved. "Come on. We don't have much time."

And they start to climb. Yukiku being up at the front, Neji, Naruto, Killio and the two nagas at the bottom. Yukiku quickly made her way out and was pulling Neji up when the transformation suddenly occurred. The space between the walls in the hole began to close.

"**What? But there's still three minutes left! This is WAY too early! Unless… SON OF A BITCH!!"**

Killio's suspicion was proven. On a part of the maze, the Cerberus forcibly pushed a segment of the building, forcing a transformation to occur prematurely.

Back to Killio, the remaining climbers start losing space fast. Naruto managed to get out safely, but Killio and the other Nagas were stuck. Killio roared angrily and seemingly resign himself. "Neji, Naruto, Yukiku… kick that bastard's three tailed ass for me and my brother will ya?"

"Don't give up! You can still get out!" Neji extended his hand.

"I'm not leaving my brethren behind."

"**Yes you will."**

"**!!" **Killio felt a nudge from his back. The two nagas down below had just pushed him up.

"**We'll use all our strength to hold down this wall for a few seconds. That should be enough for you to slither your way out."**

"**But-"**

"**If you want our deaths to mean something, go kick that bastard's three tailed ass yourself, for us… and for your brother too."**

"**GO!"**

Killio gritted his fangs and ready himself to dash out. The two nagas below prepared themselves, and with a great roar, they pushed the wall to opposite direction by a few centimeters. The extra few centimeters of space was enough for Killio to slither his way out to safety. The Naga turned around towards his doomed brethren down below. He managed to get a glimpse on their smiling visages for just a few seconds, before the whole thing snap shut, crushing them to their deaths. Blood start pouring out from the slit that was the deathtrap. Killio took a moment to mourn before he turned towards another wall, the entrance to the core room. He scanned the room with his vision. A giant crystal inside… and a black mass just entered the room, somehow.

Naruto groaned. The seal in his stomach began to acting up again.

"Naruto, I think you better sit this one out."

Naruto grudgingly nodded.

Killio scratched the door at a specific point, and it opened. As expected, the Cerberus was waiting inside. Once Neji and Yukiku put Naruto on a safe spot, the two joined the Naga, preparing for the final battle. But Killio suddenly made the hand gesture. "Wait. Let me do this… he killed my brother."

Neji and Yukiku reluctantly back away.

Killio cracked his knuckles, his eyes glared at the Cerberus.

000000000000

"May I suggest you go to the bunker, along with the survivors?"

"I'm not going anywhere until I saw those three alive and well." Renald made his resolve. "And so help me you try to put that sleeping spell on me I'll-"

"Alright… alright. Your choice." Setsuna raised both of his hands.

"Let's talk about something else shall we? That Naga you called Killio. You said he made a name for himself. What do you mean by that?"

"Oh well… you're fluent in our language. You do know what Killio means?"

"**In your language… Killio means…Crimson, Blood Crimson? What does Crimson has to do with him?"**

Setsuna smirked.** "It defines him in every sense of way."**

000000000000

Steam starts spewing allover Killio's body. His belly and scales turned deep red, like blood. Veins popping around his iris and his entire body. The Cerberus was bewildered for a moment… and then suddenly, a small BOOM…followed by a jab… an INSANELY powerful jab smashed his ribcage.

000000000000

"Nagas used water elemental manipulation on their blood to hasten their heartbeats. Normally, a Naga can increase his usual 150 heartbeats to 750 beats for battle purposes… Killio… took a step further." Setsuna began to explain.

"How much further are we talking about here?"

"…10 times further."

000000000000

With his heart beats like a machine gun at 1500 heartbeat per minute, Killio groaned. His blood veins felt like they're gonna burst. But he steeled himself. His brother's spear in his hand had just drawn the first blood. The Cerberus looked at the serpent, bewildered. Three more sound of BOOMS later, and the demons got three more jabs. The demon was getting more and more confused. He didn't see anything, but he felt the pain, and the damage was real!

"In case you're wondering… that's called Mach 8. Next I'll show you Mach 9 and 10."

000000000000

"MACH 10!? A missile was nowhere near that fast!" Renald's eyes reached the size of a saucer.

"But he did it. Increasing his heartbeat to that extent sounds like suicide… but the power boost is the real thing. His heart pumps so much blood, allowing his metabolism to work at an accelerated rate. Making him so much faster. Not twice as strong, we're talking about a simple kinetic energy, 0.5 of the mass times the square of the velocity. Speed kills. Average Berserker can reach at least Mach 2. In this mode, his attacks at Mach 10 carry at least 50 times as much kinetic energy as normal berserkers. It's Hypervelocity, breaking the sound barrier with every thrust."

"Yes. I know the math."

000000000000

30 minutes until the explosion.

A series of rapid sonic booms echoed all over the core room as Killio in his hypervelocity mode spin around the demon, creating a small whirlwind, sending countless stabs on every inch of the demon's skin. The Naga himself can no longer be seen by naked eye, only the steam from his body is visible. One moment Killio appeared, his entire body is blood red down the last bit of his tail. He retracted his Brother's halberd, and start to pants and wheeze, taking a deep breather with steam from his vaporized sweat and other bodily fluids still puffing out from his open mouth, nostrils, and pores.

The Cerberus' mandible jaws, all three pairs of them, were wide open, saliva dripping and the demon's eyes were rolled to the back; unable to comprehend how in the devil's name he gets so much injury without him being able to throw a punch back. Attempts to think of the reason with his relatively underdeveloped brain had caused nothing but more openings for the red hot Naga to exploit. In one minute he get at least 10 stabs per inch of his hide. His scales start dropping like dried leaves. For a moment, he saw the red Naga stopped. Reasserting himself, the Cerberus lunged clumsily towards the serpent. His claws tear through… the Naga's afterimage. Three more stabs connected to the left head's jaw, 5 hits on the center, 7 on the right.

The Hellhound turn around, 4 on the center head, 7 on his left arm.

He turned again, 10 on the chest, 12 on the back, 25 on both of his legs!

The demon roared angrily as more and more stabs and slashes landed on his body from every direction. After a few hundred attacks, Killio reappeared, panting and start coughing. The steam is now colored red, and the serpent itself is getting paler and paler.

"Eh… what's that red steam?"

Neji blinked. "Kami-sama… Killio-san! Whatever technique you use to speed up your heartbeat, stop it now! That red steam is your own blood vaporizing!"

"EERGH!?" Yukiku realizing the seriousness of the situation was also equally terrified. Now it all makes sense. If one increases the rate of his own heartbeats, one can increase their own metabolism. However, doing so will also means increasing one's body temperature. Killio's body got paler by the second wasn't because the effectiveness of the technique is decreasing. On the contrary, the technique is still in effect, but the Naga is losing blood real fast. High speed is good and all, but when the temperature had already surpass blood's boiling point, then it's time to stop.

Killio, however, showed no sign of stopping. Though unfortunately his body doesn't seem to be listening to his wishes. At least that's what Neji thought, when he saw the serpent's body swirling aimlessly. The situation wasn't far from the truth on Killio's end. His vision is getting blurry and his head is spinning due to massive blood loss.

The Cerberus was a little worse for wear. That ultra fast, super hot attack had skinned him off his scales, leaving him somewhat defenseless. He still have his brute strength and superior amount of Youki to compensate though. That is, if he can regain his disoriented senses.

The Naga took a deep breath. "Twenty… twenty minutes left. This is our last chance. Hit him hard and fast, you two."

Neji and Yukiku snapped back and realized the Naga was preparing everything for them. Without further ado the two charged at the target.

"Nitouryuu, Naruto Uzushio!"

"Nitouryuu Hakke!"

Without the scales to protect him, the two attacks hit the demon in full. Blood splattered all over the floor. Seeing their attacks worked like wonders, the two didn't even bother sparing any tricks. They attacked the beats again and again, employing the tactic hit and run to its full use. Getting bashed left and right further disorient the Cerberus. The demon finally managed to recover, and the next time Neji attempted another charge, he was ready and swat him on his stomach with his tail. The tail, however, did more than just whipping its target. Since there were a few hundred Garou's heads embedded on the said tail, some of them bite the Hyuuga as the tail hits him.

Neji roared in pain. He quickly thrust both of his katana at the Garou that bit his stomach. The demon head let him go, but it managed a small bite of his side stomach. The Cerberus decided to finish him first. But as the demon took a step forward, Killio suddenly jumped on his back and managed to topple him to his knee. The Naga fell rolling on the ground but quickly made another dash. The Hellhound quickly swats him aside. Yukiku took the chance and jumped upwards before bringing down the full force of "Iai Nitouryuu, Tenshi Ruzu." at Cerberus three heads. Just as the demon turn to Yukiku, Neji, holding down his pain, charge forward. One of Cerberus heads noticed him and launched his tails at him again. The tails drive him through…not.

The stabbed Neji turned into a body of water. The Real Neji was at the demon's blind spot: his back and he had finished a set of seals. "Katon, Goukaryuuha!" A powerfull wave of burning dragons burst out from Neji's mouth, burning the Cerberus' tails. Furious, the demon swung his arms at the Hyuuga to create a wave of Kamaitachi. Killio, however, rammed the said arm, causing the Kamaitachi to miss its mark. The Naga continuously hang on the third demon king's arm. Two of the Cerberus' heads attempted to take a bite at him. Neji and Yukiku finished a seals and the two shot:

"Raiton, Rairyuuha! (Lightning Element, Lightning Dragon Wave.)"

"Hyoton, Hakuryuu Boufusetsu! (Ice Element, White Dragon Blizzard)"

The electric dragon and the frost dragon smashed the two Hellhound heads. Caught by surprise, the blast topples the said demon and forced him to drop down Killio. The three quickly reassert themselves. The demon had taken tougher blows than this. Something like that is simply not enough to kill it.

Suddenly, the giant crystal in the middle of the room began to reverberate. It temporarily distracts their attention.

"Is that?" Neji panted.

"Aye." Killio confirms. "The Crystal is charging up for the explosion… we got 15 minutes left."

A loud demonic growl announce that the Cerberus is still alive, and very, VERY angry.

Meanwhile, Naruto had to grudgingly watch everything from the sideline. The heat of his seal is getting worse and worse.

The Cerberus quickly rose up again. Gritting his fangs, his blood is trickling and sipping from various parts of his body. Even idiots can tell. The creature is definitely wounded by the constant hit and run.

Knowing their attacks had effect is clearly a big boost on the tired warrior's morale. Killio scanned the surrounding with his Vision. No Garous in vicinity. The demon couldn't call anyone to heal him this time.

"Yep. We can win this. We just have to hit him aga-" Killio's comment was cut short when the demon start _laughing._

Neji, Yukiku and Killio went tense. What is the creature laughing at?

And then, before their very eyes, the Cerberus regenerates at a rapid rate. Wounds closing and his scales re-grew. The three combatants went jaw hung. Killio could've sworn he'll smack himself silly if he ever lives through this. He forgot the one basic strength of Demon Lord Class demons: "That's right, rule no. 1 of slaying demon: they regenerate faster than the rest of us! DAMN IT ALL!"

The Cerberus let out what can only be described as a horrifying smile. The three headed dog roared and ran towards them. Starting with a kick on Killio that knock what little air left in his lungs and sent him flying across the room. Followed by a sweep with his tails that swat Neji on his side. The Hyuuga barely managed to block the Garou's heads from landing a bite on him, but the impact was strong enough to send him flying across the room and smashed, head first, to the wall. He landed right next to Naruto, unconscious with a bleeding head. The sight of his friend taken out like that was enough boosts on Naruto's willpower to start getting back up on his feet. It worked, but he barely managed to stand himself.

The last warrior standing, Yukiku, refused to give up. The Cerberus roared and swung his arm at her, sending a storm of Kamaitachi. Yukiku quickly respond with "First Shark Bay!" sing the Kubikiri. The Shark fin kamaitachi managed to block some of the demon's air blades, but not all. The remaining air blades managed to get to her. The Kunoichi managed to dodge some of the blades as to avoid fatal injuries, but some parts of her clothes are ripped off, revealing some of her body including her well carved busts. The Cerberus seems to have taken note at this and began moving towards her.

The girl realized the demon's intention, and, forsaking her modesty for the moment, grabs hold of the Dragon's tail with both of her arms. "Second, DAI SHAKKU WAN! Great Shark Bay)" This one is twice as huge as the one she shot at the maze. The blast went through the demon and scored a deep cut at the three headed demon. The Cerberus roared angrily and lunged towards her. Yukiku instinctively grab hold of the Kubikiri. As the demon's head came in close proximity at her, the girl shove the two blades forward. The Demon's own weight drove the two blades right through his throat. Blood spurted out like rain.

Some accidentally poured inside Yukiku's open mouth.

The girl gasped upon the realization of what just happened to her. She let go both of her swords and grab hold of her throat. She made a few sound like people trying to throw up, but it's too late for her. The blood had gone through her throat into her system. "OAARGH!... BLEERGH… BL… Bleaaaargh!!"

Naruto's eyes went wide. "Y… Yukiku! Grh…"

"OOOORGH!... OOOAAAARGH!!" 'No… No… NOOO! This… This can't be happening…' The girl found herself having difficulty to breathe. She rolled on the ground, not knowing whether it'll do her any good. Meanwhile, The Cerberus grab hold the two blades stuck on his throat and pluck it out. The demon continues its slow march on the girl. More intent than ever.

Yukiku looked weakly at the Hellhound with tears rolling her eyes. "D… D… Don't… y… you… dare…"

Not caring to her pleas, the demon continues to closing in on her.

Forced to take drastic steps, and seemingly assign herself to her fate, she removed both of her gloves and start blowing out an all out freezing wind. The demon was a bit taken back by this, but apparently undaunted. Yukiku ferociously intensify her freeze attacks. "I'd… rather… DIE…!" The freezing effect finally began to push the demon back.

The freezing sensation was enough to knock the two unconscious combatant, Neji ad Killio from their stupor. When they saw Yukiku being cornered, they intend to give help but realized their body won't move.

Yukiku shrieked as her blizzard reached its peak. Her eyes turned crystal green and her black hair also began to shift color to radiant, almost transparent, blue. The frost wave not only managed to stall the Cerberus, it began to push him back. Amidst her desperation, a glimmer of hope for Victory rose up in Yukiku's heart… when suddenly, her hands stop sending the cold wave. The girl gasped. She then realized her legs had given up on her. "O… Out of chakra!? I… In times like this!?"

Before she can think of something, the Cerberus' heavy claw crashed in on her, pinning her down on the floor. The Cerberus growled maliciously. The girl still unwilling to give up, but with all her limbs nailed, she couldn't do anything to resist nor prevent the demon from ripping her lower clothing, revealing the remainder of her body. The girl gritted her teeth in fury. "No… Not like this…"

Neji gritted his teeth in fury… but he couldn't do a thing and yelled. 'No… Not again!... I can't safe anyone again!?'

Killio tried to stand up to no avail.

Seemingly unchallenged, the Cerberus was about to perform his vile acts on Yukiku…

When Naruto suddenly roared.

"First, Gamakichi… and now Yukiku… **HOW MANY THINGS YOU HAVE TO TAKE AWAY FROM ME UNTIL YOU'RE SATISFIED!?"**

The force of the roar was enough to send the demon flying. Killio gaped. That three tons of demonic flesh was sent flying with just a roar?

Inside Naruto…

Kyuusei laughed to his heart's content. "Well… well… it's about time… I don't know if this is part of your Scenario… but… let's see how well Kira's handiwork is, shall we?"

The dragon pillar that has been trembling and losing altitude since the moment Naruto ran into the Reaper Garou finally fell altogether. The pillar fell on the watery corridor that is Naruto's mind. Kyuusei's chakra began flowing through the chains into the pillars. That's when Kyuusei noticed something else. Blue chakra emerged from the pillar and melded together with his Youki.

Kyuusei smirked. "The Kit's chakra… if I remember correctly he did say that the kit's chakra is the one maintaining the cage… I guess this is a unexpected benefit… might as well make an interesting experiment." And so the ninth Demon King let his youki flow. "Misette, Gaki! Ore-tachi no… atarashi level no chikara! (Show me… brat! Our new level of power!)"

Back outside…

An enormous amount of chakra, both red and blue began spiraling around Naruto. Fangs start growing, and the boy's marking gets clearer. Veins start popping up around his body, and his eyes turn to slit. The two different colored chakra swirl into one and merged… into a gigantic wave of purple aura shrouding Naruto. But the transformation didn't stop there. The masses of purple chakra-youki began to form. By the time its over, Naruto was enshrouded in a purple transparent spectral being made of pure chakra-youki. The 'Ghost' looked like a person with long bright hair. His face was shrouded in darkness safe for two shining orbs which presumably eyes. Two demonic long horns resembling fox ears can be seen protruding from the specters head. The spectral body was fully armored, though only half of the 'ghost' body is visible.

The spectators, having never seen Kyuubi in his human form, were quite confused on who in the world was that person shrouding the blond. Naruto exhaled, releasing a flock of chakra-youki to the air. His voice echoed, as if another person's voice is mixed alongside his. He looked at his arm. The Chakra ghost covered his body like an extension of his own body. A long enormous tail sprouted from his back.** 'Heh… heh… this… somewhat reminiscent to that Chakra shroud form…'**

Kyuusei nodded in agreement. He saw everything through his cage and he had to admit, it was similar with the previous version, and personally, he was pleased with result. Unlike before in which the chakra only form a ghastly shape of a fox, this one is much more refined and more compact. The mixture of his Youki and Naruto's Chakra is chemistry. Synergizing the two chakra results in a power output far above the usual.

The Cerberus roared angrily. Upon seeing his competitor, the Cerberus forgets everything and charge forward.

Naruto growled angrily… and disappeared. The blond reappeared right next to the Cerberus' right head and throw in a punch. When the punch was delivered, it wasn't just Naruto's fist. The specter's fist also balled and enlarged Naruto's punch in both size and power by an enormous amount. The power of the punch literally forcibly rip one of the said Cerberus' head off its socket. For the first time throughout the whole ordeal, the demon was shocked. Naruto grinned like a madman. He grabbed the left head and rips off its mandible jaw and start socking several punches. The blond then grab hold the Center head and performed a German Surplex, tossing the giant demon like a rag doll to his back.

"**MADA-MADAAA!"** The boy was happy. VERY happy! Like a kid having an early Christmas. Being chased nonstop by the demon and then suddenly he can finally let loose! The Cerberus got up and sent a punch at him. Naruto welcomed the punch with a straight chop. His arm ripped through, no, pulverized through the arm like it was wet tissue paper. The Cerberus roared in pain. The boy grabs hold of the socket that was the demon's arm and sent a kick to his knee cap. It didn't break it… it burst through it! Naruto grinned and charged his left fist before upper-cutting the demon to the ceiling.

Killio, Neji and Yukiku jaw hung at the extreme amount of power Naruto exhibit.

The Naga contemplated to get close to Neji to ask for details, but just then, he saw Naruto grab hold of the demon and drag him down to the ground, spinning and then landing on the floor, the demon's head first. Oh hell no. Crawling in between a fight between these two monsters?

'N… Neji!'

The Hyuuga blinked when he heard voices in his head.

"It's me, Killio… I'm contacting you through telepathy. What, for the love of Seiryuu… is that!?"

'Naruto… accessing Kyuubi's chakra… I think…'

"How come he didn't do something like this in the first place?"

'I… I think he did… now I remember… Naruto said there's an 'Oh' in his seal that he forgot…' Yukiku butt in their mental connection.

Naruto pants and gasp in a feral tone. This power is far above what he usually exerted even when his Chakra Shroud form is in three tails. Yet, despite all this raw power, his mind is as clear as ever, and even better, there's no pain and his skin didn't burn like it usually did. And then he remembered. The 'Oh' part of his seal.

_Flashback – (AN: to be more specific, please read chapter 22: Chuunin Exam)_

"_Chakra, Naruto. Chakra level of your environment."_

"_What?"  
_

"_In another words, the gate will open following the amount of chakra flowing around you. If the chakra in the 'environment' reached a certain level, one gate will open. The chakra continue to rose, another will open again, and so on and so on… in short, the stronger the enemy, the more Youki you will receive." _

"_Wait the minute, wait the minute. What if there are plenty of people? What if there are hundreds? Took example of Akatsuki. Remember, Akatsuki are 9 people that can take on a whole country!"_

"_Very perceptive. But that's the point right? To get stronger as you fight stronger people. But… how many times in your life you'll fight a whole bunch of Akatsuki all at the same time? This new seal is designed so that you can only use it when you need them the most. So it will only open if you fight exceptionally powerful people. Besides… I doubt there are that many people in this world have the power to surpass even the first gate… 'cept Jinchuriki and Shitennou."_

"_Hmmm…"_

_Flashback ends_

He remembered now. Yep. This is what Kira was talking about. His seal began acting up every time the Reaper was close by. It was all because his seal is reacting on external chakra level. Specifically, the Reaper's ridiculous youki level. The seal is trying to release the needed youki in response to the external energy. However, given his body is in mess, the process is a bit… messed up as well. Well it all doesn't matter now. Naruto shoved his palm and the specter's arm extended and enlarged, grab hold on Cerberus's three tails and brutally yanked them, smashing the demon several times to the floor and before spinning him around by its tails. His other hand turned to a fox head and shoot bolts of Kitsune Endan at the demon midair. After several spins, the demon's tails were ripped off and the hellhound, smoking and badly scorched, was tossed across the room like a Frisbee.

Killio, reading Naruto's thoughts, also understood the 'oh' part of Naruto's seal. "So THAT'S the OH!? But still… this power level… is… quite unnatural…"

'Catch-2 of Naruto's seal: it was maintained by his own Chakra. When the seal is partially released, it also unleashed a portion of his own Chakra that was used to maintain it… so Naruto get double the amount… or more… of this Chakra-Youki Mixture… Hanyouki.'

The Naga looked at the purple spectre that floating around the blond. "…that creature… so that's… Kyuusei…the Kyuubi… Hanyoutai (Half Demon form)?"

Inside Naruto, Kyuusei nodded as he analyzes the purple mixture. "Its power output is above demon's youki but not as pure… so that's kinda a big minus, but since it's got the kit's chakra mixed in it, it all comes without the side effect… well I had to admit… it kinda gave off the that familiar feeling you get when you see a Hanyou… but… it felt a bit… unnatural…"

"But this is perfect! Now we really have the power to destroy that thing!" Neji smirked.

"He better hurry up…we only got 10 minutes left!" Killio take another look at the giant crystal. The crystal's tremor had almost reached its peak and energy burst began to crack through the object.

The Cerberus was half dead, but it quickly rejuvenated and ready for another fight. Naruto again managed to catch one of its head and then smashed the demon's faces on the wall and literally mop it with their heads. Black blood plastered on the wall. Upon seeing the blood and remembered what the demon had done to Yukiku, Naruto's fury simply breaks the limit.

"**GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"** The boy grabbed his Tenrou. Physically, the nodachi is sheathed. The Hanyouki, however, generated a replica of the said Nodachi, unsheathed. Like the rest of the body, the Spectral blade covered the physical blade. **"Chase me to the ends of the earth if you like: you blinded one of my friends, injuring two of them, poisoned another and nearly raping her to boot. Oh… if I got words on what I'm gonna do to you…"**

But Naruto did it anyway. In his berserk, the blond cuts him to pieces, first with Tenrou, he cut the demon's arms and legs to pieces, burning them afterwards to prevent it from reattaching itself. And then, after crashing the Nodachi on its chest, Naruto jumped into its three heads and one by one, with his bare hands, he forcibly opened their mouths by ripping their lower jaws one by one. Once the mouth is opened wide, he shoved both of his palms that formed fox heads into their mouth. A fox head formed on his chest also. **"Yami Ketsuton, Ketsu Nejiri! (Dark Blood Element, Blood Twist)" **Something went inside the Cerberus, and then the next second, the Cerberus' body began twisting like mad. The sound of bones cracking and muscle ripped apart echoed throughout the room as they were spun forcibly by their own blood.

Throughout the entire ordeal, the Cerberus whined as loud as his throat could. None of the spectators gave pity whatsoever. They do understand that this is not stalling time or killing the creature… it is torture. Plain good old torture. Any other day they would enjoy this, but Killio understood they're out of time. "Naruto! Five minutes left! Let's finish this!"

Naruto comply with the request by grabbing the Tenrou and raise it high above his head. The Specter Tenrou enlarged itself tens of times the original size. **"URAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"** with that roar, Naruto brought down the enormous specter sword at the horribly misshapen demon.

There were barely anything left when Naruto lifted the specter sword. Only pieces. **"T… This should be enough…"** Naruto calmed down considerably and immediately went on to check on Yukiku. **"A… are you okay?"**

The girl replied weakly and managed to choke a few nearly inaudible words. "I…be-n…be-t-r…" tears still flowing from her eyes. Naruto undo his clothes and covered the girl with it, wearing only his jacket. Yukiku's somewhat intact jacket had a few holes in it.

Naruto mourned for a moment. And then, he heard rustling on his back. He turned around, and much to his horror, the pieces began to rise up and quickly formed the Cerberus once again. **"These things just don't die…"**

Kyuusei chuckled. **"In case you've forgotten, you only got 5 minutes to live before the Bio bomb takes you all out, so why bother killing him?"**

"**Shut up! He pissed me off, that's enough reason!"**

"**Then you gotta find a way to kill 1 million souls all at once… that's what formed him. Can you kill 1,000,000 in less than five minutes?"**

Naruto frowned. He knows one jutsu. However, it takes time to prepare it, and by the looks of things, the Cerberus didn't intend to give him any. **"Ah hell!" **He created a bunshin and the process begin. His body will construct a rasengan with a wind chakra provided by the clone. Of course, since it's not just Wind Chakra, it is Hanyouki…and so the process gets a little bit complicated. The Cerberus realized something's going on and quickly charged towards Naruto. The blond had to block the attack, otherwise the attack will hit Yukiku behind him. Alas, the Rasengan was cancelled.

"**Son of a bitch!" **Naruto's Hanyouki shroud protected him from harm, but he's practically nailed on the spot. The Cerberus was mad. He raised his other arm, intending to land it on the small figure, when Killio suddenly jumped on his back.

"**Ghost of Nifelheim!!" **a blizzard of frost swirls around the Cerberus. The familiar cold sensation literally sent the demon into panic. Killio used this chance to further solidify the icy lock with an increase of chakra from his part and grab hold if the demons by holding and freezing both of the demon's arms. The ice technique locked the demon on the spot along with Killio himself. "Imada! Naruto!"

"**!!"  
**

"Use that technique! Smash him while he's locked like this!"

"**B… But it'll hit you too!"**

"Doesn't matter! DO IT!"

Naruto gulped… and reluctantly began preparing the jutsu. Neji and Yukiku could only watch. Naruto formed a rasengan, while his clone provided the wind chakra. The Cerberus tried to escape but to no avail, the ice securely held him in one spot. Though several cracks began to appear.

Naruto concentrated all his effort on this one. They only get one shot at this.

The Cerberus began to break free; shards of ice began to fall.

The jutsu was finally finished. Naruto held the new rasengan high. Neji and Yukiku's jaw hung in awe.

The rasengan is purple in color, given that Naruto use the purple Hanyouki to create it. But the shape… it's a like a giant chakra shuriken, spinning at top.

At that time, the Cerberus was in panic. Seeing the jutsu, even the Hellhound realized the jutsu won't stop with just a whine if it hits him. This desperation hastens the demon's attempt to break free. The desperation was felt by the one holding him captive, and so Killio roared once more. "Naruto! SHOOT IT!"

"**YOU'LL DIE!"**

"SHOOT IT!!" The Cerberus' arm had begun to break free, any second now and the demon would be free.

Seeing no other option, Naruto dashed forward, shoving the new rasengan forward.

"**FUUTON: RASEN-SHURIKEN!!"**

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Tenshi Ruzu: Angel Falls: The highest waterfall on Earth, with the height of 3,212 feet (919 meters)

Goukaton, Paolao: Bronze Toaster. Like Ouja Kubochi, I get this from the Fengshen Yayi, specifically one of Da Ji's creations. This toaster is a bronze cylindrical device that stood over twenty feet tall and eight feet around. Hot charcoal and vast burning flames would be the primary torture mechanism within this large toaster. Once this toaster was finally created, three layers of burning charcoal over three layers of burning fire could be seen inside (thank you Wikipedia!). When a victim was to be placed into this large toaster, they would be stripped naked and have their ligaments bound and then the victim will be chained to the red hot pillar, instantaneously and literally toasting them.

The Naruto whirlpool (鳴門の渦潮, _Naruto no Uzushio_). It exists! A tidal whirlpool in the Naruto strait, a channel between Naruto in Tokushima and Awaji Island in Hyōgo, Japan. Clearly Masashi Kishimoto sensei's inspiration for the blond ninja's famous name.

Ichigo Shakku Wan, Nigo Shakku Wan: (First Shark Bay, Second Shark bay) Basically, when I check it on Wikipedia, there are no less than 4 references about Shark Bay. So, Ichigo, Nigo… and there will be Sanjban and Yonban.

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Omake:

Deidara's days in Interrogation

Minichapter 14:

Take 2… action!

Deidara grudgingly returned to his position. After being reassured by Athrun, the convicted perform his role.

"Alright, let's do this again."

Kankurou seemingly have taken a liking of the movie snap role and announced happily: "Scene 1, Take 2… Action!"

Deidara braced himself, as expected, the sand nin wrap him around with the napkin. But the person didn't smash the chandelier. No. He put the chandelier back to its place and lift Deidara.

"Oh I see… so you kidnap your brother?" Gaara nodded.

"No… I'm just going to bring him somewhere where we can talk undisturbed."

"And where did you take him?"

"The place we used to go. A bar."

A few minutes later, they arrived at the bar. Athrun frowned. "Oh. _This _bar?"

"Y…yes."

Athrun cleared his throat. "Kids, stay here."

The three entered the said bar, the name's Blue Oyster.

"Gaara… this bar… is that sign real?" Temari paled.

The sand user re-read the report and nodded in confirmation. "Yes, it is real. The Ambassador and his brother… even though THEY ARE married…were gays, incest even."

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Blue Oyster is a bar that showed up in the Police Academy films. It's a gay bar. Nuff said.


	35. Replacements, Ghost, and Second exam

Also read Samurai Seed and kind enough to leave a review. It's the prequel of this story. Go to my profile or use search and type Samurai Seed and you'll find it. It's a Gundam Seed fic that explain Kira and the other Shitennou's backstory, with some reference to the Naruto realm. Can be read as separate story.

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": special case (Naruto Berserker mode, different language)**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA! : Giant creature speech **

"_Journal no bla bla": Renald's writing or other uses_

Disclaimer: I own nothing… except the plenty of OCs in the story.

This Chapter features the Naga. But they are **NOT** the same Naga in the Warcraft world. For pictures of them, the link is in my profile.

**Chapter 32:**

**Replacements, Ghost, and Second Chuunin Exam, START!**

Setsuna had just returned from the inspection of the currently drowned maze. The white haired man rose up from the water, dragging something huge on his back. The Avenger was a bit taken back when their leader revealed that the creature he was dragging was the Cerberus.

"**Don't worry, contrary to what you might think, this creature's dead." **Setsuna dropped the beast. **"Get that thing to the Protectors. I want to know exactly how that thing died, and I want to know five minutes ago."**

It took 5 Avenger to carry the beast. Setsuna quickly turned towards a giant white ship with two giant angel statues adorning the twin front bow. Parts of the ship seemingly made out of crystal, signifying that Naga's technology was implemented on the said ship. The ship has no visible sail, nor anchor, but it seems capable of withstanding the sea current. Setsuna swim towards the ship and quickly get on board.

Inside the ship, Setsuna quickly made his way towards the Medical ward. Just before he can touch the door, a loud yell from a certain hotheaded blond, followed by a loud knock flow through. He quickly opened the door, and as expected, Naruto woke up from his bed and had one of his fist captured by Kira.

The Naga sighed at the boy's antics. 'Well at least if he could throw a punch at Kira-sama, then he's okay.' Setsuna turned towards another patient. A Naga receiving with lots of transfusion cable linked to his body.

"**Killio."**

"**S…Setsuna-sama…"**

"**I told you not to use Hypervelocity. You've lost a lot of blood."**

The Naga snickered. Setsuna groaned.

"**So? What happened in there?"**

Killio began recounting what exactly happened in the last moments of the final battle with the Cerberus. **"When I first saw the jutsu, I seriously thought he was going to throw it at me. So I just yell at him: SHOOT!"**

**The Maze, 6 hours ago… 3 minutes before explosion…**

The Berserk Naruto extends his arm while his clone began producing wind Hanyouki. The Hanyouki around his arm dispersed itself for a moment. Using the wind Hanyouki, the blond managed to create a seemingly normal rasengan, and then blades start appearing. And finally, as Naruto raise his arm to the air, a giant chakra Fuuma Shuriken appeared.

Struggling against the squirming Cerberus, Killio roared. "Naruto! SHOOT!"

"**You'll DIE!" **

"SHOOT IT!!"

Seeing no other choice, Naruto charged forward.

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"**I thought it was odd."** Killio sighed. **"It's a shuriken, why on earth are you running? Just throw the damn thing… that's what I thought. Then… some of the Rasengan's blades hit the floor… and the impossible happens."**

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As the boy charge towards the Cerberus, the blades from his enormous Chakra shuriken grazed the floor. Killio gasped when he saw the trails: Seireikin was supposed to be indestructible. And yet, the Chakra Shuriken literally cut through them like hot knife through butter. **'W…what!?'**

Naruto continue to run towards the captive Cerberus. **"FUUTON, RASEN–SHURIKEN!"**

With that final roar, the blond smashed the swirling Rasen-shuriken at the squirming demon. The moment the blast hits the target, the Rasengan began grinding through the target and push the demon off its icy lock, just like the normal rasengan. However the jutsu didn't stop there. As it push the demon away, the blades continue to spin like a chainsaw, and the demon was cut a few hundred times in a span of a few microseconds. The blast of the new jutsu fortunately blows the significantly lighter Killio away, but some parts of his limb were caught in the blast. The Naga was tossed away, far away from the doomed demon regardless.

The Fuuton Jutsu pushed the Cerberus towards the wall. When the Cerberus is finally pinned on the wall, the full force of the Rasen Shuriken finally explodes. The giant chakra shuriken which enveloped the rasengan core dispersed, and with it the countless of blades spin around so fast, people could barely see the blades, and cuts through the Cerberus, millions and even billions of times. At the outside, the demon seemingly didn't suffer any wounds. But Killio knew better. A spherical crater appeared behind the said demon. There were no remains, so the blades had also destroyed even the fragments. **'U…Unreal… did a human… really invented this jutsu!?'**

After several moments, the Cerberus still floats in the air, as if the gravity itself didn't realize the jutsu was over and the creature is dead. Eventually the demon fell down, this time, dead. Completely, utterly, dead. Naruto grinned as his demonic specter disappeared. "Heh… got you." He gave one final middle finger sign and fell down face first.

Killio groaned. Just then, the crystal finally reached its peak. The explosion will happen any second now when suddenly, the crystal shattered and the wave of light was about to engulf them…

"**UNIVERSE GRAND REVERSAL!" **The shattered crystal was suddenly enclosed in a series of markings and circles formed by runic figures. Every room, the whole building, everything, even the incoming Tsunami outside, all of it was littered by the same markings and circles. And then, everything stopped on their tracks. Not even Neji or Killio bat an eyelash. Everyone and everything stop moving, even their heart stop beating. And then, Setsuna walks in. In fact, Setsuna is the only one moving. He looked at Killio and then to Naruto, the fallen Cerberus, the poisoned Yukiku, and finally to the crater created by Naruto's rasen shuriken. He then looked at the crystal and waved his arm. The markings and symbols began to revolve, and like watching a rewinding of a video tape, the resonation process of the said crystal were reversed, back to how it was before the crystal shattered.

One by one, Setsuna took the surviving warriors and carried them on their backs. He raised his arm, and a crystal rose up. Slowly, Setsuna walk into the crystal, as if it was a door. When he put one of his legs into the said crystal, the man paused. "Ah, that's right. I almost forgot." An extra arm sprouted out from his back. **"Ghost of Niflheim. Full Power."**

Six hours later, aboard the Kira's Flagship, Archangel…

"**And now comes the part where I saved you, moments away from the Tsunami drown you all."** Setsuna take another look at his handiwork: a gigantic mass of iceburg of an island with snowstorm roaring around, freezing the water drowning a greater part of the iceberg.

"**Yes. You… returned it back to the point before the explosion… yes?"** Inwardly, Killio gulped. 'Grand Reversal, a forbidden time space altering spell… and then a full power Ghost of Niflheim single handedly shortly after… it's a whole different level alright…'

"**Yeah, well-"** Just then the door slit open, and a Naga, noticeably thinner and has three pairs of arms slither in.

"**Lord Setsuna… here are your reports on the Cerberus… can we…"**

"**Keep the body. It's not every day you get your hands on an intact dead Demon Lord."**

The Protector jumpily leaves the room. Setsuna chuckled at his subordinates antics and start reading the reports. He gulped as he scanned through the reports.

Killio looked at Setsuna. **"The Protectors had just studied the Cerberus' body. Complete system damage at molecular level. Every last bits, down to the last cell, literally, were turned to ribbons. If… if I had to describe that jutsu…It's akin to a nanoslicer. A blade of molecular thickness. That's the only thing possible to cut through the incredibly dense Seireikin. It cut through the molecular binds of the metal… and you."**

Killio's eyes widened. He looked at his inanimate left arm and a greater part of his tail, the limbs that were hit by the blast. **"That's… what hit the demon, the Seireikin wall and me, huh?"**

Setsuna nodded. "**The jutsu was able to destroy Seireikin because it cut through the bonds between the molecule structures of the metal. And there weren't any remains because the rigid atoms were destroyed by the blades."**

"**Whereas in the case of living beings, the blades went through the cells."**

Setsuna looked at Naruto, who was yelling and roaring at Kira.

"What's the meaning of this!? You WERE OUT THERE ALL ALONG, and it didn't even occur to you for a second to go in and help us!?"

"Believe me. The thought crossed my mind every second you guys were inside. But in the end, I chose not to. Otherwise, what's the point of all the training you've done all this time?"

"THEY WERE FUCKING DEMONS, GOD DAMN IT! I thought they were in your jurisdiction!?"

"Yes, they are."

"Then why didn't you send help or anything!?"

"I did. The 7 Nagas. And that was plenty."

"Oh yeah, plenty help."

"NARUTO!" Kira roared, cutting Naruto's argument short.

The blond went quiet for a moment though still look deviant.

"What are you? A kid? You're a ninja. Above all else, you're a ninja who carries a demon lord in his belly. Do you know what that means? That means, you just stepped into the world reserved only for those who are not humans. I'm sure you've heard of this before. With Kyuusei gone, power vacuum occurred in the demon world. Some of those demons would definitely want the vacuum to remain slash they want Kyuubi to stay in human world slash they want him dead. The quickest way is to kill _you_. Do you really think they'll announce their intention or doing nicely and ask your permission? No. They'll come like this. By surprise, destroying everything you hold dear."

"…"

"What happened today was a good example of what I trained you guys for. If you still feel not satisfied of what had happened today, then vent that anger to them the next time they try to do the same. Of course, at that time, at least grow strong enough to the point they will no longer be a threat to you."

"The point is… I have to get stronger."

Kira nodded.

Naruto sighed and nodded. "But… My body's all messed up thanks to all those sealing jutsu you put on me."

"Not anymore." At this, Kira grinned. He pulled up a folder of papers filled with gibberishes. "The Protectors, that's the thin Nagas with six arms, had given you a full body check up. Apparently, the recent Kyuubi burst had force your body to fix itself up and the seal had finally stabilizes."

"Meaning?"

"Do a jutsu."

Naruto raised his palm, concentrate. The next instance, a perfect rasengan formed in his palm. The boy smirked. His body is no longer a mess. Kira smiled for a moment before it disappeared. The boy suddenly groaned. His hand hurt inside out. 'Ouch… gee… that battle must've hurt me more and I thought… speaking of being hurt…' "Kira-sensei! How's the others? Yukiku!? What happened to her!? Neji!? Is he okay?"

Kira raised both of his hands. "One by one. Let's take a look at the worst, Yukiku first."

The two walked to another room in the medical ward. Inside, Yukiku was bound to the bed with some straps of sealing bandages and a Naga protector on her side. She was wide awake and doesn't seem to mind. **"Ah! Kira-sama!"**

"How was she?"

The Naga Protector nodded as he looked at the boy. "She's fine. We're just rechecking everything, but at this stage, it's nothing but slight formality."

Naruto quickly rushed to the girl's side. "You okay?" His sentence was cut short when he saw Yukiku's hair. It was no longer pitch black. It was a brilliant semi transparent blue with a slight hue of green. "Her hair…"

"I'm okay… as for my hair… don't worry… I… kinda like it." The girl smiled for assurance. The girl quickly went quiet when she saw Naruto start crying. Personally, this was truly the first time she saw him cry.

"I… I'm… sorry… I… I almost lost… my friend again… my important friend… I… I…"

Yukiku blushed. "Maa… it's alright. The Nagas here had also told me that I'm okay. Right?"

"If you haven't, we would still have a squad of berserkers pointing their glaives at you." The Naga protector then proceeded on reading a piece of crystal tablet which showed Yukiku's medical record in a holographic image. "You only suffer a slight fever in the first hour. And then, your cell was like… consumed the infection. Molded it… or something. We took a blood sample and ran a thousand tests on it, including, but not limited to, aging the blood, testing it for any future side effects. None. You're 100% clean… except for the hair, which by the way, we already took a sample out of it as well."

"I told you, I kinda like it."

"All that's left is psychological test. To see if there's any change in your personality. But we've run several simulations in your head… it doesn't show any anomaly in a long shot…"

Yukiku frowned. "A… are you sure? We were barely 6 hours after I got myself infected, and you're saying I'm fine?"

"We ran the genetic psychological simulation up to the point until you're 100 years old, young lady. No anomaly, whatsoever." The Protector assured.

"Whoa… You can do that?" Naruto found his mouth aghast.

"Kid, we've been doing this long before your great-great-god-I-don't-how-many-times-great-grandpa even wear diapers."

"Riiight… so… can I remove this?" Yukiku was referring to the bandages tying her to her bed.

"Not until we can get you a fresh new set of clothing. You're stark naked underneath those bandages."

At this, Yukiku's blush turned from one that is a healthy girl to an angry one. "THEN MEN GET OUT!"

Kira and Naruto instantly ran out of the ward. The next room they entered, they saw Neji standing on a stretcher, with one of his leg cast in a cube of ice.

"Neji!"

The Hyuuga turned towards Naruto and returned the smile. "You woke up at last."

"Yeah… what happened to your leg?"

"I broke a bone. But… the crystal's healing it, and now it's but a minor fracture." Neji smile then disappear. "In any case, Naruto, take a look at this." The Hyuuga jerked his chin to a window before him.

"Hm?" Naruto turned to the said direction and found his jaw hung.

Dozens of crystals floating in a room filled with water. A few Naga Protectors can be seen inside the said chamber, monitoring the **people** entombed within. Some Protectors were conjuring some short of spell on one crystal to another. One of them was in fact Fetaru Hiko, one of the Swordsman.

"They are…!?"

"Survivors… and witnesses." Setsuna answered.

"Witnesses?"

"Yes. This is our job… and the reason why we can't help you directly during the initial period. They'll be too many witnesses and we can't afford anyone to know who we are or what had killed them off. So we lobotomized them… and inserted some false memories. When they woke up… they'll remember fighting for their lives against each other in a maze that changes. Some will die because of the traps; some will die during the competition. It's wrong of course, messing with people's mind. But it's a necessary evil."

"Necessary evil? Why can't they just live with the truth?"

"What? Living everyday in fear that one day more of those demons are coming? If they know demons exist, it'll be a matter of time until they find out about us. Sometimes, it is better for them not knowing. One day, of course… maybe the humans will be ready to accept the fact that we exist."

"Really?"

"The fact I didn't brainwash you three is fact enough that the time is nearing when we no longer need these brainwashing thing."

"And there's another one too." Kira happily added.

"Eh?" The two looked at their teacher.

"Naruto-san! Neji-san!" a familiar voice called.

The two turned and saw the Renald Guston.

"Renald-san! You're okay!"

"Yes." The Journalist ran towards them.

"They didn't… brainwash you?"

"Renald was… a special case." Setsuna stated.

"Special?" The two looked at the Journalist, who blushed furiously.

"I… I've met a naga before… and… well… things happened."

Neji seem satisfied, but Naruto wasn't. "What do you mean? Who? How?" Insisting on clearer answer, Naruto took another step closer.

Renald see no other way around it and answered: "My wife. Marriage."

Even Neji found his jaw on the floor. Naruto was frozen solid in shock as an image of Renald and a girlified Killio holding hand in hand with a wedding dress crossed his mind and caused a brain crash. Kira and Setsuna, capable of reading minds, laughed their ass off at the image.

"W… Well… it's not like what you think. The Naga males may look monstrous… but the female… well… they're… they're very beautiful… enticing… in fact." Renald's face could rival a boiled lobster.

As the Hyuuga picked his jaw back up, he looked at the blushing journalist and then to the panting Kira.

"Mr. Renald… is not exactly the first victim."

"Oh… no?"

Setsuna still had a few tears rolling his single eye. "Y… Yes. We get hundreds of cases like that. Our females are very… VERY beautiful. They're a majority of the population in our society, and they sometimes use that beauty to their advantage. If you guys ever heard of the tales of mermaids, sirens, sea witches… you were probably hearing about them. They don't mean bad, of course. Just mischievous. We male Nagas can't live too long out water, but… maybe because they're more human than us… the females can live out the rest of their lives out of water if they wanted to. They even learn how to adopt human forms. Marriage between human and female nagas happened all the time. Of course… the female chose NOT to reveal themselves, for the rest of their lives that is… your wife is one of the few that chose to do so."

"My wife is still my wife, even if she has 10 feet long serpentine tail for legs." Renald rebuked.

"And that… is why you earned our trust." Setsuna smiled.

At this point, Naruto's brain had rebooted and the next thing he did was glaring at the journalist. Note that the image of Renald and Killio in wedding dress is still imprinted in his head. "…your taste is warped."

At the verdict, Renald sighed. As he begins re-explaining everything to the dumbfounded Naruto, Neji asks for more of the Naga's post-crisis-care procedure. "What about those who died… I mean… the Jounins. I understand there must be some victims among them. How do you explain that? I don't think you can implant a memory saying: they were killed by the maze or got washed up by the Tsunami… are you?"

"Sudden massive tectonic activity caused an early tsunami… and the whole island came crashing down. We're prepared to send in some of our own to replace some of them for a year or so before we 'killed' them." Setsuna's fingers made the quotation mark to emphasize the point. "THAT… was the plan, until something else came up."

"What do you mean?"

Setsuna turned to Kira. "Should we show them?"

"They've been investigating Mist also. Show them."

"Come with me."

The group then went into another chamber. Setsuna put his hand on the floor and pulled out a giant coffin sized crystal. When the two nins take a glimpse at the person inside, the two gasped. It was Mist nin… but half of his face was deformed. Innards growing to insane sizes burst out from half of his belly. His arm was overgrown with fingers popping haphazardly. Naruto however, recognized half of the face of the person in the crystal. "Hey… I know that guy."

"Good. Then maybe you can fill me what happened to him? We found him sinking two years ago. We thought this guy was infected by demonic power or something-"

"He's dead?" Neji frowned. "For two years!?"

"Very. Why?"

"But… But that's impossible!" Naruto repeated.

"Why is it impossible?"

"Because I impersonate this homo barely a WEEK AGO!" Naruto stated. The person was Sakai Shima. The person he had impersonated in order for him to infiltrate the Mizukage's office.

"I see… as I suspected… They've been… replaced."

"What do you mean? They!? There were more!?"

Setsuna sighed. "Look below you."

The two look down. Naruto's foot was stepping on a man's face.

"What the…"

"GOD!!"

The two jumped away. It was then they finally get a good look on what's inside. There were bodies. Hundreds… thousands of them. All of them are half mutated or so.

"W… what… what the hell!?" Neji couldn't believe his eyes. All of them are Mist jounins. Every last one of them.

"After we found the first, we decided to start patrolling around the area… occasionally, we hauled in bodies. Lots of them. There can be like… 10-20 people every week… all of them are in bizarre state. We figure the villagers tossed him into the sea to be feasted by sea beasts but we immediately forbid them to do so. Imagine what it could do to ocean's wildlife. Some of the bodies were mutilated as if to erase evidence and made it easier for smaller fishes to feed on it. We make a list of names and send some of the spies to investigate the next of kin. They came back with a weird report that those people we hauled in are still very much alive and kicking."

"And then there was this accident. Quite a body counts of Jounins up there: 53 Jounins. Dead. And then, those 53 dead jounins suddenly came running on water towards the Maze. We captured them all… and found their memories were that 'Nothing happened, we watch over the exam.'" Kira pointed at a group of Crystal separated from the rest.

Neji tried to absorb all the things that have been happening. "Tossed into the sea to be eaten by sea creatures… that's a standard Missing Nin body erasure procedure used by Hunter nins. They cut the nins to pieces and feed them to animals and scavengers to erase all traces… You said you made a list of names… can we see it?"

Setsuna produced a folder out of thin air and gave it to the Hyuuga. Neji studied the reports. "…my god… so many…"

"We haven't found half of the bodies listed on that report… but there's a strong possibility that they've been replaced."

"How can you tell?"

"It happened in waves. Forget the date of return, look at the date of disappearance."

Neji and Naruto looked at the said date.

Sakai Shima – male – 22 – disappeared at October 12th – returns October 18th – Body found October 20th

Masagata Maki – male – 36 - disappeared at October 12 – returns October 20th – Body found November 23rd

Jumonji Migiri – male – 56 - disappeared at October 12 – returns November 2nd – Body not yet found

Gemma Magara – male – 45 - disappeared at October 12 – returns November 2nd – Body not yet found

Makichiro Tokina – female – 23 - disappeared at October 12 – returns November 10th – Body found December 10th

Hinamori Shaoji – female – 50 - disappeared at October 12 – returns November 12th – Body found November 15th

Ginchiyo Minase – female – 10 - disappeared at October 12 – returns November 13th – Body not yet found

And so on and so on… for 87 names.

"These… 187 people… they disappeared at October 12th." Naruto stated.

"Yes. Open the next page."

Neji opened the next page, and he was welcomed with another list… numbering in no less than 576 names. All of them disappeared at April 14th, about half a year after the first list. At this page, the statement that body not yet found is still occasionally appearing, but it seems there so much more now. Neji opened another page the date was this year 9th September, just a few months ago… and he gasped at the number of names. "I… Is this a joke?"

Naruto choked the number: "3… 3,768 people!?"

"Yes. It was shocking for us too. The third wave… in case you haven't noticed… have more 'Body not yet found' than the rest." Setsuna frowned.

"How come nobody in the village notices this many people missing at the same time?"

"These people belong to different struts. People from each strut didn't communicate too often."

"Can I have this? They may be related to our investigation."

"Keep it. Truth be told, we were planning to investigate them, but, if you're doing it for us, then please do so. So far, we've been gathering bodies only to prevent those bodies polluting the sea. We'll share our information to you through Kira-sama."

"What are you gonna do with the lobotomized people?" Naruto wondered.

"The same thing we're going to do with you. Sedate them and then put them back where they should be."

"I understand."

Just then, Yukiku walked in. "Alright… did I miss something?"

The two looked at her. She was wearing the weight jacket atop thick long sleeved strapped body suit with matching trousers. Plain simple.

Setsuna nodded. "Actually, you were just in time." The man snapped his finger and several Naga Protector approach them with some syringe.

"This is a sedative. You'll wake up after a few hours, and then you'll find yourself aboard the Blue Marlin." The Nagas explained.

"A moment. Killio told me your exploits in there. You've felled a great demon. Let me give you this, it might came in handy. A trophy of your victory, if you wish to call it so." Setsuna showed three tiny balls of solid gold in his palm. He held another piece in his other hand for demonstration. "These are balls of pure Seireikin. Be careful, one drop of water and-" Setsuna generated a ball of water and let a drop fell on the other piece of Seireikin. The spirit gold melted instantaneously and froze the next second. Like a scene of water drop that was frozen gold in time. "Once it reached this state it's pretty much indestructible. So be careful not to get caught during the freezing sequence. It's a very strong stuff. Keep it someplace waterproof."

The Konoha nins nodded and they received the ball. To their surprise, they had to struggle a bit just to lift such tiny piece of Seireikin. "Whoa… this thing is downright heavy!"

"That tiny Seireikin is extremely dense. Melted and processed properly, it can be used to forge enough weapons to arm a small army." A Protector explained.

Setsuna then pointed out with a glare from his single eye. "One last thing. No matter what you do, you must not let anyone knows that we exist. Is that clear?"

The three nodded. "Dose them."

The sedative quickly took its effect and the three dropping to the ground concurrently, snoring.

0000000000000

Naruto suddenly found himself back in Konoha, specifically, the academy classroom.

"Huh? W… wait! WHY the hell am I a classroom!??"

Even worse, he found himself alone. There's no one else in the class. Just him.

"There are four steps in drug testing." A oddly familiar old raspy voice draw his attention.

Even with the man's back turned against him; the boy could still recognize him.

"…Sandaime… Hokage?"

"The first step is… the drug was tested on a group of volunteers, 30-50 people. The drug was tested to see its effects on a select few. During the first testing, it's not really necessary for the drug to succeed in every test subject. Just to know what's wrong with the drug. And then, the second phase begins."

"Hokage-jii-san?"

"The second phase is the same, but with bigger test group… around 300 people. Most of the drug usually fails at this stage. If they do succeed however, then we can move to the third stage-"

"HOKAGE-JII!" Naruto yelled tad louder. Was he deaf!?

"-is the one which took most time and money. The drug was tested on over 2-3,000 test subjects to see if it's viable for mass production. The third stage is usually done twice on different test subjects. The fourth stage is to make it public and then-"

"I don't understand what you're saying!"

At this, sandaime Hokage stopped his lecture.

"I… Look… I don't mean to offend you… but… this must be a dream… I'm not supposed to be in Konoha. **YOU're **not supposed to be here either… y… you're dead!" Naruto choked the last words.

And then, the late Hokage turned around, and his garment changed from the white Hokage robe into the Sandaime's black battle garment. The clothing he wear when he died, complete with Kusanagi sticking out of his chest and bleeding battle scars. The old man gave his kind trademark smile. "Of course this is a dream, Naruto. And now, you have to wake up."

"W… what!?"

"WAKE UP!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!" Naruto jerked up, surprising everyone in vicinity, particularly Yukiku who was just in front of him.

"…are you… okay?" The girl asked timidly.

Naruto blinked several times. It was a dream… a dream… a bizarre dream. But what the hell is that? A lecture by a zombie Hokage? That was just freaky. "I'm fine… just… a nightmare… I'm fine… I'm fine…"

He was aboard the Merlin, specifically the deck. He tried to move his right arm and found it was bandaged and put on a sling. 'Eh? I don't recall my right arm was hurt that badly…' Naruto tried to remove the bandage. When his left hand finger touches the said arm though, stinging pain unlike anything else invaded his senses. "YEEEOUCH!" 'On the other hand… maybe it was.'

"Are you okay?"

"My arm… what happened to my arm?"

"It seems you broke your arm." Hiko replied. "My medics had done all they could, you might not want to move it for now."

"Your medic?" 'Ah that's right. He and the rest of the crews were all brainwashed. They believed they're the ones who has taken care my arm… but… why is my arm was bandaged in the first place?' Truth be told, the boy didn't remember his arm was bandaged back then. 'Well… at least my chakra lines are stabilized. I can do all sorts of jutsus now. Heh.' Naruto, out of curiosity, try to transfer some chakra to his hand. A few minutes later however, he felt his right hand produce just a slightly less than what he was expecting. The blond blinked and gently rub his arm.

Far in the distance, Kira and Setsuna watched the Merlin floating away.

"Okay… No one noticed. Safe for them."

"Good. Kira-sama… I'd like to convey a message from our Protectors to Naruto… about that new jutsu of his."

"Yes?"

Flashback…

"**That jutsu… he must never use it again unless it's really necessary."**

"**Just as I suspected… right."** Setsuna sighed. His suspicion was confirmed.

"**My guess is… what it did to Killio and the Cerberus it also happened to his arm. If he keep using it, one day that right arm of his will be rendered useless."** The Protector explained. **"It goes without saying that the damage is so much less than what happened to the target but… unless I'm mistaken, Kira-sama said he has twice, or even more, the amount of chakra coils in his body. They're more tightly packed, here lies the problem. When that jutsu hit him, more coils are damaged. They're superficial but… Well, I'm just saying someone ought to remind him."**

Flashback end.

"I see… I'll be sure to tell him the news… I think he knew his body better than the rest of us. But you can be sure I'll tell him."

"Alright."

The two immortals watched the Blue Marlin sailed away before they too disappeared from sight.

Back to the Blue Marlin…

"Where are we going now?"

"Well the earthquake has pretty much done its job. It's just that the result came up a little bit early." Hiko explained. "The first chuunin exam is over."

"What earthquake?" Neji nudged Naruto's rib to remind him of the made up story. "Oh yeah, that earthquake."

"I've sent a beacon to an incoming ship. They'll take you away and then you can immediately start with the second exam."

"Okay… I guess."

A few hours later, an enormous ship - Submarine emerged from the sea. Naruto, Neji and Yukiku gasped at the dreadfully familiar ship: The Tako Giri.

"Oh no… please… please tell me that's not who I think it is." The blond shivered at the thought of having to fight the enormous glutton Fujiki again in his ailment.

"AHOY down there! We received your distress signal! Get on board!" A mist Jounin yelled.

"Get on board everyone."

The Genins led by Hiko and several jounins hopped up and walk on the ship's surface before landed on the deck.

"H-Hiko-senpai! You're okay?"

Hiko turned towards the speaker. The newest Swordsman of the Mist, Saizen the Sawshark walks in.

The Konoha trio tensed slightly. They only saw the person only once from afar during their first welcoming ceremony to Mist. But then, their tenseness disappeared when they get a closer and better look on the person's details. His face was pale coupled with small eyebags underneath his thick glasses, and his long brunette hair is in complete mess. What's worse: he reeks of alcohol! To clarify that point, a large gourd swinging around his left hand and his face was drunk red. Clearly not the look of a shinobi that can pose any danger at them.

The Gray haired shinobi frowned and a little bit vexed. "Saizen! You've been a swordsman just for a few days and you already start drinking!? Where is your discipline?"

"Ahahaha… d-don't worry. I'm o-okay. I'm a s-strong d-drinker. Tell you what, a-after the chuunin e-exam is o-over, let's us have some drink s-shall we?"

"What are you doing in Fujiki's ship?"

"Fujiki-sama lent Saizen-sama one of his Octopus Hunters. Fujiki-sama himself said that he'll be the one picking the survivors of the second exam later." One of the Jounins, one of Fujiki's subordinates, explained.

Yukiku quickly take note of that the ship's crews are a mixture of both Fujiki and Saizen's men. One biggest difference: Saizen's men carried the so called SMG FN-P90. The fact that the shinobi carried modern weaponry seem alienated them from the other shinobis. The rest simply giving the said group some distance.

Hiko grunted and grabbed the sake bottle away from his kohai. "Ain't bad enough you armed your men with these… these dishonorable contraptions… you drunk in front of the Genins! You're setting a bad example for them!"

"C-considering if t-they s-survive l-long enough the s-second exam to p-practice it. 128 p-people… that's p-plenty…"

"Well… the first exam was ended abruptly thanks to that massive earthquake. I don't think we'll be able to use that spot for exam again for some time."

Saizen nodded shrilly. "Yeah. I n-noticed the sudden t-tectonic activity in our r-radar. No c-casualties on our part, I h-hope Senpai?" The swordsman clearly referring to the jounins.

"No. None. We did lose contact, but I figure the weather messed up."

"Uh-huh. A-alrite. Now it's m-my turn to h-handle the b-brats."

Yukiku scratched her blue hair as she took note of Saizen's speech. The guy stammering isn't exactly like Hinata. The Hyuuga girl's stuttering was out of nervousness. This guy's tone, forget the fact he was drunk, is clear and concise as he knew what he needs to say. Apparently, the man's stutter is more of a speaking habit or some handicap rather than nervousness.

Meanwhile, Saizen and Hiko continued their chat. "S-senpai, c-come this way f-for a moment."

"What is it?"

"H-have you heard? T-the Mizukage w-was almost get assassinated. W-was that true?"

"Where did you hear that?"

"I-I heard talks… f-from s-some of my men t-they say a g-group of s-spies breaks in to the M-Mizukage's room a-and they a-almost killed him."

"Hm. Well… yeah."

"I-I think I know who did that."

"Really? Who?" Hiko tried to maintain a cold faced façade, though at the inside, he was a little bit tense.

"…p-pirates."

"What?"

"F-Fujiki's men t-told me: d-during the c-chuunin p-preliminary, t-they were attacked by a pirate… I-In a s-stingray-shaped ship."

"Oh… that. Yeah. I've heard that too. I thought that was a misfire. Besides, even if it weren't a misfire, how do you know they are related?"

"A-again a little something I heard. They say the g-group that infiltrated the Mizukage's office came f-from that ship. So I k-kinda find it odd."

Hiko frowned. Deep down, a part of him was relieved that the Konoha have yet to be compromised. Other part of him was greatly alarmed. That alarmed look was reflected on his face.

"S-senpai? S-Something's w-wrong?"

"Kind of, I think I had an idea of who are those people. A stingray shaped ship, you say? Thank you. I'll see to it personally."

"N-Need help?"

"No. Supervise the second chuunin exam. I'll report this to Mizukage immediately. Thank you for your information."

Saizen drunkenly smiled. He then turned towards the crowd that is the Genins. "O-Omedetto! You guys p-passed the first Chuunin Exam. We're going s-straight to the Second C-Chuunin exam. If all of you p-please come with me to the b-briefing room?"

And they followed the drunken captain into the said briefing room. "W-what are you going to d-do is a mission."

"Mission? You mean we have to do some of your missions?" A Grass nin whined in protest.

"I-In a way… I-It's just a s-simple retrieval m-mission."

The crowd was bewildered. They never heard something like this.

Saizen clearly understood that the Genins are confused so he explained. "Y-You guys had been t-tested t-to work under p-pressure of time and u-uncertainty inside t-that maze. H-However, i-inside that maze, y-you have nothing to p-protect but your o-own life and the life o-of y-your teammates. So, t-this test is designed to s-see h-how well you are i-in protecting o-others, s-specifically, w-when you're given a mission to p-protect i-important people or object."

Some of the nins nodded. They understand the meaning of this 'mission'.

Saizen took note of the understanding and immediately proceed with the briefing. "T-There is a s-small isolated town which s-served as refugee center i-inland. I-It's an I-Icy region… but we c-can reach t-that area in a f-few hours time. W-we need y-you all to e-evacuate the place. I-It doesn't m-matter w-what method you use. B-But, y-you must return in p-particular, w-with these p-people." Upon hearing the word Icy, Guccha winced.

A picture of a group of people posing in front of a camera was shown. Eight in total, all of them are smiling and showing the piece symbol with their fingers.

"T-these p-people are a-a group of humanitarian w-workers. T-they bring s-some supplies, foods, m-medicine and p-provision to the s-said r-refugee center. W-we need them out of there. A-alive of course."

A cloud nin raised his hand. "If they're so important why did your Jounin team didn't get them? I mean, I know it's a test for us… but entrusting a mission to secure some seemingly important people to a bunch of Genins… seems like too risky, don't you think?"

The rest of nins nodded in agreement. Everyone except Neji. "…Amegakure (Rain Hidden Village)."

All eyes turned toward the Hyuuga. "The location of the so called Refugee center… it was very near the borderline of the Amegakure. One of those new and growing Ninja village…even though the village doesn't belong to any specific country, it has been established and recognized as a legitimized Shinobi village. If they send in Mist Jounin group it could cause an international uproar."

Saizen nodded. "W-well put, Konoha nin. I-If we sent Genins w-we could c-cut o-our losses."

"Still… the Cloud nin made a very sound argument as well." Guccha spoke up. "If these people are very important, why would you risk such act?"

"T-The problem is t-this: i-it's not the matter t-that they're p-performing humanitarian w-work. T-the problem is, t-they have been confirmed a-as Water Country c-citizens. T-Their v-very presence is c-considered a-a threat in itself. Assassination i-is d-definitely out of question. P-Plus, our client d-demands that t-they are t-to be extracted a-as d-discreetly as possible. S-so we u-used this C-Chuunin exam as a c-cover up."

Everyone nodded in an agreement as they can see the logic in the plan. Satisfied, Saizen move to the next point of the briefing.

"T-The extraction point, i-is here. At t-the coastal area j-just north of the said s-small town. About 10 km or so. F-Fujiki w-will pick you up."

At the mention of the crazy berserker swordsman, Naruto flinched.

"H-He volunteered. I-It seems h-his ship w-will pass t-through that i-island. U-Unfortunately, i-in case some of you haven't know t-this yet, F-Fujiki's ship, the K-Kraken, is a-anything b-but inconspicuous. H-He can't r-remain in the same spot f-for long. Y-You have t-three days to r-rescue the group, a-and b-bring them t-to the extraction point."

"And if we fail?"

"Then y-you have to take the L-LONG way to the south." Saizen bent down and pointed a route. "Y-You have to trespass into A-Amegakure's region. Here." The swordsman draw a long line across from the small town to the borders of the Mist Village area. The course went through the Amegakure borders and get across the said area and obviously farther than the other course. Neji frowned. Amegakure is a small village; all its borders are enclosed by Kirigakure's village area. The refugee center is in the northern part of the Amegakure's area. However, the said town is VERY close to the border, and worse, they were quite deep in the inland. IF they fail to bring the group to the extraction point, they'll have to get across the Amegakure area which is surely guarded like a fortress.

"If y-you're taking t-the long way… w-worry not, t-there's actually n-no exact time limit. The three days is the e-estimation of when the Kraken w-will arrive at the extraction point. N-Needless to say though the second path w-will risk having you Genins f-fight against t-the full military might of the R-Rain village. I f-figure there w-won't be m-mad enough people to p-perform s-such daredevil m-move?"

Everyone shook their heads.

"G-Good." Saizen nodded happily. "N-Now, there's still a few hours u-until we arrived. W-why don't you guys go get a room a-and rest?"

Neji nodded. "Naruto, I think I'm gonna have a little rest, I'm still a bit tired."

"Not me. I think I need some fresh air."

"Me too."

The Hyuuga quickly was led inside a room, just as small as when he first arrived at the ship. He quickly look around and saw a small camera. '…righto…' Pretending he didn't saw the camera, the Hyuuga lay down on the bed with his back towards the camera. Quickly enough he made a few handseal, a genjutsu soon enraptured the whole room. To the onlookers behind the camera, Neji had simply rolled over on his back and then fast asleep. In reality however, the boy let out the Kiri Orb. 'Let's see… Ox, ram, tiger, snake, ram, roost, Dragon."

The orb vibrates for a few moments. After the vibration stopped, Neji began whispering. "Errhh… Mizukage-sama? Mizukage-sama are you there?"

"…_next time, you might wanna use codenames. Are you secured?"_ Enshin's voice echoed from the orb.

"They think I was sleeping and I put genjutsu to make sure of that. No worries of the camera, M… erm… Great White Shark."

"_Great Wh…? Oh. Yes. Nice codename. Anything to report, Leaf 1?"_

'Leaf 1 eh?' "Plenty. And it might come as a shock."

"_Fire away."_

"We found bodies. And it's not just one or two, they number in thousands. I count around, 4,500 people. Or more. All of them missing."

There was a moment of silence. No doubt the Mizukage was trying to register the fact that 4,500 of his citizens were missing. A few seconds of silence later, came the Kage's reply. _"I hear you right, 4,500? So how come I didn't get 4500 reports of people filing disappearance?"_

"Because those disappeared people has been replaced. By… I don't know… impostors or maybe… I don't know exactly what they are. But they are fakes. Of that I'm sure."

"_Proof?"_

"Remember the day when we infiltrate your office? If you remember correctly, Naruto impersonate a person named Sakai Shima. We found the person's body… preserved… and when we checked the date, he was dead for 2 years."

Another moment of silence.

"Of those 4500 bodies, we found half of them. And these people were missing in waves. The first wave numbers no more than a few dozens, and then the second wave number in hundreds. The last wave was thousands."

"_Where did you get this information?"_

"Let's just say we kinda stumble into it. And we do have some friends… urm… a radical sea ecology environmentalist group which prefers to remain anonymous, who involuntarily helped us by gathering the bodies for us."

"…_I am safe to assume they have a list of names?"_

"I brought them with me. We'll find a chance to give the names to you, first chance we get. Until then… I don't know… may I suggest you lay low? I would like to add be vigilant, but I doubt you need that."

"_GOD DAMN IT! 4500 people!? UNDERNEATH MY OWN NOSE no less!!"_

Neji heard a crushing sound. Apparently the Mizukage smashed his teacup to bits. "Erm… Great White? I don't know if this mean anything to you… but I think you need to know this. The bodies we've uncovered, not all of them are found. Also, they were all mutated."

"_Mutated… you say?"_

"Yes. We don't know what caused the mutation… but they were all found in the sea. They were tossed around; some were to cut pieces so that sea creature can eat them. This I figure is the standard nuke nin disposal method… yes?"

"_Yes. We did the same to Kisame's headless body."_

"Does it mean anything to you?"

"_When the word mutation appeared… the only person crossed my mind is that mad-scientist Fudou Touzou."_

"…I see… does he have a… connection or some relationship with Shu? Something?"

"_Well… kind of. Touzou and Fujiki, Shu's teammate, were bitter rivals with each other. Let's just say the relationship spreads. Fujiki dislike Touzou, and so does Shu."_

"I see. He's the one responsible for all those… unnatural ocean wildlife we saw?"

"_Yes. Note I would never give him any authorization on doing humans. But all things considered, given the chance, he'll do so."_

"By the way things are, I'd say he's quite a maniacal one. What do you think would stop him from doing his experiments anyway?"

"_Treated like a missing nin and death sentence. I could do that… if I have proof that Touzou was indeed behind all those experimentations." _

"One thing we don't have."

"_Pity. Very well. Good work by the way. Hmm… now I really don't know who to trust."_

"I scanned some of the names… apparently there hasn't been any of the swordsmen that got replaced. Perhaps… you can have one or two guarding, the Fetaru brother and sister would do the job well. I think."

"_I suppose so. In any case, I'm guessing at this point, you're preparing for the second exam?"_

"The new swordsman, Saizen. Truthfully is, apparently, he made himself, and his entire strut, alienated with the rest of the village."

"_He's interested in modernization. Hand thrown shuriken replaced with these so called SMGs, exploding tags replaced with rocket launcher, something."_

"Yes. He made himself quite a stand out… in a way. With his stuttering and all that."

"_A habit since he was my student."_

"It's practically asking us to check on him. I smell a trap, or something."

"_Your suspicion continue to grow I see."_

"Well excuse me. We didn't trust anyone in this case. Including, no offense, you."

"_That's assuring."_ Enshin's reply was coupled a chuckle.

A few hours later, the ship literally dropped the genins on the land.

"O-Okay. B-by the way, it is 20 degrees below zero so tuck up. Good luck. Godspeed." And the ship left.

They looked around them. Snow, as far as the eye can see. The temperature turned their every breath to cool steam. While everyone shivered at the low temperature, Yukiku was the only one who didn't twitch by the slightest. Naruto didn't wonder. The girl can cast blizzard with her bare hands, she won't have much trouble withstanding this kind of temperature. Guccha shivered at the sight, and Naruto had a suspicion that it wasn't the cold. "Are you okay?"

"Huh what? Oh yeah… I'm okay."

But one look at his figure and one can say he was lying. "You have something about places with much snow around you?"

"Ulp." The sand nin tensed.

Neji sighed. "You have some trauma or something? Can you handle it?"

"T-trauma? I-I…"

"This is a dangerous mission. If you have something with the terrain you might want to let us know in advance?"

Guccha frowned. "I…I'll be fine."

The two nins decided to leave it at that. Every team was given a small map. It would take them several hours' worth of walking through the snowy plains until they arrived at their destination and so they start their trip. The shinobis walked in separate groups. Each group usually comprised of those who belonged to the same village. For Konoha, they found a group together with the sand nins, who also happened to be a lone village team.

At the distance…

A small figure holding a binocular looked through it at the convoy of ninjas. "…shinobis from every village mist, waterfall, stone, sand and… Konoha? Wait a minute… isn't that!?"

0000000000000

Meanwhile, the Merlin had just landed on the docks of Strut 2, and Hiko rushed immediately to the Mizukage's office. The old kage was drinking sake, no, the copycat Kage was drinking sake. The real one was sipping tea at a concealed back room. And he was not alone.

"I don't know what you're talking about." A disgustingly twisted slippery voice flowed from another swordsman. "Mizukage-sama, you've explicitly stated that I was not to do human experiment. I understand that well."

"I didn't say that. Fudou, don't make me send an internal investigation units AKA Hunter nins AKA execution squad right into your very doorstep. My orders are clear. I want the R&D department of the 3rd strut is to be suspended from any activity for indeterminate amount of time until I feel like opening it again, effective immediately. I've sent Kyoko to ensure that."

"But what about my research!? My life's work is in there? All the vict-I mean volun- I mean test subjects-samples are all stocked up in there!"

"Well, I'll have the lab sealed shut, so they'll go nowhere. Once I see it fit to reopen that nut-house, I'll let you know. Until then, why don't you try help some of our shinobis who came from your strut? They could use a hand. My point is for you to refrain from doing your usual nuttiness for a while and that's final. You're dismissed."

Fudou Touzou the Whale had no choice but to grit his teeth in secret and bowed. He scurry out pass Hiko and out of the office, fuming.

Hiko chose that time to make his report. "Mizukage-sama, the second exam is already on the way. Saizen is watching it over."

Enshin chuckled lightly. "Watching Over'. Ha! I like your choice of words, improper as it may. Hiko, I have a task for you."

"Anything, sir."

"I want you to look for the files in the old archive in the last 2-3 years. See anything about shinobis who were called to the third strut. I ordered Kyoko to close down that strut. I want you to investigate it."

"Is this has something to do with what those three (Naruto and co.) reported to you recently?"

"I just don't know who to trust now. More than ever." Enshin sighed. "I'm really am old. A Mizukage who couldn't even control his own village."

"…Mizukage-sama… sensei… can I ask you something?"

"Yes?"

"…did Shu… really wanted to kill you?"

"Who… told you that?"

"Please just answer my question. Did Shu really wanted to kill you?"

Enshin didn't answer. Kyoko chose that time to return from her duty. "Mizukage-sama, I have returned. That nut-house is officially quarantined."

"That's your cue, Hiko."

Hiko reluctantly left the room.

0000000000000

The genins progress was rather slow but steady. The cold climate and sudden roaring blizzard didn't stop the group. Some groups, mostly who lived in snowy plains, are ahead of the rest. Yukiku decided to stick together with his team. Naruto suffer the most amongst every Genin in this exam. His advanced senses amplified the freezing sensation he had, thanks to the low temperature. The poor blond was wrapped in double coats of thick clothing and still his teeth teeter.

"M-m-m-m-minus t-t-t-twenty d-degrees my a-a-ass… i-i-I think n-now I know h-h-how penguins in North Pole felt." Naruto, half frozen, tightened the thick cloth in his body.

"At the very least, they're luckier than you. Their body can withstand the cold temperature." Renald huddle up with the trembling boy.

Yukiku sighed. She already gave him her winter coat. And still the boy shiver. The temperature didn't bother her by the slightest though. She's been through worse. Neji breathe a puff of steam clouded his vision. But as far as he can see, the teams who were able to at least make some sort of progress are those with water affinity: particularly those from Mist, Rain and Snow nins.

The groups seem to be in a rather in a hurry. What supposed to be a rescue mission had turned into a race of who save the hostage first. Suddenly, the snow from every tree around fell upon them, burying the front party in a pile of snow. The groups at the back laughed at them. The nin struggled to get out from the snow when suddenly, something snapped, and three huge pine trees fell upon them. The genins hastily ran out from their snowy trap, but the trees managed to crush some of them first. A few survived the trap.

Everyone winced at the nasty trap. The white snow was now dyed in red. While the survivors mourned their lost comrade, a few others checked the fallen pine tree. "The base of this tree was cut clean. It didn't break. Someone cut them off."

"Someone doesn't want us to go? Who could it be?"

"Perhaps the examiners from your village?"

"Maybe. But the Jounins from our village wouldn't come anywhere within 10 feet of the border. Otherwise why would've they sent us here in the first place?" The Mist genins retorted.

"Granted." Neji agreed.

"Or maybe, this was one of the traps set up by Rain nins?" Several shinobi turned to the Rain genins.

"Our Jounins has more classy traps than this." The rain genins retorted back, visibly offended. "If they did set a trap, none of us would be alive already."

Naruto sighed and then he heard noises from the trees. His advanced senses heard footsteps in the snow, some a few hundred feet away. He looked and saw a boy. A single person. The boy's face wasn't visible, but his figure is mighty familiar.

"Guys… there's someone there."

"Huh?" Yukiku and Renald turned to the boy.

"I'll chase him." Ignoring the freezing temperature for a moment, Naruto shunshin-ed and chased the saboteur. Using one Shunshin after another, the blond rapidly closed the distance between him and the culprit. Just when he thought he had the target in his grasp however, several iron arrows flying towards him. It barely missed his face. When he regained his footing, the boy was gone, swallowed by the snow storm. "…where did he go?" Cursing the snowstorm, Naruto had to return to his group, but not before he took the arrow that nearly hit him. 'These arrows… it looked strangely familiar…' putting the arrow in his pocket, Naruto returned to the group of genins.

"Who was it?"

"No idea. He's pretty fast and he seem knows the terrain well. And then there's this blizzard blocking the view." Naruto thought for a moment, and then his advanced senses began registering the cold again and he's back shivering and teetering. Renald and Yukiku sweatdropped. "Well at least we know that when the push becomes pull, we can rely on him."

The nins groaned. Neji concluded. "Still, I guess that means we should be more careful. No more race or playing heroes. Let's do this one step at the time."

"We don't need you to tell us that!" Another group groaned.

"Fine."

And thus the Nins continued their trip. A few more hours of trip, plowing through the thick snow, they finally arrived at the place. By then the blizzard had died out, giving them a better view of the settlement. It wasn't so big. But it was mostly composed of large sturdy tents and some makeshift houses from wood and straw. There were only two solid structured buildings: a lumber-mill, and a temple. Obviously, the snow had been cleared.

The people's faces was stone cold and ghostly pale. Almost as if there weren't any life left in them.

"This place had no more cheer than a graveyard." Naruto blurted out.

"You weren't that far off." Yukiku pointed at a plank… a wooden tomb marker.

Naruto's eyes widened and he finally realized that there were at least 2 to 3 of such wooden mark near the house and some tombstones, some enacted recently. The settlement was built on top of a graveyard. Realizing his foul mouth, the blond bent down his head.

Neji asked one of the settlers. "Where's the Mist nin in charge here?"

The settlers pointed at a tomb.

"Dead, huh." The sound nin groaned.

"So… anyone we can talk to?"

"The doctor. She's in charge here now." An old lady answered.

"The doctor? Where's the good doctor now?"

The old lady pointed at the temple. Neji bowed in thanks, and then, together with shinobi from other groups, went inside the temple. The inside of that temple bear little resemblance to your average temple. It has been completely revamped into an emergency war-hospital. Injured patient lined up everywhere. Some in bed, some in sleeping bags, others in makeshift bed from animal skin.

"W…what is this? War casualty hospital?"

"The best we can afford for them now." A girl, somewhere around 18-19 years old, welcomed them. "I'm Ina. The doctor around here." The girl was tall, andher hair is black with a slight tinge of gray. She was wearing a doctor's standard outfit, stained in red blood here and there. Patient blood no doubt.

"Doctor Ina?" Neji looked at the papers regarding their mission again. Part of the humanitarian worker they were sent to retrieve. Dr. Ina K. H. 'K. H.?'

"That's me." The girl nodded. "Who are you people? Make it quick, I don't have much time, there's a lot of patient waiting."

Her tone was serious and somewhat tired. She clearly had gone through so much.

"We are shinobis sent to take you back. Your presence here has been arousing some unrest from the neighboring-"

"A little late for that." Ina jerked her thumb to the scores of patients. "How do you think THEY ended up like this?"

"The rain nins… had come here?"

"And took, pretty much, everything! Food, medicine, even girls!" Ina walked away. "And now you're telling me I should just leave them!?"

"…"

"Lissen, ojou-san!" One of nin impatiently cut in. "Just gather your team and we'll get you all out… even it means we'll have to tie…lemmesee-lemmesee…all 16 of you!"

"There **were** 16. 7 were already dead, trying to protect some of these refugees in vain." Ina sighed heavily. "Anyway… I can't leave. That's final."

"Well this is not a discussion. And like I said, we're taking you out here, even if we have to tie you up!"

"You can try!" The doctor seemed ready to put up a fight. Several Nins, Neji excluded, lunged at her all at once. Unbelievably, the good doctor zigzagged around them all. A blink of an eye later, three Nins was tied together in a bundle of bandage.

Ina sneered and opened the temple door. "Here's the exit. Go."

"You don't understand."

"Oh as a matter of fact, I understand a lot more than you think. You're all genins right? Chuunin exam?"

The ninjas blinked. "How did you-?"

"Know? What? You think I'm a fool? Mist nins, waterfall nins, stone nins, grass, leaf, cloud… all teaming up together just to get me? Please. Anyone can put two to two together and I tell you right now, I will not let you make me leave these people just for some test!"

"We can't fail this test! You don't know what we've been through!"

"NO! YOU don't know what THESE PEOPLE had been through." Ina stomped and pointed her finger to the protesting ninja. "These people had nothing but roaches, grass and some dried up rice for breakfast, lunch and dinner for over a MONTH! Kirigakure's food shipment came only once every half a YEAR!"

"Forget the exam." Neji cuts in. "What we're doing here, is an official mission. Exam or no exam, you and your people have to be evacuated."

"You are near the borders of a warring village." A rain nin explained. "Our village has been ravaged a civil war as of late, your existence is a threat to our village. You, being a citizen of the water country, the country that sponsored Kirigakure, a rival village."

"I have permission from the Water Daimyo-"

"And it's not valid here. You'll be killed on sight and we failed our client." The mist nin continued.

"I can't leave! Why can't you understand my commitment? Me and my men, we were all ready to sacrifice ourselves for these people. To keep them alive! Just so that we can give them a little bit of hope to live!"

"You stay here any longer, and you have taken that hope for them." Neji retorted back.

"What?"

"Have you heard nothing of what we said? Your presence itself can be considered is a threat to our village. If they came here and they saw YOU, they'll kill you, and quite possible the rest of them as well! Our ninja is quite ruthless."

Ina blinked several times. She looked at the people around her. "Can you give me some time? I need to discuss this with my colleagues."

The nins looked amongst themselves. They realized this is a complication. One that they also need to discuss. And it's already evening.

"…alright. Tomorrow morning, make your decision. Organize a watch patrol-"

"If you don't mind, I'll do that." Naruto stepped forward. "I can do Kage Bunshin. I can cover a lot of places."

"You got the job." Neji nodded. "Blizzards can come anytime; you have other place where we can stay?"

Ina sighed. "Up there. There's an old mansion. We don't use it anymore because it's in pretty sorry state, and it's up on a cliff. We can't bring wounded over there."

"Thank you ma'am… Ina… was it?"

"It's miss. I'm 19."

"Yes." Neji nodded in gratitude. The ninja then left to the house on the cliff. Naruto performed a Kage Bunshin and had them spread across the settlement.

Hours later, night came.

Ten Narutos were spread across the city. The night was freezing. But perhaps because the blond had become used to the weather or he was just too preoccupied to notice, Naruto continued his patrol without so much of a shiver.

A small black clad figure ran across the settlement from shadow to shadow, avoiding the moon's gaze. Unfortunately for the figure… not Naruto's gaze.

The figure ran towards a tent and went in. A few moments later, he got out with small pouch, and his mouth was munching something. Before he took another step, a shuriken landed near his feet. He looked up and saw Naruto, his blue eyes glowing coldly in the dark of the night, glaring at him. Making a small gasp, the figure ran off. Naruto simply outrun him with a shunshin and tossed a Kunai to halt his movement. The small figure gritted his teeth and made a run for it. A shuriken swing around and nailed the small pouch. The shuriken flies back to Naruto and the blond took a glance at the pouch. It was filled with dried rice. Frown at the thievery, Naruto chase the figure across the settlement. At the foot of the cliff, the figure dashed up the cliff by sticking with chakra. Naruto gave a small whistle of awe and then decided to cut the chase. He throws a particular object right before the figure. An arrow, barely missing the boy's ear by a millimeter.

"I can throw a kunai from a hundred miles away and I can still hit you. So be a good boy. And let's talk. For starters, I've returned your arrow."

The boy turned towards the blond, who was standing on the wall, just like he does. Naruto glared straight at the eyes of the person he's been trying to find since day one.

"It's been a while. Inari."

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Read and review, as usual. Please!

Double Omake:

Deidara's days in interrogation

Minichapter 15:

As a straight man. hm!

"…"

"You have to do this."

"No, hm!"

"That's what the script said."

"No. Cut off my winky if you want, I'm not gonna do it. I have my honor as a shinobi… and above all, as a straight man, hm!"

'79 counts of consecutive indiscriminate bombing terrorism aren't exactly what I would call straight… granted, that's not what he meant…' Athrun sighed and turned to the convicted. "How exactly, eh-hem, did you make-out with your brother?"

"Well… kinda forcibly."

Several figure grab hold of Deidara. "H… Hey! What's the big idea, hm!?"

Athrun nodded. "Forcibly it is."

"No! Stop! STOP IT! No… this is my first, hm! THIS IS MY FIRST! Mercy…, hm!"

Minichapter 16:

Tragedy of the Chicken Soup

Finally, using a iron layered puppet that resembled Hiruko, Chiyo managed to enter the contaminated area. There, he found the source of the infection: a corroded steel vault that is half opened. "Hoyohoyohoyo… Hard to believe such a small vault can cause so much trouble…"

And so the poison expert opened the vault to get a better look. She opened the vault completely to reveal…

"What is this? A small bowl of blue, purple, luminescent, boiling…slime?" Chiyo took out a vial. "I better take a sample."

She put the vial into a dip inside the liquid and managed to extract a sample.

Soon she was examining the compound in a triple max security poison checking facility. The slime was placed on an isolated chamber. No human can enter because of the fumes, and so they used human shaped dolls, chakra string controlled, to analyze the substance.

Several days later… and several dozen trip to hospital for poisoning…

"Chiyo-baa-sama! We finally managed to identify one of the ingredients! It was ingeniously hidden in a fiendish amount of horrid yet still unidentified substances."

"Aha! And what is it!? This incredible poison that maybe the creation of the greatest Arms genius in history can be my big break against that slug woman! What is it? Red Scorpion venom? Black Arrow Frog poison? Essence of KING COBRA GLAND!? VINTAGE BLUE-FLAME SALAMANDER FANGS!? BASILISK KING EYEBALLS!? WHAT IS IT!?"

"Hai! The first substance is…" The poison checker looked again at the report, as if checking whether he read what he thought he read. "…fillets of chicken?"

"Eh?"

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	36. The Mansion's secret and the trip

Also read Samurai Seed and kind enough to leave a review. It's the prequel of this story. Go to my profile and you'll find it.

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": special case (Naruto Berserker mode, different language)**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA! : Giant creature speech **

"_Journal no bla bla": Renald's writing or other uses_

Disclaimer: I own nothing… except the plenty of OCs in the story.

**Chapter 33:**

The Mansion's secret and the Trip

"Naruto-nii-san."

"So." Naruto sighed. Contempt was evident in his face. "This is what you've stoop into? Sabotaging our trip; that I can still forgive. But stealing food from hungry refugee? Wow. That's some life."

"Cut the sarcasm." Inari snarled. Naruto inwardly winced at the boy. He's grown taller since the last time he saw him (though Naruto still dwarfed him) and he was thin, but the lines on his face were hardened and his gaze is now intense and dark. No longer wearing his hat, Inari's black hair had grown neck long and disheveled. His clothing consisted of only a ragged cloak that covered his entire figure. The Inari he knew long ago, gloomy as he was, still has a shred of a child-like quality in his visage. But this Inari, was a misshapen, hardened, been-through-Hell version of the crybaby boy he once knew.

"You're so right. Cause you know what? I think I'm going to beat the crap out of you first, and then beat you out some more and then talk some sense to you."

"Oh, the old standby. You are so smug, aren't you? You think I can't handle living alone? Well I got news for you. I'm doing just fine without your help. So why don't you just leave me be!?"

"Oh, and **THIS** CONSTITUTE AS JUST FINE!? PROWLING THE NIGHT, STEALING FOOD… Your grandpa and your Mother would be ashamed of you. I'm ashamed of you."

"HOW WOULD I KNOW!? My cowardly of a grandpa couldn't do anything without YOU around. In Wave, I was alone, fighting the whole world! And it was winning!"

"You're wrong. He's not a coward. When I go to Wave today, I saw not a relic of a bygone age. I saw a man, with a vision, in a desperate fight on a losing war that needs help. Sure, you know you were facing the whole world. Knowing that, and what did you do? WHAT DID YOU DO!?"

"That good-for-nothing old man refused to hear me out and I-"

"NO EXCUSES! You decided to run. Leaving your grandpa and your mother to face them alone. So who's the coward here, actually?"

"Don't think you can just leave and then go back and tell me what I wanna do with my life!?"

"Your grandpa told me that if I found you, I don't have to force you to go back. Personally, I intend to leave it at your decision. But now I saw you like this, I realized I just can't leave you be. I'm taking you back to Wave. Period!"

"I'm not going." Inari raised his arms out of the cloak, revealing a crossbow-like contraption strapped on his right arm.

"That's no longer your decision." Naruto grabbed his sheathed Tenrou.

"SHUT UP!!" A barrage of arrows burst out from the weapon, hitting nothing but empty air. Naruto reappeared right in front of Inari and slashed his weapon. The boy managed to barely blocked the attack with his crossbow, but it was too heavy for his small figure to handle and the younger boy were tossed a few meters away. But before the boy wander off even further, Naruto reappeared on his back and grabbed his collar.

"You sir, are going home!" Just as soon as Naruto finished his sentence, a scythe like object went flying to his face. The blond had to back away and let go lest it would've hacked his neck clean. Inari fell down the cliff, but he quickly moved around, swinging the scythe weapon to the cliff. The scythe hooked on to the cliff wall, and Naruto get a good look of the said weapon. A Kusari-gama. Swinging on the chains of the scythe weapon, Inari regained his footing and stick back with Chakra.

"Who taught you that?"

"You did. Remember the day you spent trying to climb a tree? I peeked. The rest took me months but…"

"Monkey see, monkey do. If you weren't so twisted I might praise you."

Inari replied by angrily throw his kusarigama at Naruto. The blond simply caught it and the weapon chained on his nodachi. Inari smirked and pulled. To his surprise, it felt like he was trying to pull an iron pillar.

Naruto stood firm on his spot, holding the chains firmly. With one back stroke, the boy pulled the other boy all the way back. Naruto swung his fist at the incoming boy. Inari quickly jerked his leg, blocking the punch with his kick. Using Naruto's fist as a stepping stone, the boy somersault to the back and aimed his crossbows at Naruto again and shoot. Thinking fast, Naruto used the chains on the Nodachi and swing it around, blocking the barrage of arrows. Naruto attempted to pull the chains again, but Inari was ready. The boy tightened his grip around his chain weapon and then something that resembled a blue pulse surged from his hand to the chains. Then, as if alive, the scythe end spun around and unchained itself from Naruto's nodachi. 'What the…!?' The scythe swing around and gored his shoulder. Inari retracted the chained scythe and grabbed it again. He smirked when he saw Naruto's blood stained his weapon. For Naruto, however, this is no longer laughing matter.

"So that's how you wanna do it? OKAY!" Naruto finished a handseal and swung his nodachi. 'Fuuton, Dai Kamaitachi!' a blast of sharp wind burst towards Inari at high speed, slicing everything in its way. The boy jumped away, avoiding the storm. And just then, Naruto appeared right in front of him and kneed him on the gut, sending the boy rolling on the snowy ground. Naruto mercilessly sent another wave of the air blade. Inari grunted. Again, blue surge flowed throughout his chains, and like a serpent, rolled around and encased its user in a sphere of chains. The barrage of Kamaitachi landed on its target, pulverizing and cutting everything in sight, giving rise to a curtain of snowflakes.

Naruto landed and observe his handiwork. 'Oh dear… Get a hold of yourself Naruto, killing the person you try to save tends to defeat the purpose of the rescue.' The blonde's train of thoughts was shot out when a bunch of arrows burst out of the snowflakes. Using Tenrou, Naruto blocked every single one of them. Following, roaring angrily, Inari burst out of the smoke and closed the distance while continuously shot out the arrows. Once he reached a certain distance, Inari pulled out what's left of his kusarigama, the scythe part, and jumped up with a cry and brought it down. Before he can even touch the ground, Naruto disappeared and reappeared right above him. As he turned around, Naruto's feet was brought down to his cheek, and the boy find his face slammed down to the snow, with a foot on his cheek.

Naruto removed his foot and kicked the boy so that his face turned to face him. Before Inari can get up again, Naruto pointed his Nodachi to his neck. "Enough! You can't win! I don't know who teach you to fight like this, but you're simply out of your league when you challenge me, ya lt'l brat! Stand down or I'll hogtie you proper!"

As if on cue, an arrow grazed Naruto's ear from behind. The boy's advanced senses saved him just by a tiny margin. He turned and saw the one who had shot the arrow. A furious Doctor Ina.

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The ninjas had made themselves as comfortable as they could in the old battered mansion. What the good doctor said was somewhat true: the place was pretty banged up and could use some good repair to put it back in an orderly state. Holes everywhere. Floor that would give away at a drop of a kunai. Roofs that were falling apart piece by piece. Spider webs littered the place. This kind of situation is clearly unacceptable IF it was used to taking care wounded patients. But, at the very least, the mansion's foundation is still sturdy, offering some protection against the snowstorm. The mansion was so high up the cliff and what's with the roaring wind, the genins could hardly hear the noises of the fighting that occurred below. The genins put up their tent decided to take their rest for the night. Neji decided to stay awake for a little while.

"Neji? You're not going to sleep?" Yukiku approach him.

"Nah. I'll stay awake a little longer. That woman… Ina… I had a feeling I've heard her name before… I just can't make it out when and where."

"You're thinking too much."

"Maybe you're right. But there's more to this 'mission' than meets the eye. And personally, it's not just about the place."

"I'll go look around."

"Okay."

Yukiku looked around the place. Everyone was resting. Mostly had even fast asleep. All except one.

"Guccha-san?"

The sand nin blinked, being addressed as if waking up from a daze. "Ah… Y… Yukiku-san?"

"I'm sorry… I thought you were asleep."

"I… Oh… No… I'm not asleep…. I can't."

"Rest up. Tomorrow's going to be a long day."

"I'll find no rest here… I just can't… too much snow."

"I know it's cold."

"No, Yukiku-san… it's not the cold. It's… the nightmare."

"Oh?"

"…I never told this to anyone but… when I was a young boy… before I was genin, I lived in this small village and I had a little brother once. One day, my little brother and I met a little girl… She's from outside the village. We guessed she's from Mist."

Yukiku listened.

"She was… interesting. It seems she had a knack of controlling ice."

The girl's heart skipped a beat.

"She created ice sculptures. It was beautiful. I mean, we lived in the desert and icy sculpture is a never before seen sight. Many people came to see. She continuously created bigger and more beautiful sculpture. But that was just a trap." Guccha looked at the snow falling and gritted his teeth. Not realizing the look on Yukiku's face.

"I went back to catch mom and dad so I wasn't there when it happened. But my little brother insisted to stay, as he want to keep watching. I thought he could take care himself and our parents weren't that far behind, so I left him. I was a few meters away from him when it happened…" Guccha let a tear fell. "The witch suddenly exploded a blizzard upon everyone. My brother got frozen first… and he shattered before my eyes."

At this point, Yukiku could barely listen. That's because she weren't in that mansion anymore. She was there… when she created that disaster.

"Half of my village got frozen to death that afternoon. And I can never forget the sounds I heard during that disastrous blizzard… the sound of that witch laughing…"

Yukiku blinked several times, and broke out of his stupor. "Hey, w… what's the name of that village?"

"…good luck trying to find it on the map. It's no longer there. It's called TaiyouKaze."

That was it. That confirmed her greatest nightmare. The victim of her first innocent sin had come back to find her again in form of this Sand Nin standing in front of her.

Guccha still haven't looked at Yukiku's terrified face. "Ever since that… I've wanted to hunt that witch down. But… because of that experience I've been afraid of snow and ice." Guccha chuckled bitterly. "Pathetic isn't it? An avenger that is scared at the very things that his target used as weapons…" Guccha turned to Yukiku, who already turn her back on him.

"I…I'm sorry… I shouldn't have asked." Yukiku tried to hide her terrified expression.

"No… It's nothing. No. In fact… maybe I should've told you. Wouldn't want my child trauma disturb our mission. Yeah?"

Yukiku tried her best to keep her voice calm. She's failing. She had to finish this NOW! "Get some rest." And with that, the Ice Witch left her unknowing victim away.

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"Dr. Ina? What's the meaning of this?"

Inari used the chance to kick the nodachi away and made a run for it. Before he managed to get far, Naruto grabbed the back of his collar. And then, another arrow almost struck his arm. The boy freed himself and ran into the dark of the night. Naruto contemplated to chase him, but refrain to do so, what's with the Doctor aiming another one of her arrow at him.

"One more step and I'll shoot you dead."

"You don't understand doctor."

"I understand a child abuse when I see one. And that boy didn't steal."

"Be that, as it may, I'm here to take that boy back to his family."

"His family died long ago."

Naruto snorted. "And who told you that?"

Ina frowned.

"The boy still has a family: a mother and a grandfather back in Wave." Upon seeing Ina's bewildered look, Naruto understood that the doctor was tricked by the boy, he relaxed himself and sit on the roof, sighing.

"I ran into that child a few days after I moved here. He tried to sabotage our work several times but, we made peace with him soon… He seems… troubled. Did his family abused him or something?"

"Far from it." Naruto shook his head. "His family loved him. And he was always a gloomy kid. I beat the sense to him back then when the bridge was being build; I thought he'll be okay… I never imagined he'll turn into a miniature insufferable wretch."

"Back then? When the bridge was being built?" Ina's eyes widened. "Are… are you Uzumaki Naruto? The one whose name was used for the bridge? The demon ninja who single handedly repelled an invading ninja army?"

"One and only. What? Surprised that I'm just a Genin brat?" Naruto snorted seeing Ina's shocked face. The doctor was speechless alright. Naruto sighed. "On the other hand, you too are not like what I'd imagined. That was a very fine marksmanship for a doctor, ma'am."

"I've learnt what's necessary for me to survive in this place. We doctors, after all, must have a keen eye. I simply utilize it to the best." Ina looked at Naruto's relaxed attitude and felt something was off. "And my eyes tell me, you took it too well that I deprived you of your target."

"Heh." Naruto smirked. "You have no idea, miss eyes-not-so-keen." The Bunshin disappeared, leaving a bewildered Ina.

Meanwhile, Inari ran through the dark of the night. At first, it was as if he was running through the forest. And then, after walking for several minutes, he looked around and saw a familiar tree with a rock. He frowned, concentrating. Blue pulse surged through his veins, and the rock was lifted a few meters off the ground, revealing a hole. He jumped into the hole before the rock came falling down with a thud. Inari put off all his armaments including his Kusarigama and his crossbow, and then sit in his little hideout after turn on the light, resting.

But no sooner than he took the first breath, something shook beneath his ragged cloak. And then, to his shock, a burst of smoke blasted out from underneath his cloak, revealing a grinning Naruto. Inari aimed both of his arms at the blond when he realized he tossed it a while ago and Naruto's holding it. The boy can only grit his teeth in anger.

"Nice hideout. Very… comfy."

Inari frowned, and then the Kusarigama on the ground pulsated again and sprang to life. Naruto immediately pinned the weapon underneath his foot. "And I see you know some weird magic tricks, but you know what they say about magic tricks, once you know how it's done, the rest is easy. Now will you stop that **Metal** elemental manipulation and speak like a civilized person!?"

The younger boy blinked.

"You don't know do you?" Kira had crammed the basics of effects each elemental has to their heads during the training in the Sword Mountain.

Flashback:

"First I will explain the relationship between the elements. We'll use the neutral Goyosei first, since this one is easier to understand. Yin and Yang Goyosei had a little bit of complication so we'll deal with that later. There are three relationships: the destroying, the supporting, and restraining. Destroying means one element will negate the other: Water drowns fire, fire melt metal, metal cut through wood, wood plow through earth, and earth absorbs water. The supporting means the use of one element will strengthen the other: Water can nurture wood, wood will give light to fire, fire will decompose objects that would become earth, earth will contain minerals (metals) and metals can carry water. There's also the restraining relationship in which: water rust metals, metal breaks earth, earth grounds fire, fire burns wood, wood absorbs water."

Neji and Yukku nodded. Naruto start smoking slightly.

"In a high level combat, it is important to recognize the characteristics of each element and the effects it has. In high level battle, you can't wait until the ninja cast a jutsu at you and then you gave an appropriate response. If the jutsu is extremely powerful and fast, lateness can kill you. It is essential that you know your opponent's strength before hand. But your enemy isn't going to tell you his elemental affinity on request. It'll be the same as asking you to kill them. No, you have to look for it. Observe, and you'll see their weakness. Wind - cut, fire – burns, ice - freeze, thunder – shock, and water – movement, these you already know. Other elements, its effects are not as easy to recognize. Take metal for instance."

Kira produced a hunk of metal. He concentrated and the metal pulsated and then suddenly shot up to the sky. Kira frowned again, and the metal shot back to earth to his hand. It stopped midair and floated atop Kira's palm. "What do you see?"

Neji pondered for a moment and answered. "Metal elements can… repel and reject metallic items?"

"Magnetism. That is the effect of Metal Elements. They say humans have a slight magnetic capability in their body. Metal elements utilize that factor to its maximum effect, enabling us to change the polarity of our magnetic field at will. High level metal user can inject their chakra into a metallic object, changing its polarity at will. Tetsujin, Sandaime Kazekage of the Sunagakure was one of those born with a metal element affinity. He used his elemental affinity to its maximum effect with his weapon, the Satetsu."

"How does this polarity work?" Yukiku's turn to ask.

"It works like this: when the polarities of two objects are the same, let's just say I'm at plus polarity and this hunk of metal is also a plus polarity, we will reject each other." The metal shot up to the sky. "On the other hand, when the polarity is opposite to each other, we attract." The metal shot back down to Kira's hand. "Using both polarity effects, one can move metal to whatever direction or shape it into whatever one likes." Kira strengthen his chakra, and the metal transformed into a kunai.

Neji continued. "Then… how do we fight someone with metal affinity?"

"It's a bit tricky. Metal elemental is somewhat straight forward. You can brutally increase both your defense and offense, but at times, at the cost of one's agility or even their own mobility all the way. When you fight someone like that, the best strategy is a complete hit and run stratagem. But your elemental affinity also plays a part. Neji, you have Thunder element yes? Thunder stems from fire, the natural weakness of metal. Lightning is also fire, but unlike fire, it coursed through metal much quicker. Before the heat, the shock will get to the enemy first. Lightning is five times hotter than a sun, which is pretty much a big ball of fire, so if you charged up your lightning jutsu, you can burst through metal defenses like they're butter. BUT, be careful. Reaching that temperature is hazardous, both to your enemy… and yourself. So watch it."

Neji nodded.

"What of me? Water is supported by metal."

"Yes. A metal user is pretty much in bad luck when they run into you. Water rust metal. And no matter how tight a metal defense is, water will eventually overflow them. Also, you can use blood to melt through them, or use ice to freeze and crack them open. Frozen metal is very fragile."

Naruto had already short-circuited some time ago, and so Neji asked in his behalf. "What of Naruto? He's a wind element. Can he cut through them with his wind?"

"When it comes to Naruto, things get a little bit tricky. Wind element stems from Wood element. Metal cuts through em. And a wind would also find it difficult to topple down a hunk of metal rest firmly on the ground. On the other hand, metal blade, with enough force, can punch through even a maelstrom."

"Power. You're talking about power?" Yukiku surmised. "Then, I don't think we should be worried of Naruto then. He had so much of it." Naruto blinked at the word power.

"At the very least, not one **person** that we **know** of is stronger than Naruto. But what if it was me? What if it's some other demon that happened to possess extremely powerful metal element? Space and time, the yin and yang of metal element are two most powerful known elements in the three worlds. In human world, the thought of normal people, without the aid of immortal beings, who possess such elements are unthinkable. But for Demons and Gods… well… some of us could use them with impunity. 70 percent of the currently known forbidden class jutsus, God, Demon, and, to a slighter degree, human's jutsus had something to do with either time or space or both."

"Just be short." Naruto stood up. "What should I do when I do encounter one? Overpower them? Cut through the metallic projectile?"

"Here's a tricky thing. It depends on your opponents' mastery of the element. Metal element Master can reshape a metallic object. So even if you cut through say, metal lodge, they can put it back together with their magnet. So hit em before they do so. Speed is crucial. Wind element, fortunately are one of those element that can help you increase your speed. The hit and run tactics I told you before must be used at maximum. Unless the situation is in your advantage. Understood?"

Neji and Yukiku nodded, Naruto, understandably, shook his head.

Flashback ends

"Enough of that metal bending trick. Enough as it may, I got it crammed into my head a few dozen times even in my sleep. (Kira teach in my dreams too) I know all the tricks. And there's no metal object around here that you can manipulate." Naruto made a few short seals, and then burn the boy's weapons, the kusarigama, the crossbow, leaving only a misshapen molten glob of iron, fusing it with the ground.

Inari growled. And then a cupboard right next to them exploded. Dozens of solid iron arrows floated out and lined themselves in three rows before Naruto.

"Good lord…" Naruto's eyes widened slightly. With a swing of his arms, Inari launched all the arrows at Naruto. The nin swing his blade, creating a gust of flames that instantly turned all the arrows to molten globs. "ENOUGH!"

Before the boy can react, Naruto decided to get hard and kicked the boy in the stomach before pulling his collar up and lift him off the ground. Naruto strap the collar to the wall and then impaled Tenrou through it, hanging the said boy on the wall. "NOW STAY!"

"I'm not going back!"

Naruto sighed. "What has the world done to you, Inari?"

"…" Inari didn't answer, instead he turned away.

Naruto sighed. "If it's about the bastard who raped your mother, don't bother, my worst half had killed him."

Inari gave the blond boy an eye.

"And… along with he's entire crony. The whole set. Your grandpa technically owns one third of the city now. And he's been trying to broker a deal with the better authorities of the city, the Sea-Slayer gang and the Metalmaster gangs."

"But they're still gangsters."

"Worse than you think. I don't know about the Metalmasters, but the Seaslayers are pirates. And I personally don't know if I can trust them. That's why I need you to go back. I've done my part when I massacred the Royal Skulls. You can fight this well, your grandpa will need all the help he can get."

"You're asking me… to just walk back home and let's forgive and forget?"

"I want you to start acting like a man of the house. You have the strength now, unlike before. Those with strength have to protect those without."

"What, you're telling it's my… what, obligation!?"

"What does your heart tell you? Even before all this happened, you know what it's like to be powerless to do anything. And then when you saw the same thing happened to your family, DON'T tell me you don't know HOW they feel!"

"…"

"We'll stay here for probably until tomorrow. You better be ready by then." Naruto let the boy down.

"I… Even if I go back… I really don't think I can forgive the old man."

"The old man never asked you for forgiveness. But everything had to begin somewhere. At least see them."

"I…"

"Take your time. Besides, I'm anxious as to what have you been doing since you left your family. Who taught you to fight like that? How did you get here? What is this place?"

"You sure ask a lot of question in one go."

"Wouldn't you, if you found out a crybaby boy turn into a miniature walking shack of grim in just a few months you didn't see him?"

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that. Actually, I get to the Mist village first. They put me together with the rest of the refugees… but… the life there was terrible. They didn't give much of a damn on our welfare. I don't really blame them. From the news I've heard, the Mist have been through a lot too."

"Why didn't you stay there in Mist?"

Inari didn't answer. "…I have my reasons. In any case, I can't stay there… so I was thinking I will drift around, travelling around the world. I grab some bits of food, but collapsed here. Doctor Ina and her humanitarian worker pick me up… I was… quite a pain to her the first time but… we finally came to an agreement. She'll give me some rations, and I will give her some help."

"I see… did she teach you to fight like that?"

"She taught me how to shoot."

"She taught you how to use metal elemental?"

"No… that one I figure out myself… I mean I don't know a thing about metal elemental manipulation but… one day I just found out I can move metallic objects if I willed it strong enough."

"How long have you been here? I mean… how long have you been in this place?"

"A few weeks now. I used these tunnel networks to go around the premises quickly helping the people to defend against some vagabonds or bandits."

"Bandits? You're nearby the border of a ninja village. Bandits would think twice to come here!"

"Oh, but those bandits are smart bastard. They keep clear from border knowing that we too won't pass it. That's why I've been setting up traps and all…"

Naruto picked up one of Inari's iron arrow. "Where did you get this?"

"I made it… Using scarps of iron. There's a room filled with it… now that I think of it… I do need to resupply, come with me. I'll show you." Inari grabbed a torch and lit it up. The boy walked through the tunnel network maze, stopping on each intersection for a few seconds before setting a course swiftly. Obviously he's been around the place long enough. Naruto followed closely behind. After minutes of walking, they reached a dead end. "From here we have to climb. Use the wall climbing technique."

"Okay." The two walked vertically from the ground. Naruto saw a light from a far distance. It's really a long way to the top. 15 minutes later, Naruto climbed out of the manhole and arrived inside… looks like some sort of abandoned laboratory. "Hey? What's this?"

"An abandoned lab. I don't know what this place is but…As you can see, it's old. Here I found lots and lots of weapons like my crossbows… My guess is… this is some sort of weapon research facility… or something." Inari quickly made his way to storage rack. Truth be told, there are plenty of similar crossbows. Naruto watched in awe as Inari took a steel pipe, concentrated on it and then Naruto watched how the steel pipe bend, just like how Kira did with his, and a few moments later, the pipe transformed into 4 pieces of steel arrows.

Naruto looked around. Broken baker glass, capsules filled with nothing but dust, flask with spots of dried substance in it… "Funny smell."

"Really? I didn't smell anything?"

"I guess you won't. I had an advanced sense of smell. I can tell something smell funny."

"Really?"

"Yeah… and I do hear some noises… there." Naruto pointed at a small room with the lamp lit.

"That's not how I left it." Inari blinked.

"Anybody else knows about your tunnel network?"

"Only me, well, at least, I think."

Naruto put his finger over his lips and ready his weapon. Inari also put his Crossbow gauntlet on and ready a set of arrows. They quietly, soundlessly, walked towards the small room. The closer they got, the clearer the sound. Naruto heard the rustles and sound of papers being ripped and turned. Someone is reading a book inside. No, there are at least three people in there.

"Which book exactly he told us to find?"

"I dunno. Keep searching!"

"We'll never gonna find it, he's gonna kill us…!"

Naruto peeked from the corner of the door. Three Mist nins were trudging through what looked like old archives. They opened several pages, go through them several times, and then tossed the book away before they look for another book. Naruto recognized them as the genin participant.

'…what are they doing?'

It was then; Inari accidently got a pack of dust fell on his nose. "Haa… Haa… ATCHOOO!"

Naruto slap his face silly. The three Mist nin were alerted to their presence. '…idiot.' Naruto thought fast. What should he do? He thought of using henge, when suddenly he heard a sound of clicking. "Heh?"

And then, so sudden, a loud bang exploded right next to his head. Naruto instinctively rolled to the side. The Konoha Nin looked at the shocked Mist Nins. One of them was holding… wasn't that a gun!? A Magnum no less!

"You fool! What are you doing!? They'll hear us!"

"I… I…" The one holding the gun seem had all his blood rushed out of his face. His hands are trembling as he holds the trigger.

"Abunai-yo! Taku!" Naruto groaned.

"S… Y… You're Konoha-nin aren't ya!? W… What are you doing here?" One of the Mist nins, the calmer of the trio, asked.

"…I'm on patrol, remember? I was… scanning the whole village when I found this… manhole… I followed it and I ended up here."

"Patrol? What? Patrol? Patrol! Oh yeah… you're the half frozen guy… right?"

"Yeah. The same." Naruto remained alert. His hand gripped his long katana, ready to act, while the nervous breakdown Mist nin was still aiming the gun at him. "Look… I don't care if some of you have some hobby of some midnight flash read… but will you please tell that guy to put the damn gun down! That thing's dangerous! I almost blew myself up using one of those!"

The trembling shinobi still hasn't taken down his gun. "…he knew…"

"Eh?"

"He knew! He overheard us! No witness! No witness! NO WITNESSES!!" The nin reached his the peak of his terror. Naruto knew what was coming and quickly moved just as the Nin pulled the trigger. To Naruto, the tenseness of his nervous system means more adrenalin rushed in, and the instant when the bullet was midair, everything looked standstill. Naruto quickly brought the steel sheath to bear. The bullet hit the sheath and bounced back. The bullet ricocheted here and there, and, as if by some horrid coincidence, the bullet hit the shooter right in between his eyes. Shocking everyone. The other two instantly went into battle stance and one of them even pulled out a gun as well. USP.

'Since when Genin start using GUNS altogether!?'

The remaining Mist Nins, angered as they may be, are calmer than the first one. When they draw the gun, they put a Pipe on a gun's muzzle. Inari realized the situation is hostile and try to aim his crossbow on one of them. But Naruto quickly ran up on him and shove him down just as the two nin start shooting. The sounds of their guns blazing are so much less than the first guy. Naruto blinked. 'So that pipe thing is some sort of… silencer?'

The two hid behind a cupboard, while the two nins continuously barraged the said cupboard with shots after shots. The cupboard was so old, each shot quickly reduce the place for cover. Naruto had to think fast. There's only one way he can survive this… and that is by being offensive. "Inari, PUSH!" The two boys pushed the tattered table towards the two shooting nins. With the table providing sufficient amount of cover, the two nins was so busy shooting at them, they forgot the first basic rule of handling incoming attack: dodge or block. The table crashed at them, throwing both off balance. One hit the wall, knocking him unconscious while the other one dropped his gun due to the impact. He quickly scurried to get it back. Inari threw his Kusarigama and accurately grab hold of the gun before he tossed it somewhere else. The Mist nin growled and charged at the little boy, unsheathing his katana. Naruto run forward pulled out his nodachi and welcomed the nin's attack.

"Nice to see you haven't forgotten some of the old ways of a ninja…"

The nin didn't answer. Instead he pressed his katana at his nodachi. Naruto groaned. Was this guy just weak… or was it that he's just getting too strong? The two made several exchange of blows, and Naruto took the upper hand. Hell, he only needs to use just one arm to tackle this guy's full blow! Frustrated, the nin pulled out a kunai and tried to jab Naruto's feet. Bad mistake as now he only have one hand to hold off the Jinchuriki's might. With one stroke, Naruto smashed the Nin back. So strong was his stroke, the Nin's katana flown off his hands. Naruto quickly concentrated some of his chakra on the Nodachi and swing it. The chakra exploded creating a gust of wind that tossed the wide eyed genin, sending his head on a collision with a steel pipe.

"Now… where's the other bugger…?" Naruto got his answer soon when he saw just behind Inari, the third nin regained his consciousness and took aim at Inari. Naruto quickly ran towards the boy. He shoved Inari aside just as the trigger was pulled.

Naruto roared as he tasted this new pain. It was like being pierced by a hot sword. But the worst part of it, the sword stayed in there. And he couldn't reach it. He looked at his shoulder. Red stain colored the orange stripes of his black jumpsuit. An angry Inari aimed his crossbow and shoot, nailing the nin's neck, dead center.

"Naruto! Naruto-nii-san! You okay?"

"This is the first time… so this is what being shot felt like…"

"Naruto-nii-san! Don't touch the wound."

"I think… it sank in… won't come out!"

"It WASN'T supposed to come out! Come on! We gotta get you to Doctor Ina, She'll know what to do."

"Urgh…" Naruto tried to stand up. But as he did, he glanced at the papers from the archive ransacked by the three nins. He took one and read it. "T… This is?"

"RAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Just then, the nin from before woke up and charged at them. Before he got far though, a snaking chain sword crashed on to his stomach before it pushed him all the way to the wall, hanging him there, dead. The sword retracted and Naruto recognized the sword all at once.

Sure enough, Yukiku just sheathed the Dragon's tail as she ran towards the bleeding Naruto.

"Half of the whole house heard the first bang. What happened?"

"Naruto-nii-san got shot… on the shoulder!"

"I can see that."

"Y…Yukiku! What are you doing here?"

"You tell me. I heard a shot and I just found this opened door and… well… I thought you're supposed to be on patrol? What are you doing in the House's basement?"

"Basement?"

Just then, Neji too already gone down. "Naruto?" He looked around and saw three dead Mist nins. The Genins from the Mist. …or are they? Neji observed their corpses and noticed… their bodies are no longer that of 12 year old genins… they're all full grown men! '…Jounins.'

"Get him to Doctor Ina. We'll talk about this later, ok, Naruto?"

"Got it…"

Not a moment's waste, Inari and Yukiku quickly brought Naruto before Doctor Ina. The Doctor wasted no time nor asked any details on how did the boy ended up with a gunshot wound but she's quick to work. "Deep penetration to the shoulder, the bullet went through the clothing. Alright, first take off his clothes. You, get me some light, I want this place well lit on the double." Yukuiku, Inari and some of Ina's assistants did as they were told.

Naruto was put on the hard floor, face down. Ina washed her hands and looked at the wound. "Alright… let's get started."

After she injected some anesthesia, Naruto felt limb on a greater part of his shoulder. The Doctor took out her scalpel and a scissors. "First we have to take out the bullet out. Then we'll sterilize the wound. Let's do this!"

00000000000

In the basement lab…

Neji, as some of other ninja carried the Mist nins dead bodies, wondered why the hell Jounins come here, scanned the aftermath of the fight and tried to withdraw some conclusion. 'Three jounins posing as genin to search this place up. And they're using guns… It's not coincidence that we stayed in a house where there's such a lab…We were sent here just for them to find some notes in this lab… it all screams Saizen… but… what could he possibly want in that lab?'

Everyone soon get back upstairs, but they're more alert and weary than ever. Too weary to even begin wondering why a bunch of Mist Jounins were found dead in the basement and what the hell was that noise? Neji understand however, that after what happened tonight in that room warrants another search. Neji looked around and saw several other Mist nins. Outwardly, they're Genins… but inside? He decided he won't take any chances. Creating seal taught by Naruto, Neji quietly chant: 'Ninpou, Kage Bunshin!' Neji waited until there's absolutely no one looking, leaving his Kage bunshin behind as a dummy guard, and then he returned to the basement, and looked at the archives the Jounins were tearing apart. "What are they looking for?"

Neji looked at the notes and all. He noticed they're all reports. All written in Ninja codes. "This is a bit troublesome…" He slowly began deciphering the codes and read the content… after he read a few pages; his look is stern and somewhat disturbed.

00000000000

An hour later, and plenty of blood and all, Ina sewed the wound on Naruto's shoulder and dropped an iron ball. Yukiku have never seen a bullet before blinked. "…all that trouble… because of this small piece of iron?"

"Well… that small piece of iron will infect and poison your body if left inside for too long. And if we let it stay there even longer, it'll rot your flesh and then we'll have to amputate it… if not, it'll kill you."

"But he'll be alright… right?"

"Well just don't move too much. Otherwise the stitches will break and the wound will reopen."

Yukiku sighed in relief. "De… who are you?"

During the end of the operation, Inari had taken a good look at Yukiku, and jawdropped like he just saw a ghost.

Naruto chuckled. "Right. Inari, meet Yukiku, Haku's twin SISTER."

"…you're sure? I mean… this one's a girl?" Inari gaped.

"Inari?" Yukiku turned the wild haired boy. "This is the boy you're looking for?" Naruto nodded. The girl smiled kindly. "Inari-kun, nice to meet you. I'm Yukiku. My brother and I, were we that much alike?"

Inari nodded. "First time I saw your brother was when the battle was over and he was already… I thought he was a she. Naruto-nii-san told everything afterwards. And… safe for your hair, you both look exactly alike."

"I see." Yukiku sighed. "You were also there when he fell? Don't worry, Naruto had told me everything. Thank you."

"Yukiku, where's Neji?"

"I figure he's in the house now."

Naruto tried to get up, but the pain on his shoulder forces him back.

"Oh no, no. That's deep penetration, your shoulder bone managed to stop the bullet from getting even deeper but it crack itself up to do that. You need rest for tonight." Ina pushed the boy back to the bed.

"Ooowww…" Naruto rest back.

Yukiku sighed. "Anyway, Inari-kun! You watch over the big dummy okay? I'm going back to the house to see how it is going."

"Okay."

"Yukiku! Wait! There's something I need to tell you, and it can't wait!"

Yukiku looked at Naruto. There's something in his eyes that showed he was serious. He motioned her to come closer. Naruto looked at Inari and Ina for a moment, signaling them that it's private. The two understood and move away. "What is it?" She whispered.

"I take a look at one of the notes in that underground basement. Only a page… but it said something about some tests on some convicts. And it just occurred to me. Back in the Naga's flagship, the number of people listed as missing, started off a few dozen, and a few hundred, and then thousands. I just remembered, the wave of these people disappearing, the pattern exactly follows the phases of a drug testing on humans. You tell Neji that."

"…how did you figure that?"

"Just…occurred to me." 'More like a ghost told me…'

Yukiku nodded. "Alright. I'll be sure to pass it on." She stood up and then bowed to Dr. Ina once before she left.

Ina turned to Inari and Naruto. Considering the amount of concern she saw in Inari's eyes throughout the surgery, it's hard to imagine the two were trying to kill each other just a few hours ago, that same night! "Seeing you two… I take it you two had made your peace?"

Naruto and Inari looked at each other and then answered in unison. "Hell no."

00000000000

Hiko's retainer frowned that night as their Captain gave the most peculiar order they've ever heard. Drop several packages of dried stingrays in several designated areas? However, one look at the Captain's face and he knew that's one order he could not disobey.

Meanwhile, on the seabed, the Ray was sailing around when its first mate, Rei noticed the incoming packages. "Captain!"

Shu walked to Rei's station and the first mate showed him the packages.

The Captain recognized it in an instant. "Crew… change course."

00000000000

Neji was still reading report after report. The more he reads them, the more disturbed he became. Just then he heard footsteps. The Hyuuga hid himself and only relaxed when he saw it was Yukiku. "Neji! Where are you?"

"Here." Neji revealed himself.

"I take it you've read some of the files. What it's all about?"

"…truthfully is… I really am lost. We start out trying to find out the would-be murderers of the Mizukage. But… what I've seen in this report… I'm not even sure if it's linked at all." Neji handed her the report.

"Hm?" Yukiku read the report and decipher the codes.

Test 211, day 5

Subject: Gankotsu Rakan

Subject sentenced to death for the crime of murder.

Day 6, Subject: Gankotsu Rakan began to show behavioral change, moved to quarantine cell

Day 7, Subject: Gankotsu Rakan began to show external changes

Yukiku frowned. "…this…is…"

"The writer of that report made absolutely clear not to reveal the true nature of whatever they're doing. But I do understand, it had something to do with enhancing the test subjects… most of other report sound similar… all about testing and all that."

"…drug testing."

"What?" Neji looked at Yukiku.

"T… This is something Naruto had said. I had no idea how exactly **he** figured it out before you do… but he did. You told me about all those missing people? Well, Naruto told me that the pattern of how these people was missing resemble the pattern of drug-testing on human test subjects."

Neji blinked as if someone just turned the lights on his head. "The standard procedure of human drug test! Elementary! I can't believe I missed that."

"So these reports… the contents were about the testing done on these people?"

"Apparently so… but I don't know how this could link with our investigation? And why are these people are so interested in these reports? I do understand… That whatever happened, whatever drug they're trying to cook up… it still going, and the Kage had no idea it was happening."

"You're saying that there's something else Mizukage haven't told us?"

"Apparently so. We need to find the link between these reports, the replacing, and the party who wished for Mizukage's death." Neji blinked. "If these reports are about the progress… there should be a report that conclude all these… a journal! One that chronologically archive the overall test! And there's gotta be the writer. Let's find it!"

"Okay."

00000000000

Naruto had fallen asleep on the operating table. Unfortunately, again, his sleep is far from peaceful.

He was back to that battle in the Wave village. Back then when the bridge still not yet finished. He was on a familiar sight. Sasuke lying next to him, stabbed with hundreds of needles and Haku was staring at him from his Demon Ice window.

"T… This is?"

"GROAAAAAAAAARGH!!" He heard… he saw himself roaring! He looked on to his past self. His inexperienced, weaker, self. Red youki trickle out from his small being and the berserk Naruto pulled Haku out of the mirror, just like he did in the past. The present Naruto knew the next event only too well.

"Stop it…"

The Kyuubified Naruto gave Haku a hellish beating.

"No more… if you do that you'll…!"

And then, just like how it was, Naruto gave a strong punch to Haku's mask, shattering it. And then, still blind with rage and bloodlust, Naruto charged at Haku, only to stop at the last moment.

The present Naruto than remembered, this was not how Haku will die. His terror realized with the sound of thousands of birds chirping in the air. "No… KAKASHI-SENSEI!!! STOOOP!"

As expected, Kakashi was charging at the locked Zabuza. Everything happened just like how it was. Haku used the Demonic Ice mirror to jumped in between Zabuza and Kakashi's Chidori. Naruto quickly jumped in between Haku and Kakashi. But the chidori went through like he was a ghost and it still impaled Haku to death.

Naruto gasped. Tears swelled at the corner of his eyes. '…w… why?'

"You can't change what already happened, Naruto-kun."

Naruto turned and saw, to his horror, the impaled Haku talked to him. "It happened in the past. You can't change it."

"…you're not real…"

"No. We're just a figment of your imagination."

"We?"

"Listen well, Naruto-kun. My sister. And Inari. It's slight, but there's some resemblance between them."

"Resemblance?"

"Think harder kid!" A harsher, muffled voice responded from his back. He turned and saw Zabuza, beheading Gatou. His body was just like how it was when he died: pierced by many spears and swords. The Mist Devil turned around and looked at him with those bloodshot eyes. "Think back. WAAAY back. What happened back there? What started the civil war? What caused those Kaguya to go berserk!? Think back to the past! What really happened back there?"

"What… happened?"

"Think…Kaguya! Murakumo! What actually happened!?" and then, Zabuza suddenly turned into demon and swallowed him.

"WGHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!" Naruto jerked up, sweat flooding him like crazy. He startled Inari, who was, until a few minutes ago, fast asleep right next to him.

"Eh? Naruto-nii-san?"

Naruto look around. It seems he had startled a few patients. And the sky outside is still dark. It still nighttime. "…oh dear."

"Something wrong?"

"…just a nightmare. Get back to sleep." Naruto swept the cold sweat from his face away. The nightmare. It was… similar. Hokage, Haku, Zabuza… three people that was quite close to him, and he watched their deaths. All except the third Hokage. But that doesn't change the fact they were close. And then he remembered again the words from Haku. About his sister's and Inari's 'resemblance'. 'What do they have in common though?' He couldn't imagine any familial ties or whatsoever, leaving him only their battle prowess. Naruto looked at Inari and tried to remember. Inari was capable of steel element manipulation, to the point he could even turn scrap metal and bend it to form arrows. Based on what the boy told him, it would appear he learnt how to do it by himself. Yukiku had that supernatural, yet uncontrollable, power over blizzard and ice elemental. And then there's also the fact that she seem incredibly talented in sword fighting, to the point of creating her own techniques without being taught anything by Kira.

"What these two had in common…" Naruto pointed out. "…was that they seem to be a natural prodigy. They just suddenly know how to do it… without anyone teaching them…" Naruto frowned. "But… I don't understand. How is this small fact, and the drug testing linked with the Mizukage's assassination attempt? We're missing something here…" And Naruto had an idea, courtesy to Zabuza, on where can he find that missing link.

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"…nope. Nothing." Yukiku threw away the nth report. So far, from all she had found, they're just repeating the same thing over and over again. Test on subjects. Note the subjects' external and internal changes. The subject died. Move on to the next subject. And so forth and so forth. "I'm getting sick of this…" She was in a really nasty mood.

"Well… I do find something VERY interesting." Neji raised a dusty report. "Another series of test, but the test subject names were Kaguya Masaki, Kaguya Raigo, Kaguya Tsumuji, KAguy this, Kaguya that… **Kaguya.**"

"Oh? And… What does that tell you?"

"Mizukage told us that the Kaguya got contracted with a very deadly disease. I'm trying to put myself as one of the higher ups of the Mist village. If one of my own clan, which makes up half of my main army, was on the verge of extinction… I would concentrate all my effort to heal that clan."

Yukiku blinked. It does make sense. "So you're saying, what we're looking at here… are drug testing reports of the cure for the Kaguya?"

"Initially, yes. But perhaps… this is just my guess… somewhere along the line, it changed into something else. They stopped the research, probably by Mizukage, and then now, at least 2 years ago, they might've picked it up."

"Fat a lot of good that help us. You think too much Neji. And besides, even if it does, how is it connected with the Mizukage's assassination attempt?" Yukiku's head ache, trying to cram that entire conclusion in her head.

"You seem pretty grumpy. Something happened?"

Yukiku suddenly remembered her conversation with Guccha. She shook her head furiously. "Let's keep up… I really rather not talk about anything else right now…"

The two continue their search in the archive. But after hours in the dusty lab, they found nothing. There were just reports with the same procedure repeated over and over again.

"What the… These dates… some of these reports dated way back."

"How way back?"

"These notes… they're 22-25 years old… these notes dates back even BEFORE the beginning of the Civil War between Kaguya and Murakumo."

"What?" Yukiku blinked. "So… your theory that this was the research for a cure doesn't work?"

"No… It doesn't make any sense… I'm missing something here. I mean… in the last 2 years, over 4500 people, kidnapped or called, and then, replaced with fakes. If you simply look at the numbers, assuming those 4500 replacements were people loyal to the cause, it does sounds like a preparation for a full scale takeover."

"Sounds like a coup alright. Suspect?" Yukiku nodded. 4500 boogie positioned in various spot can turn the whole village upside down.

"It keeps increasing. First, only Shu. And then there's the fact that the 4500 real bodies we've found were mutated. Fudou Touzou the Whale was the next in line because of this. And then finally, those three impostor Genins, try to kill Naruto with **GUNS!** Only one jounin would authorize something like that in this village, and that man, is Saizen the Sawshark. The latter two were heavy suspect of the murder of Hoshigaki Kisame, whatever implication that might bring."

"The first one… definitely has a strong motive… I mean, if Shu killed the Mizukage he'll became the next Mizukage."

"But all his actions are contradictory. I mean, if he wanted to do that, why didn't he stay in the village instead of becoming a pirate? If I want to murder someone for his position, I will take a position in which, when I assume the throne of leadership, people will welcome with open arms. No… if you talk about motive, there's another person who can also have some motive: Fetaru Hiko and Kyoko. Their father died a traitor to the village, remember?"

"I thought they would strive to clean their names."

"You'll never know what went through the minds of the children whose father were killed because of treachery. I would try my best to find the truth… or maybe I'll feel treated unjustly. Believe me, I knew how it felt."

"Then, what do you think?"

"Like I said…" Neji lifted a scroll. "We're missing an important piece of the puzzle. What Mizukage told me about the history of the Mist Civil War may look grand and it does help… but I think that's nothing but the tip of the iceberg." Neji was frustrated. Their investigation was getting derailed. But he cannot help but to notice, his instinct kept telling him that they are linked. The assassination attempt, the missing bodies, the replacements, the mutation, and now this.

Yukiku looked around the place. At first, given the situation and the need, she never really took great care of the surroundings. But then, as she took her time and look around, she couldn't help she began noticing things. Familiar spots. Something within her keep telling it so. Nudging the back of her head, the deepest recesses of her long forgotten memory…

"_Yukiku! Come here sweetheart! And be quiet okay?"_

"_Hahaha…"_

"_Say cheese!"_

Yukiku blinked. What was that? She turned around frantically; as if she just awoken from a bizarre dream. This act alerted Neji. "Yukiku? Something wrong?"

The girl didn't seem to listen. She quickly rushed to what looked like an empty wall. She began touching, feeling the wall, as if looking for something hidden in there. She knocked it several times, softly, gently… before she used her ice elemental to freeze the wall and then she punched a hole straight through it. She pull down the rest of the wall down, apparently metal wall which was only paper-thin, covering a small safe behind it.

"A hidden safe?"

"A trick…"

"Eh?"

"If you try to open it… it'll explode… the real content is NOT inside…" She talked as if she was hypnotized. She turned the safe around, and then using the Kubikiri, she cut a portion of the back section of the safe. Revealing… a photo.

Neji take a look at the photo. He quickly noticed the year the photo was taken and several familiar faces. "The photo dates back… around 15 years ago… this is Fujiki. I'm assuming the thin man with eyebags… is Fudou Touzou, I saw him standing with the other Devil Swordsman… But who are all these people?"

"I don't know about them… But I do know… her." Yukiku pointed her trembling finger on a woman with a slightly swollen womb.

"Who is she?"

"S…She's…" tears swelled up at the corner of her eyes. "She's my mother."

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Meanwhile, in the territories of the Amegakure…

"Report."

"The ninjas had just made residence in the village Milord. Taka's eyes confirmed they all wear… differing village headband, including our own."

"Genins. They sent Genins under cover of the Chuunin Exam."

"Then, what should we do, Hanzo-sama?"

The Amekage of the Amegakure looked at the map of the area. "North. That's where they'll be going. From here, there should be a ship, waiting for them."

"Should we go there and set up a trap?"

Hanzo shook his head. "Why should we? They're not entering our territory… yet. Keep watch on their progress. Report to me as needed."

"Yes, my lord."

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The next day

At dawn… when everyone is still asleep…

In Kirigakure…

Hiko had that serious look in his face. He walked past his men without so much as to greet them or whatsoever. Silently and quietly, he went to his sister's strut. With his skill as one of the Seven Devil Swordsman, he quickly went past the guards to her sister's room. He looked at her. They say he resembles his father, and yet sister takes after her mother. Hiko had to agree. Hiko left a piece of paper at his sister's bed and give him a brotherly peck on her cheek. She chuckled and snuggles away. 'I will keep you safe, my sister…'

And with that, he disappeared.

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The next morning, in the refugee village, Naruto didn't quite remember any face more miserable than that of Yukiku. Her eyes were red and she looked like she spent the whole night crying, without sleeping. Neji told him of their findings that night: the tests, the photo, the dates, everything.

Naruto also use the chance voice out his suspicion and some clue to their missing link, much to Neji's awe. "I have to admit Naruto… First the idea that it was some drug testing… it never crossed my mind and yet you somehow figure it out and now this! No offense, but I've never take you as the detective type."

"None taken, I never thought I had it in me too. So… we know that Fujiki and Toudou as well as her mother were involved in this. Seeing that we're about to be picked up by Fujiki, I'd say this present us with a very good chance."

"We have to approach him carefully though. If he's indeed one of the traitors we'll be in trouble, we know too much now."

"Have you told Tora-mayu-jii about our findings?"

"I won't report anything until we can make a sense out of it… and until we find the connection between her mother… and all this." Neji lift his chin to the miserable looking Yukiku. "Anyway, you've spent the night under the Doctor's care. You wouldn't happen to have convinced the doctor to leave with us, have you?"

"I was too preoccupied with our current case. But…I think it wouldn't hurt to ask now."

The group of ninjas came before the doctor. "Well, what's your decision doc?" A Grass nin wasted no time asking the main question.

Ina sighed. "We've talked about it, and we decided. Some will go, some will stay. That way these people won't be left behind. How's that?"

"No can do. The orders are specific; we cannot leave any of you behind!" A sound nin protested.

"Well, we can say the same to these people. We just can't leave the people suffer without help or medical aid."

The nins and the doctors were at odds and began arguing one another.

Suddenly Naruto spoke. "How bout this: you and your team come with us... and take the rest of the villagers with you."

Everyone stopped talking. They looked at Naruto, as if wondering his sanity. "And how…do you intend to escort them all to Fujiki's ship?"

"I can use Kage Bunshin. And there aren't that many villagers. All can be escorted to safety!"

The ninjas still look skeptic. Ina on the other hand, while she deep down thanked Naruto but still… "I'm not complaining to that idea. The problem is, not every wounded people can be moved. Some weren't even capable of traveling."

"But if they stay, they might be killed." Naruto pressed his point.

Ina thought for a moment. She looked at her comrades and began their discussion. A few minutes later… "Alright. We'll see what we can do. But we must first check the condition of the sickly. If they're too weak to even travel, depending on the severity of their illness, some of us is going to stay here, whether you like it or not, to take care of them. The same can also be said to family members."

"How soon can you make the preparation for this?" Neji, glad for some sort of solution, continued.

"Two or three… but we'll make it in an hour."

Neji looked at the other nins. "Any other suggestions?"

The nins had to admit. This is the only way they could convince the stubborn doctor to move. Otherwise, they had to force the doctor with strength, and they might hurt/kill someone by mistake. With this in mind, everyone shook their heads. "Then it's decided. Hurry Doc. THE REST OF YOU TOO! WE'RE ALL MOVING! ONLY BRING WHAT YOU NEED! WHAT YOU CAN CARRY!"

For the first time ever, life seem returned to the people of that small settlement. Everyone suddenly went bristling, stuff loaded to bags. The nins spread out to watch out for the citizen as too they don't carry more than they should.

"Damn those Konoha nins... they're acting like they're taking charge of the whole thing."

"Say, what about those three dead jounins?" The other sound nin asked. He pointed at the bodies of the Jounins left behind. The Mist Genins are clearly confused hat their seniors were found dead in the basement, but they did what they have to. They put the bodies of their senior into a pyre, for animals to feast on their bodies, as to not left anything behind.

The first nin thought for a moment and then added with smirk: "Let's bring them along."

"Eh?"

"These three are Jounins. If we tell the Mist nins that the Konoha killed them, what would those examiners think?"

"Gee! You're smart!"

"Get some scrolls. We'll put the body in."

High on the sky, an eagle, or so everyone thought, observed the event and then flew away. The eagle flew some distance away and landed before a group of shinobis, all bear the symbol of Rain village. "Hanzou-sama." the 'eagle' spoke. "The villagers are moving."

"They do? Well, it seems our problem is leaving on its own." A lady ninja with extremely dark long hair commented.

Hanzou nodded quietly, trying to measure up this new complication. "Who's leading them?"

"Leading them?" a short fat boy with much food dirt loitering his clothing exclaimed.

"Think. They are competing students, each bent on failing the others. To them to quickly make a decision in such a short time, there must be one, or a group whose voice are heard by all. So, who lead them?"

"From what I see, there were two voices. Both…" Taka, man with a headgear bearing Amegakure insignia and a goggle hesitated for a moment, and then answered. "Both wear Konoha emblem."

Hanzou perked up at this. "Konoha… it's been a while since I encounter their kind…"

"Milord! That was a long time ago!" A large man whose hulking stature dwarfed many others roared.

"Yes. And then they became the infamous Sannin. Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Senju Tsunade." Hanzou sighed. "Taka, continue your watch on them. Report to me of anything new."

Taka bowed once before he flew back to the sky.

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An hour later...

Neji and Naruto looked at the crowd. Quite a few of the villagers decided to stay. Half of the doctors decided to stay. Ina was giving her last goodbye to her comrades, as well as good luck. She turned and then nodded.

Neji turned forward.

"Alright. Everyone, move!"

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Deidara's days in interrogation

Minichapter 17:

The murder

"...so after you kissed him... you two start arguing... and then... well... the accident?"

"Y...Yes."

Deidara was already scared, up to the point he demand Athrun to go straight to the murder sequence. "IF YOU ASK ME TO DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT AGAIN, I SWEAR: JUTSU OR NO JUTSU, I'll...YEAH!!"

"So... how exactly did you murder him?"

"I choked him."

"You choked him."

Deidara secretly sighed in relief. Finally, a normal scene. He's well trained to handle various kinds of choking: wire, hand grip, whatever the kind. He could just let that homo choke him as strong as he could; he'll just hold his breath and pretend he's dead. Yep. Simple.

"Demonstrate it then." Athrun ordered.

The man put both of his arms on Deidara's neck. "I put my hands on his neck, tightly."

Deidara smirked arrogantly. 'Yep, go on ahead. Do your worst! Yeah!'

"Then I kissed him again while holding his neck tightly." Before Deidara could say anything the man kissed him again, tightly and deeply.

Athrun and his students shook their heads. 'Poor Deidara...' the same thought crossed their minds.

5 minutes later the man let go. "When I'm done I realized that I've grasped his neck too tightly and I've killed him."

Indeed, Deidara's state is pretty much close to dying.

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Whooo boy... this arc is harder than I thought... Don't worry. For those of who are a bit lost, It'll make sense in the future chapters. I hope.

But as you've all read, this arc will focus also on Yukiku's past and origin.


	37. The Trap and the Revelation

Also read Samurai Seed and kind enough to leave a review. It's the prequel of this story. Go to my profile and you'll find it.

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": special case (Naruto Berserker mode, different language)**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA! : Giant creature speech **

"_Journal no bla bla": Renald's writing or other uses_

Disclaimer: I own nothing… except the plenty of OCs in the story.

**Chapter 34:**

The Trap and the Revelation

"_Journal Entry no 39, month 5"_

"_Naruto's unfortunate experience with the Mist nins, had brought about several facts about the Mist nins. I did hear that they suffered various problems and civil war. Apparently however, that does not stop them from advancing their own biological and mechanical technology. This can be seen by the advanced level of their ships, and also this. The laboratory which clearly has more secret than one can imagine. Drug tests conducted on convicts which-"_

Reynald paused. "Hmm… what should I say about this?" And while the journalist pondered on what he had to write, the group's trip went pretty much unhindered. Taka the Eagle ninja continued to monitor the group's progress. Neji, Naruto and Yukiku supervise the trip. Naruto used his shadow clone skill to scout the long queue of villagers. Other nins too, particularly the Mist nins and the Rain nins also decided to help. The other ninja protect the party of interest: Ina and her remaining doctors. Since they also have to move the sickly and the injured, their progress is quite slow. Ina and the doctors had to frequently check on the injured. But they are progressing nonetheless.

Neji looked to the sky. Nothing but an eagle above. But he couldn't help the thought of they were being watched. 'Scouts maybe? Wait, eagle?' Neji jerked up and notice. He saw that same eagle flying around the settlement this morning. '…could it be just my feeling?' Neji decided to disregard that fact for now.

Soon, it was evening. The ninjas wanted to go on, but the refugees are tired and need rest. "They've been walking nonstop for 11 hours straight, sunrise to sundown! Let them rest."

"By nightfall this place will be swarmed by Rain nins! We need to move on."

Neji asked the Rain Genins. "Is this area is still Amegakure's territory?"

"No. We've put some distance, but it still close to the village nonetheless."

Neji turn to Doctor Ina. "3 hours. Let them rest."

"3 hours?" Ina grunted.

"We're gonna have to walk all night. The Kraken wouldn't stay waiting for us for long, at this pace, we'll never make it and then we have to take the long way around and trust me, they'll have even less chance of surviving that route."

Neji looked at other ninja and they had to agree. "That's settled."

And so the large group stopped and formed groups of circle. Some unload their meal, which, per Neji's instruction, must not be cooked with fire. They even have to eat it raw if they have to, much to Ina's disapproval, leading to another argument.

Meanwhile, all those time, the ninjas were also in their own sort of problems. Yukiku was still in state of shock and somewhat terror. Naruto, concerned, finally decided to ask her what's going on.

"Yukiku?"

"N… Naruto?"

"You know… I've seen a more cheerful zombie. Are you okay?"

"I… I…"

"Don't try to tell me you're okay. Cause you're not. Still…I'm guessing what this is all about. Neji told me about that… one of the people working on this… testing was your mother."

"Yes. T…the mother I knew of was… but… judging from the reports I've read… they condone testing some drug on humans!" She gaped. "I…. I just couldn't believe it! I… I… this… I…"

"…hey, she's your mother right? Your family?"

"Y… Yes?"

"The mother you remembered. What was she like? Was she the kind of person who would do such thing?"

"NO! She's kind and gentle! She taught me that all live is precious! She would NEVER agree with something like this!" She exploded.

"There's your answer."

Yukiku blinked.

"If that's the mother you believe in, and then believe in her. Believe in the image of the mother that you know is truly her."

The girl paused for a moment. And then smiled. 'I knew it… this guy can be cool at times… no wonder Hinata-chan fell in love with him.' "Y… yeah…"

Naruto however, still detected something else. "Hey… there's something else isn't it?"

"Eh…?"

"There's something else nagging you?"

"Y… Yeah… you know… the truth is…" Yukiku told Naruto about her relationship with Guccha. When she's done, even Naruto was left blinking in amazement.

"Talk about a small world we live in… Then… did he know?"

"No."

"I won't pretend that I understand your situation, having never experience it myself. But I do know this: it's no good to keep it quiet, sooner or later, either he'll find out, or you'll have to tell him yourself."

"I know."

"…though I personally hope he'll just forget and forgive." Naruto tried to cheer her up.

"Yeah, I wished." Yukiku appreciated the attempt and chuckled for the first time since that night in the mansion.

Naruto glad to see his friend's smile again also chuckled along. Just then, they heard Dr. Ina's roar.

"LOOK! THEY'RE NOT NINJAS! They're SICK people! You can't expect them to follow your standards!" The Doctor and Neji were still at it.

Naruto shook his head. "Come on. They could use some help."

"Yeah." Yukiku smiled.

From the distance Taka reported the situation, this time via a walkie talkie. "Shinja? You hear me?"

"_I hear thee."_

"Well, the villagers are heading a slow, but steady gait to the shores. No sign of any attempt of hostility."

"_Verily. I shall wait thy next tale."_

"Yokai- he?" Taka blinked.

"_Something displeases thee?"_

"Some of the Rain nins are coming at em!" 4 figures, unmistakably ninjas were sneaking behind the group.

"_Were they warriors of our side or…?"_

"Ours. Those idiots, what are they doing!?"

Taka watched as the Rain nins approached the group and apparently start manhandling a villager.

"Hey! What are you doing here!?" A rain nin lifted an injured old man. His wife came running.

"W… Wait! P… Please!"

"Shut up you woman!" The other ninja mercilessly kicked the woman back to the ground.

"HEY!" Ina quickly ran towards the commotion and helped the downed lady. "What are you doing!? Can't you see he's wounded!?"

"Irrelevant!" The Rain nin sneered. "This is still Amegakure territory! You want to even so much as to breathe in here you have to pay the tax!"

"Nanni!?" Ina growled. "You guys are no ninjas! You're THUGS and THIEVES!"

"EH? And whatcha you gonna do about it, eh onna!?" One ninja approached the doctor. The other ninjas quickly stood their ground. "Eh… aww, ain't that cute… you got Genins from every village as your guardian dogs…" The nin disappeared, and in a flash, a grass genin were pinned to the tree.

"We're jounins! Think a couple dozen Genins are going to be a problem for us!?"

Just then, an iron arrow pierced the nin who's holding the old man on the arm. "ARgh!" The sudden attack made the Rain nin dropped the old man. He looked at the culprit which is none other than Inari.

"I know you assholes! You guys tried again and again to get to the settlement, wanting kidnap little children for extorting money…!"

"Eh?"

"Ergh?" The rain nins, having been catch wet handed inadvertently showed their true face.

"I eavesdropped on you bastards a few days after I agreed to be Ina-sensei's guard! You coward lot of a nin are just army reject chuunins that pretend to be jounin to flaunt your authority!"

"Onore…" The Rain nin growled and stretched his hand forward. Just then, an iron clad hand grip stopped the hand in its tracks.

"Eh hem. I don't really care… whether you're real jounins or not really." Neji appeared. "But look. We don't want any trouble, so turn back, and just ignore us, even though this is not Amegakure territory, we're leaving your lands, with peaceful intention. Pretend this is never happened, and we'll keep our mouth shut."

"SHADDUP! YOU STUPID GENINS! Yeah, we're Chuunins! So what!? We still overpower you by a longshot!"

Neji sighed. "Naruto, feel free to go wild."

As if answering Neji's call, Naruto slammed his knee to the first nin's face, sending a few of his teeth flying. Both of his hands are glowing with a fully charged Rasengan. Before the other two nins could react, Naruto used the first nin's head as a stepping stone an dashed forward, slamming the two Rasengans on both of their stomachs. The blast sent them both flying through several trees, a few meters away. The first nin still half conscious and tried to lunge towards Naruto's open back. The boy, however, was still in his battle mode and the enormous killing aura was still eminent. This paused the nin for a second. Naruto turned around, his cold blue slitted eyes shining bright like flames, and shove another Rasengan to the startled nin's stomach and pressed him to the ground. The earth beneath the nin shattered, creating a small scale crater. Three chuunins are out and accounted for. Amidst the dust, Naruto gave a beastly snarl to the last nin.

Seeing the beast of a nin staring at him, the Chuunin resorted to the last measure: hostage taking, He grabbed the first person he laid his eyes on… and put her on a headlock "D… Don't MOVE! Or I'll break her neck!"

Upon seeing the hostage, Naruto and Neji paused.

"W… what's going on here!? A… Aren't you all supposed to be GENIN LEVELS!? T… That blond haired kid… No matter how you look at it, he's definite JOUNIN level!"

Naruto, upon hearing the word smiled like a little kid and scratched his head, looking embarrassed. "Hountouka? Aiyah! For the compliment, domo arigatou!!"

"S… SHUT UP! I GOT A HOSTAGE HERE! You're gonna do everything you can to protect her! RIGHT!?"

"See now that's your biggest mistake." The hostage, which is none other than a furious Yukiku, muttered. "Thinking I need them to protect me."

"Eh?" nin blinked.

Yukiku grab hold of the Dragon's Tail on her waist, and the blade quickly snake around them, and the edge stopped at the nin's throat. "Let's see which one's faster: my blade cut your throat, or you broke my neck." Yukiku gave the nin her cold demonic stare. The nin was clearly scared out of his wits. Just then the hostage smelled something. 'Sniff… sniff… what's this?' She looked below. Her lower clothes are wet… and it smells. Upon realizing what happened, the hostage went berserk altogether. "GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!"

With a roar that could rival even Naruto's, Yukiku start beating the hell out of the Rain nin to the inch of his life for pissing on her pants. It took Neji and Naruto to restrain her from killing the poor nin.

"Yukiku! Get a hold of yourself; if you kill him you'll attract more attention to us! Come on now, we don't need that!"

"Maaa…just think of it as a rather nasty experience like being pissed on by a dog or something!"

"Naruto, I don't think that's a very good analog."

"WRAAAAAAAAAARGGH! Grr… Grr…" Yukiku calmed down and get another look at the half naked, and barely recognizable nin. Well, she had done enough damage anyway. But then, the nin had one final stroke, the piss spurted out one last time at her FACE!

"Well… I guess 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned' is a fact…" Naruto restrained the furious girl one more time.

"I'M GONNA CASTRATE HIM! I'M GONNA SLAUGHTER HIM!! I'M GONNA ARGH! HRAAAAGH!"

Neji looked at the furious kunoichi and realized the girl had changed. 'Well… for one, she's definitely in a better mood than this morning.'

Taka observed at the event, smiled nervously and coldsweated. "…This is Taka. Anyone you hear me?"

"_This is Juuou. What is it_?"

"Juuou? Oh, good timing. Listen, I'm just reporting this, in the worst case scenario where we have to engage them."

"_Oh?" _Juuou's voice didn't hide any excitement behind.

"The other nins, I wouldn't bat an eye. They're just Genins alright. But watch out for the three from the Konoha , _especially the one with blond hair… they're the real beast."_

Juuou, a giant man grinned as he and the other rain nins and Hanzou heard the report from Taka. "Oh, a real beast, ye say?"

"Damme da yo, Juuou." Hanzou gave a stern warning.

The giant man back to his seat.

Hanzou asked. "Did they kill them?"

"_No. They just beat them to the inch of their lives."_

"Well… those idiots gave us one thing though: who to watch out for in the future encounter. Leave them be Taka. I don't think, strong as they may be, they intend to create any trouble on this soil. And besides, they're standing on neutral ground, it doesn't really matter who died there."

"_Of course not my lord."_

Back to the group…

Naruto finished tying the Rain Chuunins to the tree; Naruto even added some warning signs: here lies a bunch of idiots with dysfunctional male ejaculation system. "Done. What now?"

"Inari-san… you told me they're army rejects?"

"Yep. Heard it from their mouths. The army wouldn't take em because they're too weak, so they start pretending to be Jounins." Inari snickered.

"Well… if they're not part of the army, others won't look for them. BUT, to be on the safe side, let's rest for fifteen more minutes, and we'll be off before more comes in."

Ina nodded. "So be it." She replied with a tired voice.

Fifteen minutes later, the crowd continued their trip.

A few minutes later, only the four half dead thug nin remained. And that's when Taka decided to reveal himself before them.

One of the nin recognized the man and gasped. "T… Taka-sama!"

"Well… this is something… I was hoping one of them will kill at least one of you right off, at least I won't have to dirty my hands too much."

"W… Wait! We can explain! Look! The Konoha Genins are jounins in disguise! They-!"

"And you Jounin wannabes are an insult to us, to our village, and worst of all, to Amekage-sama. There's only one appropriate punishment for that."

"N… NOO-!"

Taka released a small white feather, the feather multiply, to 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, countless. And the feathers start slicing them piece by piece. The nins all squirm futilely as blood start pouring out of them at a faster rate. The feather continues to multiply and cut them apart. "The more you move, the faster they'll tear your body apart, but, even if you don't move, they'll still do the job and they'll get faster still. Your choice." Taka walked away, leaving the screaming nin to their feathery deaths.

**00000000000**

Meanwhile, the villagers continued their trip throughout the night. Naruto supported them by using his Kage Bunshin to carry the elderly and sickly on their back. By morning, they've travelled quite a distance, though the shores are still nowhere in sight."

"We're not lost are we?" A sound nin groaned.

"Well… if we follow the map… it shouldn't be much further…" Yukiku replied.

"You sure you can read that map?"

Vein popped on Yukiku's temple. "Listen you stupid Sound nin! 16 hours of walking from that village since yesterday and you've done nothing but whining around. If you got time to do that, then you can at least take example from Naruto like everybody else?" Indeed, Naruto's effort to safeguard the villagers had inspired some other nins, even those who initially opposed the idea of bringing them along. The nins take turns on guarding the doctors while the nins did what they can. The Grass nin collected medicinal herbs on their way to be made medication. Sand nins used their sand techniques and puppet playing technique to entertain the children and encourage the others to go on. Others, whose skills are not suited decided to take example of Naruto, aiding Dr. Ina and sometimes carrying the elderly on their back.

The Sound nin was clearly ashamed at this and groaned away. 'Just wait until we get our 'trump card' at you bastards.'

After a few more hours of walking, they finally reached the shores. "We're here!" Neji announcement was welcomed by a wave of cheers of the refugees. Reinvigorated, everyone hasten their pace. And finally, they've arrived at the destination point.

"De? Where's the ship?"

Neji looked around. That was a damn good question: where's the ship? Being a ship of such enormous size, it seems impossible for it to completely disappear from sight completely. "Could it be… that we're too early?"

Just then, something burst out from the sea. It was huge! At first, it looked like a mountain, but then, upon closer inspection, it was actually a submarine. An enormous submarine. The frontal half looked like a giant semi conical structure, while the rear half was composed of eight parts attached to the frontal part. Naruto recognized the submarine all at once. "It's the Kraken!"

Truth be told, inside the Kraken…

Fujiki gave another order after he finished his nth ramen. "Disengage cruiser mode, begin deployment."

"Yokai! Cruiser Mode disengage."

"Deactivate engine 13-35, reroute all power to engine 45-65."

"Takogiris, prepare for blooming!"

"Activating tower thrusters!"

"Tower! Lift up!"

Several holes opened on the Kraken's forward body, and something burst out from them, propelling the tower, raising the front part while sinking the rear part. The process continued until finally, the whole structure is now upright: the frontal part stood upright above sea surface while the lower parts, the Takogiris were sank.

"Takogiris! Surface!"

And then, the lower part of the Sub which was drowned began to rise up above the sea surface, one by one, until finally when the eighth Takogiri had surfaced. The central tower sank just a bit, followed by a clanking sound and steam burst out from the intersections, signifying that its transformation is complete. The Kraken returned to the eight pronged snowflake form which was used for the Preliminary exam.

At this show of technology, even Renald dropped his book and fell backwards. He knew that Kirigakure's ships were advanced… but he had no idea it was THAT advanced…

Naruto and the other ninjas had their mouth opened aghast.

Inside, Fujiki zoomed at the shores via the monitor and looked in glee at the shocked Chuunin exam participants. "Heh. When I became one of the Seven Devil Swordman the Kraken was initially given to me the Mist engineers… but I don't really like its feature and so I did some major modification, including this transformation capability, which cost me the better part of my personal funds. The investment wouldn't be worth it if they're not the least bit surprised." The Swordsman zoomed at one particular blond and activated his speaker.

"**Naruto! Thank goodness you're still alive you pineapple head of a devil!"** Fujiki's voice boomed.**  
**

Naruto gaped and laughed nervously.

The Sound nins however, were shocked. "The captain… knew him!?"

"**Anyway, that aside… what's with the crowd? The note only stated that I'll be picking up what's left of the Genins and about 16 doctors and humanitarian workers. I only see… 4 of them… and many… MANY villagers… refugees. What's the big idea?" **

"Well… there's a little bit of a complication here…" Naruto replied.

Fujiki sighed back.

"What do you think, Fujiki-sama?" Namimaru approached his captain.

"Well… I'd say, if I knew Naruto, he must've thought up something rash or… moral reasons. I was kinda expecting that there should be less than 16 doctors… but the number I had in mind was 10-8 doctors left… But four doctors is just… oh well… detach Takogiri-I once I'm on board."

"Very good sir."

And then, outside, one segment of the Kraken detach itself and sailed towards the shores. Once it landed, a familiar 10 year old boy landed, along with a one eyed man. Every female nin in the group, ones who didn't know the boy's 'true' form, all fawned and awed at how cute the boy was.

Naruto chuckled, knowing full well how disappointed they will be if they know the truth. And then, all the sudden, the sound nins rushed towards the nin, knocking Fujiki down in their stride. "Those guys…"

The sound nins run towards Namimaru. "Excuse me… are you the captain?"

"No I'm not."

"Please, we have something the captain might find very interesting."

"Well, tell him then. You just knocked him down."

"What?" The Sound nins paused. They turned around and saw Fujiki stood up, cleaning the sand from his clothings. With trembling hands, one of the nins pointed at Fujiki. "T-t-t-that b-b-b-boy… I-i-i-is t-t-the c-c-c-c-c…"

"Yes. I'm the captain, and I know I looked like a 10 year old brat. I got teased a lot so please don't add to my misery." Fujiki smirked 'playfully (read: devilishly)'.

"A… Anoo… you see… w… we catch some of the Konoha nins… killing Mist Jounins. Yeah. Three of em. Yeah."

"Hoo? That's a fact? Proof?"

"We bring the bodies for you, if you want…" One of the Sound nins handed the scroll containing the Jounins bodies. Fujiki chuckled, understanding where this is going. He fetch it and tossed it to Namimaru.

"Unseal the body and start autopsy." He turned to the Sound nins. "Who did it?"

"The blond haired brat."

Fujiki turned to Naruto and laughed. "Naruto? What? You guys are survivors from other ships during the preliminary aren't you?"

"E… Eh… yes… ergh…" The Sound nins were confused.

"Well, Naruto killed a bunch of my jounins when he was on my ship. I'm not that surprised he could kill just a paltry three Jounins."

"Haaa…" The sound nins flabbergasted.

"Still, I do wonder… why did you do it, Naruto?"

"Eh?" Naruto blinked. "Do what?"

"These three gentlemen here said that you killed three Mist jounins. May I inquire why?"

"Self defense. End of story." Naruto replied short.

"There's your answer." Fujiki swing his hand. "Now if you'll excuse me I have something more consequential to attend to." And with that, Fujiki went to Naruto and the other nins. "My notes told me there are 16 humanitarian workers. Yet you only managed to rescue four… and a whole bunch of people. Anyone care to explain?"

"When we get there, there were only 9 left. The rest were already dead. We only managed to bring four, but the remaining chose to stay because there's still a lot more people wounded in there."

"I see…" Fujiki looked at the doctors, specifically to Ina. "I don't mind bringing everyone on my ship. But I just don't think I can bring them to Mist, our capacity is at 300 percent there's a barely a place left in there."

"Bring them back to Wave. That's the best option."

Inari roared. "What? Naruto-nii-san, you realized why these people ran from Wave, do you?"

"Yes. And the reason is called the Royal Skull Gang, and I tell you people, as I have told you, my worst half had already massacred his entire crony, and tore him apart limb by limb. The Mayor Tazuna now own one third of the city. If you don't believe me, go to the police station there, and ask for a literally legless, armless convict named Zhuya the former Executioner."

Fujiki winked and smiled rather sadistically. "Armless? Legless? You're serious?"

"Yeah. I rip them apart myself with my bare hands. Great isn't it."

"You and I, we're gonna have a little talk about this." The berserker chuckled sinisterly.

"You're sure about this? You're sure we can return to Wave safely?" one of the villagers wondered.

"Trust me. The other two powers who owned the city weren't as bad as Zhuya, that's for sure. And the Mayor now owned a certain amount of authority. So, how bout it? Would you like to give it another try?"

The refugees looked at each other. For a moment, they were a bit uncertain, but they finally agreed. Fujiki noted this. "ALL ABOARD!"

Taka smiled as he saw the refugees proceeding to enter the Kraken. "This is Taka, anybody read me?"

"_This is Ankou, kero."_

"Ankou!? Where are the others?"

"_Listening, kero. Fire away, kero."_

"Well… I'm on the shores, I think it's safe to assume we no longer need to worry. The refugees are being moved to the ship as we speak and I'd say they'll be leaving in 30 minutes time. On safety side I'll remain on watch for a little while longer."

"_No can do! You gotta hit them hard kero-"_

Anjou's rambling replaced by a short static and then replaced by Shinja's elegant voice. _"Thou do what thou must. We shall await thy next tale."_

**00000000000**

30 minutes later, every villagers are aboard and counted for.

"You're not gonna do that transformation thing with this many civilian inside right?" Naruto asked rather nervously. "I don't think they know about wall walking."

"Hell no. They might vomit, and I will not have short-circuited components because of someone's vomit on my ship. Namimaru, get the villagers on Takogiri 5 and 6, and then send them on their merry way to Wave."

"Very good sir." Namimaru turn to the villagers and showed them the way. "This way ladies and gentlemen."

The villagers followed the vice captain while Fujiki addressed the survivors of the second exam. "…117… wow. Talk about record. You started of 128… you only lose 11 people. Wow. Maybe another elimination exam is necessary."

Those who survived Fujiki's preliminary spontaneously yelled a ceremonious "NO!"

Fujiki chuckled evilly. "You guys don't get it do you? By sending you greenhorns to real life battlefield, we were expecting to reduce your number to two digit number, or even better, single digit: no bigger than 20 or 12… If I can, I'll do the elimination here and now, but the last time I did that in this exam, I get a beating of a lifetime, and it took me a full week to bring this ship back to full working order, and it is a royal sum pain I don't want to repeat very often. Besides, even if I don't perform preliminary now, the other Jounins are probably gonna find some way to reach that mark." Fujiki laughed Dracula style.

**00000000000**

While Fujiki debrief the Genins, Namimaru was supervising the boarding of the villagers. Down on the Kraken's medical bay, the three dead bodies of the Jounins were unsealed and autopsied. The Medic Nins began removing their equipments first and then their clothes and all. Two medics were assigned to each body. They then begin by removing the cause of death: the first one, removing the bullet from the brain, the other, removing the iron arrow from the dead body's neck. The third team was a bit confused on how they should handle the third body. "This one looked like he was being stabbed by a chain saw…"

"Oh well… I need an X-ray! We gotta figure out how deep the bullet goes."

"That Saizen is a real dumb idiot. What's the point of using a gun if it's gonna shoot yourself?"

"Hahaha." And then, when they X-rayed the body, they found something really weird.

"Hey… this is the bullet right?" The medic pointed at a spot on center of the brain. "Then… what is this web like thingamajig scattered all over the brain? Tumor?"

"If it is, this guy doesn't need a bullet on his brain to be dead!"

The medic nins were too excited to observe the deadman's brain to realize one tiny seemingly insignificant detail:

The supposedly dead man's eyes are twitching.

Back to the Genins and Fujiki.

"Anyway, get some rest, we're heading to Mist as soon as I sent all the refugees on their way. And the doctors, I'd like to debrief you guys personally if you don't mind? Please follow me to my quarters?"

Naruto secretly sighed in relief.

"You seem glad." Inari blurted.

"You had no idea how he act in battle. Anyway, what are you doing here young man? You're supposed to be on the ship with the other refugees."

"I… I just don't think I'm not ready to face them just yet…"

"Oh for god's sake. That's it. Reynald, Neji, Yukiku, you three go ahead and get a room. I'll take this bozo and make sure he gets on a ship."

"Wha… wait a minute-"

"No buts no whats. And shut up." Naruto plucked the boy off the ground and carry him squirming on his back.

In the meantime

The doctors followed Fujiki to his quarters as the captain requested. But when the time has come to come in, only Ina did so. Fujiki was the least bit surprised.

"Dr. Ina." Fujiki bowed down.

"Spare the pleasantries. I'm guessing what this is all about."

"Well… Sure the nin involved were basically taken from Chuunin exam, but the mission was not. I can give you a name if you want. Our client who requested this mission."

"Thrill me?" Ina bent her head forward and let Fujiki whisper the name. Once he was done, Ina could only shake her head. "Geeze… what a troublesome person."

"Can't blame him for worrying about you. Though the mission stated to rescue all 16, in reality we knew, when he made the request, specifically he was asking for you."

"And I thought he and Hanzou were old warbuddies."

"They were. But Hanzou was involved with infighting within his own village, a war with a party that pretty much gave him plenty of reason to worry, hence the mission to bail you out." Fujiki produced a folder and unravel its content. He pointed at a particular picture. A red cloud on black background.

"…Akatsuki?"

"We even have a rather credible Intel, that the Akatsuki involved in Amegakure's civil war is one of its top ranking member. Plenty reason no?"

"What are they up to?"

"We don't know that, and we decided not to take any chances whatsoe-" Fujiki's comment was cut short when alarm sounded. He quickly opened a monitor. One of his crew at the main bridge looked panicked and somewhat disoriented. "Talk to me, what happened? What's that alarm?"

"_I… We're not sure sir… sensors indicate we're under attack but… the source…"  
_

"What?"

"_It's not from outside! It's from inside… starting from the medical ward."  
_

"We have the countermeasure for this! Activate the damn thing!"

"_That's the thing sir, we tried but the system just won't activate. Something is clogging the mechanism."  
_

"What about the surveillance camera?"

"_Sending the last images sir… you're not gonna believe this sir."_

Another picture show up, displaying what happened a few minutes ago. Fujiki had to check his eyes to sure if he wasn't dreaming. It started out that the medic nins were checking the bodies of the dead. One of them suddenly opened its mouth and the screen went static for a moment, but he can see 2 medic nins were screaming, holding their heads. And then their bodies suddenly start exploding and fleshy tendrils suddenly burst out. The other two bodies too began trembling and then their innards exploded and tendrils burst out. The remaining medic nin tried to run to the intercom, but the tendrils get to them first. It went through them and abnormal veins grew at their bodies. And then, like a puppet, the medic nins walked to the door, and they opened it, allowing more tendrils to burst out. One of the tendrils slithers around and then smashed the camera.

"What in God's name was that?" Ina turned to Fujiki, whose expression was the face of a man relieving a nightmare.

"…My God… they still did it… that abominable research…"

"What?"

Fujiki weaved through his purple hair. "How could they… how could he… her legacy… he did this… that bastard already get this far… that bastard…" He banged his table several times.

"_Sir! Sir what are your command? Sir! SIIR!" _The voice from the com fell on deaf ear. Fujiki was lost in his own mind.

"How did he get it…I ordered its destruction… how… how… unless…"

"FUJIKI!" Ina roared at his ear, snapping Fujiki back from his stupor.

Fujiki blinked several times. He realized what was happening and quickly opened channel to all stations. "FIND OUT HOW FAR THE INFECTION HAD SPREAD! SEAL OFF ANY SECTION THAT GOT INFECTED! NOW!"

"_Sir? What are we dealing with here?" _Namimaru appeared on one of the screens.

"A loose end. My mistake. Make sure every villagers board the ship."

"_But sir…? Erhh… this thing… it's occurring from there too!"  
_

"WHAT!?"

Truth be told, on the Takogiris and on every part of the ship, several shinobis start holding their head in pain. One start opening their mouth and though no sound come out, the other shinobi start exploding into masses of tendrils that went through others as well. Soon, massive fleshly tendrils exploded on every part of the ship, and the tendrils start swirling with the Kraken, even the Takogiri 5 and 6, which supposed to carry the villagers.

Naruto was horrified when one nin next to him got run through by a massive tendril. Inari screamed in terror. "What the hell is going on here!?" Naruto ran towards section 5 and 6, and found several villagers were being surrounded by the tendrils. Creating a handseal, Naruto sent a stream of flame to burn through the tendrils. The tendrils burned down… but then it quickly regenerates.

Just then, Fujiki's voice roared from the intercom. **"Everyone! EVERY NINJA! LISTEN UP! TO FIGHT THIS THING, USE EVERY LIGHTNING JUTSU YOU HAVE IN YOUR REPERTOIRE!"**

Naruto blinked. "Lightning?" He made the necessary seals: "Raiton, Raikouben!" the lightning whip lashed at the tendrils, electrocuting them. And then, funny enough, the tendrils went rigid, and then shrunk down altogether before blue fire burst out and burn the tendrils to nothingness. "Wow… but how did he knew about this? Oh well. You folks! Come with me, it's not safe here!"

Meanwhile, Neji, Yukiku and Renald had also aware of the bizarre tentacles that swept through the ship. Neji, the adept lightning element user of the group heard the instruction and quickly cast: "Raiton, Raijin Tsurugi!" Swords of lightning shot out, cutting as well as electrocuting, every tentacle in its path.

"What should we do?"

"Rendezvous with Naruto, we have to find out what's going on!"

"He'd be near the Takogiri 5 or 6 I reckon!" Renald dodged a tendril sprouting on his back.

Just then they saw Guccha and several ninjas from other village came running towards them, the tendrils are close on their heels. Neji made a few handseal: "Raiton, Rairyuuha! (Lightning Dragon wave)" waves of lightning went past the escaping shinobis and blast the tentacle monstrosity. "Neji-san!"

"Guccha-san! Where's the other ninja?"

"Excluding us, some were gathered in the mess hall! Several Mist ninjas start screaming and a few start exploding tendrils and sort… they don't make it."

"We gotta get to the surface, that's the only way to find to find out what's going on!"

**00000000000**

However, in various parts of the ship, mist nins were trying to escape the horrid monstrosity. But the infection is quick to spread, and those who were run through became some sort of relay station where more tendrils spread out from them. At this point, almost everyone in aboard the ship is infected. From the outside, the Kraken had turned into a crimson floating monstrosity with tentacles sprouting here and there. Taka checked his eyes several times to see he wasn't dreaming. 'What… the…'

And just when things couldn't get worse, some of the infected nin inside start loading warheads into missiles.

Fujiki fought his way through the monstrosity with a taser gun and his sword all the way to the main bridge while protecting Ina. When he get there though… the door to the main bridge was crawled by the zombie nins infected by these tendrils. Gritting his teeth, he slaughtered his infected subordinates and burst through the door. The main bridge was no more. Several of his subordinates had flipped their tables, making them shield. They were glad to see their Captain.

"Captain!"

"My God… Where's Namimaru?"

"H… Here…" a weak voice responded.

"NAMIMARU!" Fujiki was horrified to his vice captain. The one eyes man had lost one of his arms and one of his legs.

"What happened?"

"One of our men start screaming… and then another one start bursting those tentacles… hit my arm and my leg… had to cut them, lest I'll turn into one of these… monsters…"

"Well done, my lad. Well done."

"I'm sorry… but I fear we're all that's left."

"No… there's one person who can probably get us out of here… if I knew him, he's probably trying to save as many civilian as he can!" He roared to another of his surviving subordinates. "FIND ONE SECTION THAT HASN'T BEEN COMPLETELY INFECTED!"

Truth be told…

That one person let out his ferocious battle cry, and together with his clones, he sent lightning after lightning at the impending tentacles. Inari and Naruto quickly secure the villagers and several surviving shinobis, or what's left of them once the tentacles was taken care of. The Takogiri 5 was hit first, and unfortunately, most of the villagers had already gone in there when the outbreak started. Right now, Naruto and Inari focused their attention on Takogiri 6, the only section of the ship that apparently escaped total infection, thanks to Naruto's effort.

"Get out! NOW!"

Just then, they heard another alarm bell. "Now what the hell was that?"

**00000000000**

On the main bridge, Fujiki recognized that bell. Horrified, he went to the only computer still functional and checked on his ship's status. "Oh no! NO, NO!"

"What is it?" Ina asked, not sure she'll like the answer.

"Some of those infected nins had activated the missile launch sequence!"

"WHAT?"

"The target is… oh God… Oh My GOD!"

Ina looked at the screen and realized the target with a horrified expression. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"

**00000000000**

Meanwhile, Neji, Yukiku, Renald and the rest of the shinobi survivors had managed to get to the surface, and were observing with horror, that almost all parts of the ship had became infected by this crimson tendrils and monstrosity. Just then, a clanking sound can be heard from three sections of the ship. A set of silos opening up from the three sections. And then a few moments later, hails of missiles shot out to the skies.

"Missiles!" Renald exclaimed.

"Missile?"

"Long range ballistics… that doesn't look so good…"

Neji looked at the missiles and then to the central. "Come on, we gotta get to the central section."

**00000000000**

Several areas in Amegakure territory…

The salvo of missiles bombarded several areas with crowded population, destroying a couple of blocks and several civilian complexes. Death toll in thousands.

**00000000000**

In the village where the remaining villagers and doctors had decided to stay, they go on with their lives.

Not knowing how short it will be.

The hail of missiles came as sudden and ended their lives. The rain of destruction levels everything: houses, graves, the mansion, the cliff, the human… all turned to dust and leveled to the ground. Wiped off the map.

**00000000000**

Ina fell on her knees, crying, thinking how she just lost all her comrades, the villagers and the wounded they've left behind… everyone, all gone. Fujiki slumped to his chair, shocked and horrified. 'What have I done… you warned me… I didn't listen… a moment of laxity… and now this…'

"…is there any system left in this ship that are still operational? That is still in our control?"

"…none… sir… the Takogiri 6 is still sending their signal but… we can't reach them remotely."

"That's because our control in here is busted." Fujiki growled. "We have to go there, and control it manually…and there's definitely one control that those tendrils or zombies can't access."

The Captain tapped a few commands into the remaining computers. "Voice recognition and password required."

"Davy Jones Locker." Fujiki answered. And then, from the wall, three terminals with three screens popped out. Namimaru recognized what it was.

"What are you doing?" Ina frowned.

Fujiki pressed the password for each terminal. When the last password is keyed, a controller popped out of the Captain's chair.

"Self Destruct sequence ready." The computer answered just as the nins came inside.

Fujiki turned and saw Neji and the other nins. "What's going on?" Neji was the first to ask.

The swordsman smiled bitterly. "A loose end." He thought for a moment. "You should go. All of you. Your friend, Uzumaki Naruto, is probably defending the last section not entirely consumed by this infection, Takogiri 6. Go there. ALL OF YOU!" Fujiki was referring to the last of his subordinates. "I'm the captain with this ship. I'll go down with it."

The subordinates looked at their Captain. Namimaru thought for a moment, and then… "Uh… Neji-san? Could you help me, I only have one leg now…"

Neji ran to Namimaru.

"T… Take me to next to the Captain's seat? That was my position when I serve aboard this ship… that was always my position."

Fujiki quiet down.

Neji looked at Namimaru's single eye and realized what the lieutenant is trying to do. He helped the Lieutenant to his 'position' and Fujiki stepped forward.

Namimaru offer the captain his last salute. "Serving under you has been my life's honor, sir." Other subordinates followed the superior's example and saluted. Tears swelling up in their eyes.

Fujiki also offer his vice captain a salute.

And then…

"It's an honor but… shove it up your ass." Namimaru suddenly jammed a needle on Fujiki's shoulder.

"NAMIMARU!! Y… YOU!!!"

"It's a drug that will loose your entire muscles sir. Remember? Back in the earlier days, you always told me to use it whenever you went rampage out of control."

"Namimaru!"

"Look at me. I'm a cripple now. I will only slow you down. And besides, in case you haven't noticed, those tendrils turn our men into zombies. Not intelligent but… smart enough to fire a missile on a designated target, and-"

Namimaru's words were answered with banging from one of the doors.

"Smart enough figure out that we're going to destroy this ship, along with them in it." He turned to Neji. "Neji-san, please take Fujiki-dono to safety."

"Are you sure you can hold them alone?"

"He's not gonna be alone." A mist nin suddenly stepped up. "Hell it Namimaru you're one handed, one legged and one eyed freak of a man. What could you possibly do by yourself?"

"We're staying too. Captain! You leave this place. We'll get your back." The remaining subordinates too decided to stay.

"E…Everyone…" Fujiki, limp as he may, couldn't hold back his tears. "I… I'm sorry."

Namimaru smack the Captain on his face. "What was that? You're sorry? Get your act together for the love of God! You're one of the seven devil swordsman! You are the Captain of the Kraken! The greatest of the 7 ships! You can do this! See you in Hell, Capt!"

Fujiki groaned but smiled anyway. "I see you anywhere near Hell, I'll shit kick your ass out!"

Neji, Yukiku, Reynald and the other nins bowed their gratitude one last time and then they ran towards the Takogiri 6, Fujiki on Neji's back.

Namimaru turn on the Intercom. "Naruto-san! Naruto-san? Do you hear me? I don't know if you can but if you do, listen: Takogiri 6, the only section in this… Hell on earth that has you inside, are the ONLY section left that is still relatively clean. That section is the only hope for the survivors to leave this place alive. If you can hear me… listen. Fujiki-sama and your fellow shinobis are heading there now. Please. Guard it until they arrived."

End of transmission.

Just then, the banging on door reached its peak, and every shinobi left inside prepare for their last stand.

**00000000000**

Inside Takogiri 6…

Naruto had heard Namimaru's last transmission. Now he's using every ounce of strength he had left in him to defend the last lifeline.

The remaining villagers cowered in fear as Naruto, using his Kage Bunshin tried to hold off the tendrils with a barrage of Raiton Jutsus. Several Mist nins had been infected and turned into those Zombie nins. He had to use his Bunshins to scour the ship inside out, but even though he managed to defeat some of them, the collateral damage on that section had made the ship somewhat worse for wear. What's worse, constant use of Kage Bunshin, coupled with constant use of high level lightning jutsus, and compounded with the wound on his shoulder which haven't fully healed yet… he's running out of stamina fast.

"I gotta keep those damn tendrils off this ship!" Just then, he heard another alarm bell. 'Oh no, not again!"

**00000000000**

Outside on the surface… several infected sections of the Kraken began to open up their silos.

"Oh no… they're gonna shoot their missile again? Where to?" Guccha gulped.

The limp Fujiki groaned as he realized the next target. "…us."

"What?"

"…they're gonna blow off section 6 so that we can't escape…"

"We gotta stop them!"

"It's impossible… some of the Zombie nins had overridden the control… The master control in the central is busted, so it has to be done manually from each ship, and we can't do that."

"Then we have to destroy the missile. It's the only way!"

"Only Neji here is strong enough to shoot them down. And he's only one person against enough payloads to level an entire country…"

"If we're going to survive this… there's only one way." Neji remember a past accident. "Yukiku, we can only rely on your blizzard power now. You can create a blizzard big enough to knock those missiles down?"

At this, Guccha perked up.

"Y… Yeah?" Unaware, Yukiku replied.

"Really? You can use that to freeze the rockets! Create a snow storm strong enough to freeze the rocket's propulsion system! Freeze down its guidance chip!" Renald added.

"I don't know if I could do that… without killing you all!"

Neji looked at the other nins: Waterfall, Grass, Sound, and Sand nins. None of them are even remotely capable of what Yukiku can do. "Yukiku, is that, or we're dead. It's our only chance."

Yukiku contemplated and then she realized she had no choice. She removed one of her glove. And suddenly, the temperature dropped a few degrees and their breaths turned to fog before their eyes. Yukiku's hair started shining white. "You should be running right about now… and Neji? In the case I lost control again? Don't look back."

The group quickly ran towards section 6. Yukiku, once ensured that they're on a safe distance, removed her other glove. At that instant, the upper portion of the Central section was frozen solid. Fujiki widened his eyes at the phenomenal blizzard. 'She… could she be…?'

Yukiku gritted her teeth as her cold aura began to spiral out of her. "You… are mine… You're inside me… so listen… to ME!" She balled her fist as the cold energy gathered around her. With each of her step, the land froze.

Just then, one of the section sent out their first volley of missiles. Yukiku quickly gathered a ball of blue energy in her right hand. **"Hyoton…"** Just as the missile was on the collision course to section 6, the girl shoot out the freezing burst towards the missiles. **"REIDOUHOU! (Absolute Zero Cannon)"** The burst froze all the missiles, shutting down its engine, and froze the warheads. Unbeknownst to all, the energy burst slightly resembled the head of a hound. The missiles were frozen in the sky and then start falling back to the ground. The broke like glasses upon impact with the sea surface.

Guccha gasped at the enormous ice power. 'Y…Yukiku…san?'

Yukiku knelt down, trying to contain the blizzard power raging within her body. Her eyes turn azure blue and her hair start flowing. She banged her fists on the floor, further freezing the surrounding environment.

Other infected sections noted the first salvo had failed. And so, they shoot their payload as well. Yukiku roared and this time, she shot out no less than 3 Reidouhou streams that slither around all the missiles, freezing and breaking them like glass. At this point, Yukiku felt the blizzard within her is raging ever greater, and she start losing what little control she had over them. Unconsciously, she starts floating and cold energy continued to spiral around her. Her eyes and her hair are now glowing bright blue white.

Neji and the rest of the nin went down to Takogiri 6 to find several Naruto fried the last of the Zombie nins.

"Naruto!"

"Neji!" The blond, the real one, gasped.

"We have to get out here."

"I don't know how to drive this bloody damn thing."

"I can." Fujiki had regained a slight bit of his mobility. "Help me. We need to detach this section from the rest. Reynald, Neji! I can't move yet, help me with this."

And while Neji and Reynald helped Fujiki in completing the sequence for detaching the section, Naruto wondered what's going on outside and climb up. There, he saw Guccha, standing, anger and fear mixed in his eyes.

"Guccha?"

"It was her… the witch… it was her…"

"What?" Naruto turn to what the sand nin was looking. "…oh no."

Mixing in an eerie harmony with the crimson tendrils that infected almost all ship, now ice crystalline structure burst out here and there. And at the center of it all, the squirming and grunting Yukiku. Icy wings burst out from her back, in a bizarre image of an angel. All infected section then opened all their silos and a few moments later, sent out their entire payload on one target: Yukiku.

At this, Yukiku screamed. "!!"

Three giant burst of Reidouhou streams, this time taking a shape of a hound altogether exploded from her figure. Each blast was surrounded by a catastrophic blizzard roaring around them. The Frost hounds made a short work on all the missiles, freezing and shattering them all, before they turn on their environment. The first that got hit were the silos. One hound headed right towards them, right towards Guccha. Naruto summoned every ounce of strength he had left in him and sent out the strongest fire jutsu he can think of.

"KATON! GOKURYUUHA!! (Hell Dragon Wave)"

A giant demonic dragon like it was sent from hell spiral out from Naruto's mouth. The blast managed to divert the hound, sending it to the sea. The sea was frozen but the attack still went on, the hound seek another target. The noise of their roar cover the voice of Yukiku's own screams of anguish and pain. No one heard it… save Naruto.

"**Argh… AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!"** Her scream vainly attempt to pierce through the roaring blizzard she had created.

"I gotta stop it… I gotta get to her…"

"No… that witch will kill you too!" Guccha grab hold of Naruto's shoulder. "She'll kill you like… like she did to my brother JUST LEAVE HER BE!"

Naruto groaned and grabbed hold of the Sand nin. "Look at her! LOOK! Does she looked like she's enjoying whatever she's doing!?"

Guccha looked at Yukiku floating at the center of the disaster. She couldn't hear her voice… but the expression was unmistakably was that of pain. He then turned to Naruto. "You knew this? All along?"

"There's more to her… than what's going on between you and her. I had to save her. She's sick… and she needs help." And with that, Naruto charged towards the raging blizzard, towards her. Several ice pieces pierced through his skin. He could hear voices in the blizzard.

"_HA ha ha.. hahahahaha… look mom! Look, I created an ice sculpture!"_

"_Teheehee… Yukiku the ice witch: a house, a dancer, a horse, you name it, I'll carve it!" _

"_Hahahaha! Wow! Look mom! I created this many statue in one go! Ahahahaha! Ahahahahaha!"_

"_Ahaha… y… what? Wait…"_

"_Aha… no…"  
_

"_I shouldn't have laughed… I SHOULDN'T HAVE LAUGHED!"_

"_I… I KILLED THEM?"_

'This is… her memory when she committed her first kill… the memory of that accident…' It was just like that time in the forest of Konoha. Only this time, there's no hellfire to protect him. He can only rely on normal human fire, which unfortunately is easier to freeze in this kind of weather. "YUKIKU! WAKE UP! DON'T FELL TO THEIR CONTROL!"

"**AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGGH! AHAHAHA… AHAHA… I SHOULDN'T HAVE LAUGHED… I SHOULDN'T HAVE LAUGHED!"**

"Yes, you bloody shouldn't!" Naruto struggled as he fought his way through the blizzard storm. "No good… I need something to blast through… wait… there may be a way…"

Meanwhile, on the central section, sitting on piles of piles of dead zombie nins, Namimaru had seen the proceedings on what's going on out there. "Hang in there miss Yukiku… and hurry up damn you Captain!"

On the Takogiri 6, Neji and Renald struggle to finish the last sequence. "Is everybody on board!?"

"N… Naruto-san head back in there… he's trying to save that witch!" Guccha replied.

"Witch?" Renald looked at Neji.

"…Yukiku."

Suddenly, a crimson burst of flames burst out from one of the sections of the ship. The blast knocked away the cold air for a moment.

On the surface of the Kraken central section, Naruto and one of his clone smirked. "Aw it went better than I expected…" The clone prepared another set of handseals, and Naruto ready his palm for a Rasengan.

"Katon!" the clone burst a flame from his mouth to Naruto's palm, the exact moment when Naruto start constructing Rasengan.

"Fukanzen, Katon Rasen Ensho! (Incomplete, Fire Element, Spiraling Heat wave!)" The Katon Rasengan exploded the moment it was completed, and the resulting explosion sent forth a spiraling wave burst of hot air that plow through the cold blizzard. 'Not bad for something I made on the fly but… Why do I feel so tired?'

**YOU IDIOT!** Came Kyuusei's voice. **DON'T OVERESTIMATE YOURSELF NOW! HOW MANY LIGHTNING JUTSUS AND SHADOW CLONES YOU HAVE USED IN THIS WHOLE ORDEAL?**

"Hoo? Nice to hear you, you haven't spoken to me for 9000 years."

**SHADDUP! YOU BETTER GET THIS OVER AND GET YOUR GIRL! I'M NOT DYING HERE FOR YOUR PERSONAL ROMANCE! **

"WHAT? NO!" Naruto roared. But he climbed on nonetheless. At this point, every frost hound suddenly went towards him. "Stupid iced up mutt! Katon, SOUGOKURYUUHA!!" Two hellish dragon burst out and spiral around the tower, preventing the blizzard from entering there… for a moment. The flames quickly freezing up and Naruto realized, his strength is starting to fail him, and in a moment, the blizzard will came crashing down, freezing him and Yukiku. Forcing the last bits of strength he still had in himself, Naruto ran towards Yukiku, took one jump and roared.

"MEZAMEYO, OMAE OOBAKAYAROU!! (WAKE UP, YOU BIG IDIOT!)" And with that, Naruto decked her on the face, snapping her back to reality.

The first thing that Yukiku saw after she regained consciousness was Naruto fainting with a smile before her and start falling down. "NO!" She screamed and stretched out her hand, catching Naruto's. The flame Naruto created died out and the blizzard rages on. Yukiku finally realized what just happened. She lost control… again. And Naruto just risked his life to stop her. Again. She had no time to grieve as Neji's voice echoed from the speaker of the remaining ship.

"**YUKIKU! GET NARUTO BACK TO THIS SHIP! HURRY! WE DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME!!"**

Yukiku wondered on how she can go to that ship in such limited time. She looked around and saw the frost hounds, still swirling around the ship. Now that she's back to her senses, the blizzard was gone now. And she thought up an idea. "Listen… listen to me now!" She mustered every last bit of her will and try to gain control on one of the Frost hounds. A mental backlash informed her that she failed. Yukiku redouble her effort. **"Listen to me NOW!!"**

The frost hound winced and then obediently came before her. Carrying Naruto on his back, she hopped on to frost hound's back. The hound quickly flew them to the surface of the Takogiri 6. The hound disappeared as soon as they arrived at their destination. Neji noted this and roared. "Alright! Everyone's on board! EJECT! NOW!"

Renald pushed the enter button, and a series of explosion can be heard as the Takogiri 6 separates from the Central section. Or at least… it should've. The ship is still attached to the central section.

"What happened? WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED? Shouldn't we detach right now?" One of the frustrated Grass nins yelled.

"The tendrils…" Fujiki gritted his teeth. "The tendrils are jamming the mechanism…"

"Leave that to me!" Come Yukiku's reply from the surface. The girl concentrate and the remaining frost hounds finally fell under her control. She instructed them to ram themselves at the rear of the Takogiri 6. The two hounds did so, and the entire rear section froze. Unsheathing both of her swords, Yukiku charged towards the frozen portion and slammed both of her swords on the spot. The fragile part shattered in an instant, releasing the Takogiri.

"Activate emergency booster!" Renald punched the instruction and for a moment, the ship burst away from the rest of the Kraken.

Namimaru watched happily as he saw his master left to safety. "Bravo young lady. Bravo." He turned around to see hordes of zombies standing around him. "…" he lifted the controller for the self destruct. And then, in an instant… he suddenly remembered the day it all started.

"_Alright! Who's the captain here! His new ace has arrived!" The younger, cockier Namimaru hit a purple haired boy aside as he walked towards Enshin._

"_Namimaru? You just knocked him down."_

"_What?" Namimaru paused. He turned around and saw Fujiki stood up. With trembling hands, he pointed at Fujiki. "T-t-t-that b-b-b-boy… I-i-i-is t-t-the c-c-c-c-c…"_

"_Yes. I'm the captain, and I know I looked like a 10 year old brat. I got teased a lot so please don't add to my misery." Fujiki smirked 'playfully (read: devilishly)'._

'Yeah… if I remember… I was just like those sound nins… same reaction too…heh…'

"_So! You're my new vice Captain? I'll warn you before hand: I'm a hell of a taskmaster. Nice to meet you!"_

"_A… AHAHAHAHA… N… nice to meet you too…"_

'Captain… serving you was the most fun I ever had… I'll serve you another cup of ramen in the afterlife…' He lifted the controller and took one last look at the screen, and roared with all his might just as the zombie nins charged at him. "LONG LIVE KIRIGAKURE!"

And he pressed the button.

The central section exploded first. The entire dome burst into flames. Following, a series of explosion occurred in every nook and cranny of the ship, every window burst into flames. The surface of the ship followed soon after, and a series of enormous explosion blow through the rooftops. Pretty soon, the giant ship turned into a gigantic inferno as it sank to the bottom of the ocean.

On board Takogiri, Fujiki banged the side of the wall in frustration and let a tear fall.

Taka, the spectator of the whole ordeal almost forgot to breathe. "…w… I… I gotta report this to Hanzou-sama before he-"

"Before he assumed that Amegakure was under attack by Kirigakure?"

A sound from his back alerted the Rain nin. He saw a silhouette of a figure. "Eh?"

"I'm sorry. But I cannot allow that." And then, in a flash, a katana went through Taka's head, killing him instantly in a single stroke.

Taka the Eagle died before he could send a report that could prevent an incoming disaster.

**00000000000**

Takogiri sailed calmly, though the atmosphere was clearly gloomed. Neji had the count, of 178 nins get on board, only 23 survived, including Doctor Ina and Fujiki, they managed to rescue quite a few villagers: 97 villagers… but they've lost hundreds… probably even thousands… Fujiki was clearly the most miserable looking person on the ship, and no one tried to talk to him whatsoever. None of his subordinates survived and his prized ship now at the bottom of the sea. Ina was still mourning the death of the villagers and her colleagues. Guccha was no different. Having discovered that the woman in which he had shared was actually the witch he had been hunting, he confronted her the moment things had calm down.

"YOU! You murdered my family, my friends, my village… and my little brother… YOU!!" He pushed Yukiku to the wall. She seemed resigned herself.

"Yes. It was me. And you heard me correctly, at the time… I was laughing."

Guccha couldn't hide his anger anymore. "My brother's… REVENGE!!" He pulled out his sand sword and charged at Yukiku. Before the blow was struck, Naruto jumped in between them and grab hold of the sand katana.

"Naruto-san! Please! GET OUT OF THE WAY!"

"Didn't I tell you? There's more going on with her than between you and her."

"She killed my family."

"When she was six! She didn't even know how to use to a kunai at the time and already she became a mass murderer. Do you have any idea what that could do to you when you were that age?" Naruto pushed away the blade and grabbed Yukiku's hand. He showed the suicide scar on Yukiku's wrist for everyone to see. Guccha shrunk back upon seeing the scar.

Neji frowned. 'Suicide scars…'

Yukiku retract her hand back.

Naruto glared at Guccha. "I know you suffered. I know it's hard for you to lose your family. But she had suffered more than you think. You have friends. Comrade that can support you. She spent years ALONE! No friends no family. With only occasional visit from her mother who died when she needed her the most. And if you feel that she doesn't know how you feel losing a brother, guess again." Naruto pointed his chest. "You're looking at the person who killed the last of her family member: her brother!"

At this Guccha had nothing to say and back away but still he looked at Yukiku with a certain degree of contempt.

'Naruto…' Yukiku looked at Naruto's back. She touched the boy's shoulder. Naruto looked at her and shook his head, but she nodded. "I'm through running. Let's just finish this." Gently pushed Naruto aside, Yukiku stepped forward. "…I killed your brother. And that time I was six. I had no control over my power and I had no idea what I was doing. But that doesn't cleanse my sin. I'm not going to hide or run. Your brother's killers is right in front of you, do what you want."

Several times Guccha looked at the gourd on his waist, to Yukiku's wrist, and then her eyes. There's no fear in those eyes. The sand nin pointed his sand katana right in front of her face to measure her reaction. A few seconds, he finally dropped the katana and left without another word.

Fujiki saw all this and looked at Yukiku. '…she's…' he took a deep breath and then approached the girl. "…"

"What?" Yukiku looked at him.

"…who are you people?" Fujiki finally asked.

"What?"

"You guys are definitely NOT an average ninja. I keep thinking about it… and truth be told, this question had been hanging at the tip of my tongue since the first time I look upon you guys. I also found it weird, why three booby trapped Mist jounins would want to kill you Naruto. Who are you people?"

Yukiku and Naruto looked at Fujiki. The two then looked at Neji and Reynald.

"Give us a second." The four convene.

"What do you think?"

"Isn't it obvious? Whatever party booby trapped those bodies… the booby trap were set to do its job the moment they board this ship, dead or alive… in another word… they want him dead. If they want him dead…" They looked at the last survivor of the Kraken.

"Somewhere private. We'll tell you everything." Neji stated.

Fujiki nodded. "Captain's quarter."

**00000000000**

In the Captain's quarter…

"Here's the deal. We'll tell you some of the things we know, you'll tell us some of the things you know. We don't want to sound egoistical, but you have to understand. We don't fully understand our findings either."

"Here's the deal: I lost all my man in one day. You'll talk, or I'll kick your ass off my ship."

Neji nodded. "Initially, we were Konoha Genins set forth to participate in the Chuunin exam. On our way here, we prevented an assassination attempt on the Mizukage, Enshin Kirimaru. After that, your Kage, acting as a client hired us. So you see, we're secret agents sent here by your Kage to root out the traitors that attempt on his life."

Fujiki eyes widened for a moment and then nodded in understanding. "I see… he couldn't trust us… so he hired outside people… alright. And what did you find?"

"A great confusion and a bunch of suspects." Neji continued. "Containing three names: Shu the Stingray, the pirate, Fudou Touzou, the whale and Saizen Miyamoto, the new swordsman. Though we seem more focused on the latter two at the present. We managed to contact Enshin-dono, and he told us a great deal about the history Murakumo and the Kaguya. During the first exam, with some help, we found out that an enormous number of people were kidnapped, and replaced with fakes. We do not understand why or how, but we do understand, they were used on some sort of drug testing. The replacements are happening in waves. The first only a few dozen, and then a few hundreds, and finally a few thousand. We realized the pattern resemble-"

"Drug testing on humans." Fujiki finished. "The first few dozen, was to point out any errors. Fix it, and then do it again. The second wave is to test its effectiveness. The last phase was to see if it's plausible for mass production. I know that."

"Yes. And then, during this exam, Naruto was getting shot at by those three fellows, which we suspected, given the fact they're using firearms are Saizen's men. Naruto found them ransacking the archives of a lab in a mansion's basement. We know not what they're looking for. But we do found… you. Your names. Your photo. It seems you were involved in this… drug testing. But we don't know… the link… between the attempted murder of Mizukage… and this."

Fujiki nodded. "You just mentioned however… the reason why they want to kill me. I was part of that research… that abominable research, hence I know too much, and they want me dead because of it. The missiles shot from the Kraken, one salvo was aimed at that mansion to destroy everything: the archives, the proofs, and witnesses as well."

"Not exactly everything." Yukiku suddenly spoke up.

"Hm?" Fujiki looked at Yukiku. The girl timidly gave the Swordsman the photo. Fujiki's eyes widened. "This photo…"

"There's a picture of you and Touzou in it."

"Yes. It's pretty nostalgic. Team Lab 404." Fujiki smiled as he rubbed his face on the photo. "That was the name we go by, when we form this team 18 years ago."

The three nins went silent and gave the Swordsman their undivided attention.

"If you already know about the civil war between Murakumo and Kaguya… then you know that the root of it all was Kaguya incurable deadly disease. Team Lab 404 was formed at the time, to find the cure for that disease. I was part of that team…At that time I was still a Chuunin, but I was known as a prodigy of mechanic and physics. Touzou was a veteran scientist in biology and genetics."

"What about my mother?" Unable to contain her curiosity, Yukiku blurted out.

"Your mother?" Fujiki bent his head, slightly bewildered.

Yukiku pointed at a woman standing between Touzou and Fujiki. The swordsman's eyes widened. "She's your mother!?" Fujiki chuckled. "…so she was carrying twins…"

"You knew her?"

Fujiki nodded and smiled kindly. "To explain about your mother, that will be the same as to explain the entirety of this project. You see, your mother was at the center of it, right to the very end."

Yukiku listened carefully.

"She was an incredible scientist. Her specialty lies in miniaturization. To be more specific, she called it: Nanotechnology."

"Nanotechnology?" The three nins echoed.

"It's a technology in which you miniaturize a machine to become almost as small as a human's cell." Reynald explained. "Which is very very tiny." The three nins nodded.

Fujiki proceeded with his story. "Western educated, she was a brilliant as she is dedicated woman of science and as such she was the head of team. She's the only one who managed to bring me and Touzou together. Without her, we probably would've killed each other before we produce any results." The swordsman chuckled. "She could probably miniaturize every invention I can think of, and she still can improve its performance ten times over. She oversees my rehabilitation, and she's the reason I become a gourmand."

Yukiku asked out of curiosity. "Do you… have a crush on my mother?"

"I was 8 at the time; your mother was no pedophile!"

"Sorry. Forget I asked."

"I respected her, as a dedicated scientist and I learnt a lot: nanotechnology, engineering, and a scientist' pride and etiquette. If you're asking about a scientist who had a crush on her, ask Touzou." The way Fujiki spat at his name clearly showed his hatred of the fellow swordsman.

"One question! Did Touzou ever…?"

"NEVER! You mother was also a kunoichi. She'll cut off the man's manhood before she let her do anything like that to her."

"Oh, good. Continue please." Yukiku felt a little more at ease.

"Anyway, let's get back on the track. Lab team 404. Our mission, at first, was to find the cure for Kaguya's deadly disease… but there's one problem: Kaguya are very-very hard to control and they are raving mad! For every Kaguya we captured to be tested, 2 or 3 scientist got torn to pieces every time the experiment failed. They were… beyond control. Soon, many scientists began to lose sight of the goal… and they start to think: the hell with Kaguya! Let them die off! That's a lot of load off our shoulder!"

Fujiki sighed. "I was one of the voices who sounded such opinion. Your mother against it. But in the end… unanimously, everyone agreed to let them go. But instead of being closed, lab 404 understood that if they lose the Kaguya, our army will suffer greatly. So instead, we start searching for other alternatives. It came in form of what we call…The Super Soldier Solution AKA TS3 project."

"TS3 project." Everyone echoed.

"How do you define talent?" Fujiki suddenly asked. "How come, people like me… or your mother, seem to be so capable… or even more capable, than people much older than us? Some of use theorizes it came from genetics; that the knowledge from prodigies of old, of the great warriors that came before us, was passed on to us through genetics. The TS3 project seeks to find a way to give that talent of old to average soldiers. Turning them into super soldiers. In fact, the TS3 project goal was to make a soldier super fast, super intelligent, super strong, super… everything."

Neji raised his hand. "How is this…had anything to do with the Mizukage?"

"He spearheaded this project. He was still a Jounin at the time and he was the one who gave us the go ahead and the funding. Some of our… research… are quite taboo in the eyes of the public. Hence we were designated as a top secret. We have to open up graves of the previous Kages and other fallen ninjas just to extract their genes." Fujiki sighed.

"Did you do it then? You managed to create them? The Super soldier drug?" Naruto got a little excited at the thought of a drug that can make you super intelligent.

"We did. Or, to be more accurate… your mother did it." Fujiki looked at Yukiku. "It's not exactly a 'drug'. It's a package of Nanomachines, or Nanites, your mother's creation, carrying the genetic mutator that will bind and change your molecular structure. In theory, the Nanomachines will be inhaled via normal breathing. The nanites will then went straight to your brain gave a series of instruction via electromagnet pulse into your spinal cord that will force your entire body to change in accordance to what was programmed on the Nanites. The intention was basically to make your body stronger: sharper eye, stronger lung, faster reaction time, faster regeneration, denser bones, tougher skin, increased muscle mass and strength, elemental mastery and immunity… the basics of a superman. The nanites also carried the genetic codes of the Kages and the warriors we extracted and then implement them on your DNA. The final product would be a powerful super soldier with incredible talent which is the culmination of the strength of every talented and prodigious warrior of the past. At least…in theory."

"You spoke of in theory… you mean it was never been tested?"

"We tested it… it's just that no one ever survived the procedure. They all suffered heavy mutations that turned them into mindless monsters, similar with those bloated monstrosities you saw on my ship. And then they fell dead. Your mother estimated that the Package has a 98.9 percent fatality rate. And, she never sanctioned any human testing when she learned that fact on the clones she tested on."

"Clones?" Naruto and Reynald blinked.

"Oh yes. I forgot to mention that. She was also a genius in the technology of cloning. Originally she intended to use that technology to reduce the need of Kaguya subjects. But since that project was closed before she can implement the idea, instead she used the clones to conduct her experiment on the TS3 project."

"Clones… Touzou wouldn't happen to learn how to do that, would he? Because that would answer how and with what he replaced those 4500 people."

"Funny you ask that. I think that was the reason that old geezer interested in her in the first place." Fujiki sneered. "Fucking old pervert!"

"B… But… back in the lab… we found notes of human testing… on convicts!" Yukiku exclaimed.

Fujiki frowned and glared to Yukiku, as if to emphasize a point. "Your mother is a dedicated scientist with good conscious. Believe me when I said this: it wasn't your mother's doing. It was Touzou's."

Yukiku inwardly growled. 'Him again!'

"Touzou, having a certain amount of moral ambiguity in his methods, never could follow your mother's etiquette. He conducted the experiment on his own on those convicts. When your mother found out about it… the last time I saw her being that furious was when she found out I've been sneaking drugs into my dinner. But I quit soon after, hence she calmed down considerably quicker. But with Touzou…Your mother threatened to kick him off the team if he still continued his private research. When that didn't work, she brought the case to the council, threatening she'll go public. Something the council came up with managed to shut her up and she even had to tolerate Touzou on the team. Ever since that, she's been bitter with her work."

Naruto looked at Yukiku and noticed the girl was furious. She was gripping her swords tightly, no doubt itching to hack them on a certain swordsman.

Fujiki sighed and thought for a moment and clearly he's choosing his words carefully. It seems this part was the hardest part for him to explain. He raised the photo. "…this photo was taken 15 years ago. Your mother left the team, exactly 4 days after we took this photo. We don't know who's the father… she was suddenly pregnant for three months when she told us she'll quit the team for permanent maternity leave." The swordsman rubbed the picture of Yukiku's mother, specifically at her swollen tummy. "Last I heard, it was her son who died on the bridge construction… never imagined she gave birth to twins."

"So… my mother left the team… because she was giving birth to me and my brother?"

Fujiki realized, what he was about to reveal will be a great shock for the girl. "No. That was just to sweeten it up before the council. The real reason is more awful than that. Touzou had done an unforgivable treachery at her."

That was it. Touzou is officially her mortal enemy. "What. Did. He. Do?"

"…before your mother left, she had contemplated of stopping her research altogether. Her conscious seem just can't handle it anymore. Before that though, we managed to produce two, ONLY two doses of what we call the Perfect Super Soldier Nanites. Any person injected with this package, if it's successful, will became the true super soldier we all yearn for. However, we simply cannot risk another failed experiment, lest we lose such precious sample. Hence two alternative methods on how to use this package was proposed. I propose one, Touzou proposed the other."

"What are they?" Reynald pondered.

"The first… mine… was to use your mother's cloning technology to create a genetically engineered clone. One that is compatible with the drug. So instead of creating the drug which is compatible with the human, we'll create the human which is compatible with the drug. When the clone is in its embryo state, we'll inject the nanites, and let them change the embryo into a super soldier of its image. That was my idea, though it's easier said than done. Touzou propose a similar idea… but in his style of lack of moral etiquette: inject the nanites on a pregnant woman. The nanite will then affect the embryo on the woman's womb, and the woman will probably die at child birth; but the child born from it will be affected by the Nanites. Hence, the baby will be born a super soldier."

"B… But that's not unethical… that's inhuman! The council, no, a human being with a heart would never allow that!"

"That's the problem." Fujiki mourned. "Touzou is a man of action. His philosophy is: try it first, report it later. Before he even proposed his idea, he already infected a pregnant woman with the first dose of the Super soldier nanites. Regretfully I didn't find out about it until much later."

Yukiku's eyes widened. "…and the p-pregnant woman was…?"

"…yes. It was your mother."

**00000000000**

**00000000000**

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"Well, Kira, I've done what you've asked. Garous… first in Konoha… and then Mist… I guess it only make sense that there might be a group of them around the Suna as well."

"We took care of both locations… but just in case…"

"No worries my friend. The Kappas were already on it."

"Good. You're the man!"

Athrun chuckled and with that he ended the transmission. He looked at the sack, which contain the half dead Deidara. He then turned towards the suspect. "So… let me get this straight… you… have sex for one last time… with your brother's dead body?"

"Y… yes… y… you want me to…"

"NO! That's the line we're not gonna cross. Too much of those gay lewd shit and Ajwriter will be furious and cut the Minichapters Deidara's Days in Interrogation entirely and this is my only screentime!"

"Whoa! He didn't even write the title and he skipped the number altogether!" Kankurou looked at the above line. Indeed, beneath the triple rows of zeroes there is no title!

**The Tragedy of Chicken Soup **

**Minichapter 18:**

The Accident

In the desert of the Wind country, far from the preaching eyes of mortals… a battle was fought.

An army of Kappas charged towards the seemingly infinite number of Garous.

Meanwhile, some distance away, in the peaceful village of Sunagakure…another battle was fought in the bowels of Sunagakure poison division.

An army of Suna's greatest poison checkers and makers… against a single bowl of what quite possible the deadliest poison known to men

The Kappas, loyal servant of Genbu of the Northern Cardinal Gods, a fierce warrior, loyal to a fault

Garou, one of the nine Youmaou, three tails, capable of splitting to three offspring every time they were killed, and capable of traveling in between shadows

Suna's poison division, an assembly of Sunagakure's most revered poison experts, led by Chiyo

The soup, a horrifying amalgam of unknown substance of malignant effect, constant contact with its very fume had killed the delivery nin that carried it to the village, while sending many others into coma

These two battles will collide… all because of a single accident.

In Sunagakure…

In the mess hall during lunch, the Poison Experts were discussing about the Chicken Soup, as they code name it so, ever since they found out it contain the chunks of chicken as its ingredient. "It was incredible… what kind of method used to turn chicken into that deadly of a poison?"

"That's just a proof of how incredible that poison is." Chiyo stated. "They didn't use normal poison ingredients. Instead, normal household ingredients is used, normal people wouldn't have guessed how effective it was until they took a bite."

Meanwhile, one of the Poison expert secretly sneak out.

"NYihihihihi… Forget that old hag Chiyo. If I got this bowl away, I could culture it and create my own brand of poison, and once I sell it to the black market… and then I, the great Dokumaru-sama will be bloody rich. MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Dokumaru get to the Poison Division, there he saw the Chicken Soup, lying ever so innocently in a triple layer of see through glass. Dokumaru quickly get into a lead suit and confidently walk towards the poison. When he opened the first glass however, the fragrance of the soup had spread. When he opened the second layer, his lead suit started to melt.

"NANNI!?" Dokumaru took a few step back. He looked at the lead suit. '…incredible… no wonder even Chiyo had this much trouble…' "BUT! I'm not gonna give up! All I need is one sample!"

And so Dokumaru resorted to take a vial. Using a doll he carefully opened the third glass, and the odor spread out altogether. Even the wooden doll start to rot. "UHIIII! I have to hurry!"

In a flash, the doll quickly took a vial full of the soup and put a gobstopper on it, plastered with many, many isolation. "Alright! Close it! Close it!" Quickly, as Dokumaru's nose administer the first scent of the soup, he desperately closed the soup back into the confines of the glass walls.

When it was done, Dokumaru swept the sweat from his forehead… "Unbelievable… the kind of trouble he had to went through just to secure a vial… say… why do I feel so lightheaded? Ah this must be the taste of success!" Dokumaru laughed again when he looked to the ceiling he realized he was looking… at the sky. "Heh?"

He looked below… and saw his own body, lying cold on the floor, pooled with blood. "Eh… I only took one sniff… and I WAS ALREADY DEAD!?"

The vial containing the poison fell off his hand and rolled over, out of the room, falling through the stairs, snapped and fly out of the window. It landed on a tent, catapulted into a palm tree, where it slide to the river. The river carried the vial, and its abominable content across the desert…

In Kappa village, the warriors had just returned after a successful slaughter of Garous…

Saizou was commenting on Himizu's progress. "Not bad. You've improved Himizu, but when you thrust your spear you still tend to use only the strength of your elbow. Keep that up, you could break your joint one day."

"It doesn't look that much different though…"

"Well… get some water for my plate and I'll explain."

"Okay." Himizu went to the river. He filled a basin with the water and he was about to fill his own when he saw an innocent vial. "Hm?" The appa took it and opened the gobstopper. 'Hey… it smell kinda good…' Himizu sniffed it several times, and then he drink it. "The taste is… the taste is… the. Taste. Is…"

Himizu trembled for several seconds and then he turn red, and then he turn blue, and then he turn green, and then he turn yellow, and then he turn white. ";……!"

The Kappa start jumping like a rabbit, somersaulting 6 times in a row, jumping and hopping around on his head, turning again he had a tap dance before he spins out of control, spitting fire from his ears and noses.

Saizou dropped his katana altogether. 'What the…'

**00000000000**

**00000000000**

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This got to be in for the record. The fastest chapter I've ever wrote!


	38. Unthinkable, Trapper and the Trapped

Also read Samurai Seed and kind enough to leave a review. It's the prequel of this story. Go to my profile and you'll find it.

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": special case (Naruto Berserker mode, different language)**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA! : Giant creature speech **

"_Journal no bla bla": Renald's writing or other uses_

Disclaimer: I own nothing… except the plenty of OCs in the story.

**Chapter 35:**

The Unthinkable, the Trapper, and the Trapped

"M…My mother was… subjected to that drug?" To say Yukiku was shocked of the revelation would be an understatement.

"Yes. And the end result… was you and your brother." Fujiki confirmed. "I suppose that's the source of your phenomenal blizzard power. It is a culmination of all the ice powers of the previous generation shinobis."

"No… You're kidding right?"

"I don't think so, Yukiku. I'm afraid, that might be the truth."

"N… Naruto?" Yukiku looked at the blond.

"Your skill… with the sword, up to the point you can create your own technique. I mean… there's gotta be a limit to how talented a person can be." Naruto remembered during the whole maze ordeal. "When one creates his own technique… like when I create the Katon Rasen Ensho to burst through your blizzard, one can expect a few errors in the first try. Back then in the maze, your first attack was so perfect it's kinda hard to believe that no one taught you… If that Nanite really implanted the talents and experiences of the previous shinobis to you… well, it only makes sense that to a certain extent, their techniques and jutsus were implanted on you too."

"Exactly." Fujiki nodded.

"What about my brother? Was he too, a super soldier?" Yukiku turned to Naruto again, the one person who had faced her brother directly in combat.

"I'm not sure." Naruto frowned. "I was still weak at the time… and I wasn't myself when I beat your brother. My worst half took over. But… he's powerful nonetheless… and he's as fast as hell."

"Perhaps your mother too had not suspected that she was giving birth to twins." Fujiki rubbed his chin, trying to deduce an answer. "In my assumption, your brother didn't get altered by the Nanomachines as much as you. Perhaps it has something to do with your genetic makeup or the fact that you're a girl."

"Why does my gender important?"

"Because that means you take up from your mother a lot more." Fujiki continued. "Touzou method does not take into account of the survival of the mother. What I do understand until you were around six years old, your mother was still alive. A proof that she survived the childbirth. And a proof that she was compatible with her own nanites; a compatibility that she passed on to you."

"But… why did I lose control of my power every so often?"

"Again it was probably because you guys were born twins. The nanites altered both of you, but in a different way. The male one, he probably had augmented control and physical strength… while you… had augmented chakra capacity and chakra elemental prowess, and some talent in weapon fighting. For your case it's more like… the Nanite installed the water tap but they forgot to put the lever."

"Then?" Neji joined the conversation. "What happened to the team after her mother left?"

"Fell apart in a matter of days. She was the lifeline of the project. Separated, we made no progress whatsoever. I myself quit the team soon after, but Touzou remained with a few of his loyal scientist for the next few years. However, they made no significant progress in those years, and even though your mother left us with her Nanotechnology and cloning knowledge, we've never been able to produce any result that is remotely close to the ones created by your mother. When the war was over, the third Mizukage was killed; Kaguya and Murakumo killed each other out. Enshin then became the Mizukage, and he decided to close down the project and for some reason forbade further similar experiment, much to Touzou's discontent."

"So… you think Touzou intend to kill or perhaps replace the Mizukage with a clone so that he can continue with the project?" Neji voiced out a possibility.

"Unlikely. And besides, if what you guys told me about experiments in the last two years was true, that would mean he didn't give jack about Mizukage's approval."

"Say… about those Nanites. You said there were two doses. One was used on Yukiku's mother, what happened to the other one?"

"I kept it for some time. Three years after the war is over, I proceeded with my own idea of genetically engineered clone; I thought I was trying to honor her legacy. I even used my own DNA as base. But… midway… I…" Fujiki fell silent. In his mind, the images of that event occurred again.

"_Somebody stop him!" A bleeding Fujiki, wearing a lab coat looked in horror at Namimaru who was rolling on the floor, roaring as he hold his bleeding socket where his eye once was. _

"_WRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!" a molten sack of flesh that horrendously resembled Fujiki roared.  
_

"_JUST DIE YOU…!!"_

"…I freaked out. Call it an epiphany or a late wakeup call. At that time I fully understand why your mother quit. We were trying to distort what God had given us. It's just like we're trying to be God ourselves. Scientist can break many lines of etiquette and morale when seeking progress. But at times, you gotta draw a line and said to yourself: here's the line we don't cross. So DON'T." Fujiki sighed. "I gave up and wash my hands clean of the project. And I gave the last dose to Enshin, told him to destroy it and forget this super soldier business. But as we all found out, he didn't. And Touzou or some other scientists get their hands on it, reproducing as well as modifying it."

"How do you know?"

"I recognized your mother's design. What we saw in my ship? That was a malignant use of the Nanites. You see, your mother's nanomachine had several weaknesses, which perhaps she purposefully made as safety measure. First, it's wickedly sensitive to ultrasonic wave. Back then, your mother tried to use this fact to control the nanites regeneration rate. It was literally a bloody mess. Those guys, let's call them Exploders, who turn into those bloated tentacles? My guess is, the nanites were overdriving their regenerative strength, turning them to… well… those… tentacle monstrosities. And for those guys, the Screamers? The nanomachines must've wired to their brain, programming them to do just that: screaming at the ultrasonic frequency. The Exploders received the ultrasonic wave from the screamers and the nanites inside them went haywire. And then the exploders' tentacles spread the infectious nanites to other normal human, making them mutated as well… Some sort of… a chain reaction bio human bomb, if you want to call it so."

Neji suddenly realized a horrible fact. "Wait a second. Those guys who got nanomachines wired to their brain… they weren't happen to be clones… were they?"

"I'm afraid they are." Fujiki closed his eyes. "And I understand the dangerous repercussion that could occur. A screamer that will affect 3 or so Exploders might affect 10 or more Screamers in vicinity. With that many clones residing in the village, imagine the chain reaction that might happen if even one of those screamers were set loose to the village."

"…perhaps that's what they're going to do? Now that they know assassinating the Mizukage will be too hard with him now on alert and under protection all the time, using booby trapped clone to take the entire city hostage, to force Enshin-dono to relinquish his mantle of leadership?" Reynald proposed an idea.

"That's a very fine theory. Yes. That might be it. Stubborn or not, Enshin-jii is a Kage. The safety of his people will always come first."

"But something I still don't get. So I'm a so-called perfect super soldier. But I'm still the product of those nanites. How come those Screamers didn't affect me the same way they did to the others?" Yukiku raised a question.

"Because the manner in which the nanites were administered. You see, the one responsible of transforming your body was not the nanites per se. The nanites are just carrier to the genetic mutator. The Mutator then altered your mother. In return, your mother's altered body altered you in her womb. So you see, unlike the artificial super soldier, you were born a natural biological super soldier. There's not a single shred of Nanomachines within you. That's why the Screamers didn't affect you."

Yukiku nodded, somewhat relieved.

"But… 4,500 of those things lurking in a village… just look what a three of those had caused… how are we supposed to fight something like that?" Naruto groaned.

"What's the other safety measure my mother had prepared?"

"Electricity. One time, a scientist got infected by the nanites. Your mother used a defibrillator on maximum voltage to fry out every last one of those nanites in his body. The scientist suffered some minor second degree burns because the nanomachine combust… but nothing serious. We had to be careful. First." Fujiki suddenly head bent down and his eyes glaring in all seriousness. He showed them a communicator. "Understand that now; I'm also part of you guys. I haven't contacted the Kirigakure, if Touzou is indeed the traitor; for all he knew is: I'm dead. And we're going to keep it that way. Dead man moves easier."

"Okay." Neji looked at the other spies. They all agreed. A local ally at last.

"Good. Now I have an idea on how we can take out all those possibly booby trapped clones. But that's for later. It won't do much good taking out all 4500 clones if Touzou can create another 10,000. We have to take them out at the source. The only way to do that is to have someone infiltrate their circle."

"How do we do that?"

"Neji, you told me about the human testing procedure pattern. I reckon the whole procedure from phase 1 to 3 would take about 2 years. The first phase usually last no more than a month. The second phase took about half a year. And the third phase could last a year or so. But there's one thing you've missed. In the standard procedure, the third phase had to be done TWICE. The first one was just for the testing of consistency and validating the drug efficacy on random subjects; second one is to test its feasibility for mass production. You understand what this means?"

"That there will be another wave of disappearance and replacements?" Neji caught on.

"If what you told me was true, then I suppose the first part of the third phase is nearing its end. Soon, they will have to proceed with the second part."

"But if they want to do it in secret, that many people missing, the Mizukage will probably start sniffing around." Naruto pointed out.

"The Mizukage had already sniffing around… with you guys." Fujiki chuckled. "Anyhow, since we know there will another wave of replacements, we gotta make sure that one of us gets taken in."

"That's risky."

"It's the only way to find out the real traitors."

"So… one of us gotta use some henge and then infiltrate the circle… Alright. Let's do it."

"Wait." Yukiku raised her hand. "If we're going to do this… do you mind if I do that part?"

"Yukiku?" They looked at her.

"When I first take down this mission, I thought I just want to finish the job. But now that I know my mother was involved in all this… this is getting personal. And don't get me wrong, Fujiki-san. Sure I Hate Touzou for what he did. But this is no longer about revenge. I'm my mother's daughter and I'm damn proud of it now. My mother left that abominable project because she wanted it to end then and there. But instead it continued with devastating proportion. So I'm going finish my mother's job, once and for all."

Neji and Naruto sighed. At this point whatever they're going to say will be useless. Fujiki smiled. 'You're your mother's daughter alright.' "Well… if that's the case… fine." Fujiki took the photo of Lab 404, and then felt the back of the photo's thick frame. 'Hm… what's this?' Fujiki turned the back of the frame and realized something was bulging out of the back of frame, and it's too thick to be a photo.

He pulled out a kunai and look at Yukiku. "Don't worry, I won't ruin the photo." He tore the back of the photo frame. He opened the torn part, and behind the photo, there's a book. Fujiki chuckled and took it and handed it to the girl. "This is your mother's personal diary. During her time in Lab 404, she made no secret that she kept her own personal notes on what's going on in there…"

Yukiku jaw dropped as she took the diary. "This is… my mother's… diary?"

"Yeah… Touzou always thought it contained secret formula or something… but… truth be told… we never figure out what exactly she was writing in there. I take a look at one page a long time ago, and all I found was nothing but gibberish."

"Gibberish?" Yukiku looked at the front cover of the book. There's a handwritten poem on it. "'Look into every letter written on the pages. Look deep enough and you'll see the answer to all.'" Yukiku read the poem. 'Hm… she's a poet too eh?'

The girl opened the first page. And all she saw was, exactly like Fujiki said: gibberish and nonsensical letters that didn't make even the slightest sense. Or at least… that's what it looks like for Naruto, Neji and Reynald. "Hey I know this!"

The three nins and one journalist looked at Yukiku. "Yeah… it's a secret code my mom used to teach me!"

"Is that so?"

Fujiki chuckled. 'Yahari…'

"Yeah… she made me memorized everything and made it our second private language. Here it says…"

"ALRIGHT! STOP RIGHT THERE!" Fujiki closed his ears. They looked at the swordsman antics. "That book was written in a code that only the daughter of the writer understands. That means, your mother meant the message to be read by you and you only. I don't have the right to hear it."

"I thought you'll be interested." Yukiku smirked as she opened other pages. "From what I've seen, all that is written here is your rehabilitation recipes."

"…" It was as if someone just dropped a lightning on Fujiki's head. "…you're serious?"

She read one recipe. "Eh hem… appetizer: swan neck sausage with mushroom cream sauce. Stir fried Swan innards with red wine and some thyme with a little honey for secret taste, stuffed on the swanbone-soup-boiled swan neck skin made into sausage and eaten with salty sour shiitake mushroom sauce and…"

"Yukiku! Stop right there." This time Naruto stopped the girl.

"What?"

"Anymore and his saliva will drown us all." Reynald pointed at the salivating Fujiki.

The girl sweat dropped. Her mother made him a gourmand alright.

**00000000000**

Contrary to the mending atmosphere aboard the Takogiri, the situation on the Amegakure territory was the complete opposite. People were screaming, family members were crying at their lost ones. People were groaning and screaming that they couldn't feel half of their body. Hanzou witness all this as he arrived on his village, to find it in ruins.

"What… atrocities…" Shinja cover her mouth.

"Could it be… the traitors?" Juuou gritted his teeth.

"No… ninjas can't get through our defenses that easily."

Just then, black feathers start falling from the sky. Shinja looked to the sky. "The grieving brother arrived."

A nin, bearing black wings, descended from the skies. His face was a mirror image of the man he carried in his arms.

"Karas… my heart grieve for your brother." Shinja bent down her face.

"Taka found something before he died. That's why he was killed." Karas was a spitting image of his brother, safe that his clothing is darker, a direct contrast with his brother's.

"What do you think it is?"

"I don't know. But, I did saw a ship, bearing the mark of the Kirigakure."

"Kirigakure, kero? Your brother's last report did say he saw a giant Kirigakure ship on shores, kero." Ankou blabbered.

"Could it be that they're responsible for this?" Juuou growled angrily.

"Could be. Though I cannot imagine why they would shoot at us." Hanzou massaged his temple.

"Then let's find out why, Kero!" Ankou replied.

Karas nodded. "Then, if you excuse me." The eagle's twin dashed to the skies.

"What now my lord?"

Hanzou frowned.

**00000000000**

Kyoko's maids and subordinates had given up on trying to have her eat anything. The usually cheerful and bright girl was slumping on her bed, her eyes widened, devoid of all live. Her usual long blue hair is gone. Flocks of blue hair scattered around her futon. Unable to believe what had happened in just yesterday's morning.

Flashback:

Yesterday morning…

"AAAAAAAAAAAhn…" Kyoko just woke up from a good night sleep. "…nggg…eh?" She found a letter found by her brother. "Eh? Nanni ka?"

She opened the letter, read the content… and ran out as quickly as her feet can take her

In an abandoned warehouse near a dock…

"…" Hiko the Swordfish was waiting for his former teammate inside that very same dock.

"You still remember the old pirate way of sending a message eh?"

Hiko turned around and saw the brown haired man.

"Shu… this is not your former first mate wanting to have nostalgic moment." Hiko glared at his former Pirate Captain. "This is a Kirigakure Devil Swordsman, doing his job."

"That's the look you shoot your enemy."

"Why did you try to kill Enshin-sensei?"

"Ha? Where in the blazes you get that crazy of an idea?"

"Stop playing coy with me. I still remember when you show me that ridiculous Death list six."

"Ah. I remember cause you quit my crew soon after."

"I thought you were just joking." Hiko grab hold of his sword. "But I never understood it, until today. Shu! Why did you attempt to kill the Mizukage!?"

At this, Shu's laid back attitude and playful speech changed. "I've warned that old man. I'll be watching his every step."

This answer sounded like a confirmation to Hiko. "Aso." He retracted his sword and prepared for his signature stab movement. "Shu, as one of Mizuakge's Devil Swordsman, I will now put you under arrest."

"Don't make me do this. I don't want to hurt you. Not for Kyoko's sake."

"Hurt me? I think-" Hiko disappeared. Shu brought out his red sword and the two attacks clashed. Hiko's stab was blocked by Shu's crimson blade surface. "You've overestimated yourself."

Shu glared back.

**00000000000**

Outside, Kyoko was looking around, wondering where his brother could be. She asked the morning watch guard if they saw his brother.

"_Kyoko, if you're seeing this letter, I may well be long gone._

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!" Hiko roared as he sent another high speed stab at Shu, who dodged it by hairbreadth.

_I watched over you for as long as I can remember, and if I think about it now, as I wrote this letter… I've always seen you as another Kunoichi, instead of a family. In this respect, I have failed you as your brother; therefore, I'm sorry, even if it's late by a lifetime. _

"Oh… I saw Hiko-dono this morning. He went that way I think." An old man pointed at the direction of Strut 1.

_Me, Fujiki, Shu, and so many other senior jounins… they were actually victims. We were turned into a Ninja by using the bloody system of killing our friends in our graduation from our academy. An act that… quite in fact, scarred us deeper than one can imagine._

"Grhhh!" Shu bashed the attack to the side before sending a roundhouse slash to Hiko's head.

_Fujiki for example, he suffered it physically. Me… well… I suppose I've lost the ability to ever care or love someone. Even to you… my own family. Father's betrayal simply made it worse. I was so caught up in restoring family name, not a moment thought given to your welfare._

Kyoko ran as fast as her feet can muster. When she arrived to Strut 1, she was totally lost.

_We, the older generations had taken a path of no return. If… one day came, where shinobis are no longer needed in this world, we may not know what to do. For killing is the only things we know how to do._

Hiko barely blocked the overhead slash, and the blade grated his sword, scratching the side of his forehead.

_I know Zabuza was a missing nin, and a ferocious one to boot. But… quite personally, I'm glad he put an end to that bloody tradition. It spares you, and other later generation_ _from the horror we, of the older generation had went through. You're unscarred. Unspoiled. Even though you are trained as a kunoichi. You remain as you are. It is my fondest wish that you will remain that way. And I won't let anyone try to bring that time of horror back._

The gray haired nin prepared his stabbing attack again. He thrust with all his might. Unbelievably, Shu caught it with his finger. "Focusing on one technique is good and all but… if you keep using the same technique over and over, it's bound to get seen through."

_That's why, at the very least, I will protect this peace… even if it's… a relative peace. Not for Mizukage-sama, or the Kirigakure. At the very least, I'll do this for you. And if you found out the truth. If you've realized what I've done… you might hate me for it. It's alright. Hopefully, your hatred for me will give you the strength to go on. _

'Nii-san! When he wrote that… it must be about Shu… Nii-san! Shu!' She asked around the guardsman, none have seen her elder brother so far.

**00000000000**

Aboard the Takogiri… at the present…

"You know, Fujiki-san… There is actually one more suspect… but…" Neji realized that Fujiki was once the suspect's former teammate.

"Shu isn't it?"

"Yeah."

"What did Enshin-jii told you about him?"

"Shu's father was the head retainer of the Murakumo head. He was murdered by Fetaru Hiryuu and…" Neji rubbed his temple. "…and then Shu killed Hiryuu."

"A cycle of killing and getting killed eh? Well, he was that kind of a hotheaded person." Fujiki sighed. "But… from what I know, he and Enshin were… quite close."

**000000 (AN: Note that the event on Takogiri and the events happening between Hiko and Shu are one day apart) 00000**

"GuaaHAAK!" Hiko gasped blood as he was knocked so hard unto a steel wall.

Shu stomped to the ground, his killing intent was clearly shown in his eyes.

**00000000000**

"Shu was quite close to Hiko too… Not in a friendly way, actually… but… his sister."

"Kyoko-san?"

"Ah. Kyoko had a… crush on Shu." Fujiki sighed. "Not that it went unnoticed. But Kyoko had to battle Shu's first love: the seas. The big blue ocean. I mean… Hiko doesn't really agree with Shu on many things but… they agree on one thing."

**00000000000**

"I told you didn't I? You and I, we both only agree on one thing." Shu approached Hiko with his sword at the ready.

Kyoko look around frantically as the last parts of the letter played in her mind.

**00000000000**

_**(Shu's words, Fujiki's words, and the content of Hiko's letter) I don't want Kyoko to cry.**_

**00000000000**

"In that respect, they agree." Fujiki pointed matter of factly. "They cared for her."

**00000000000**

Just then, Kyoko heard a distant sound of sword clashing and realized there were people fighting. She rushed to the source of the noise.

At the warehouse

"But…" Shu raised his sword. "I'm glad Kyoko wasn't here… I would hate for her to see this."

**00000000000**

"They were so agreeing on that point, it unified them. Up to the point that the thought of Shu bring any harm to Hiko is…"

**00000000000**

"SHU!!" Hiko roared and charged towards Shu, lunging his sword at his former closest friend. The two clashed, and they run to the side as their sword grind on each other. When they break up, Hiko attempt to use the momentum to send another lunge, but Shu, with more power than the Swordfish thought possible, smashed his sword away with a swing. And then, while the sword is still in the air, Shu mercilessly slash his sword on Hiko's head.

**00000000000**

"-unthinkable." Fujiki finished his sentence with a grin.

**00000000000**

The blade cut through the upper portion of the swordsman's head just as the Swordfish's sword landed right in front of the horrified Kyoko.

Shu's eyes widened as his eyes met Kyoko's.

"…N…Nii… san…?"

"…K…Kyoko…"

"…" She looked at his late brother's sword and to her crush. "…S…Shu…d…dou…shite…?"

"…it wasn't my intention for you to see this." Shu mournfully holster the bloodstained crimson sword to his back. He approached the still shocked Kunoichi. "I do hope someday you'll understand why I did this." He took Hiko's sword and walk away. "But… if… when you do understand… and you still feel raw about it…" He turned around and gave her one last look. "I'll be waiting." And with that, he disappeared.

Kyoko was still half conscious. Crawling on all fours, she approached her brother's dead cold hands. "…Nii-san? A… Are you sleeping?" She was still in the state of denial. "You are… aren't you? Yeah… you're getting back at me when I played dead at the first time… r…right?" Her voice was cracking up as her psyche as a kunoichi forced her to accept the truth: her brother is not playing dead. His head got cut to two. Instant death. He's dead.

Then, the last part of his brother's letter flowed in to her mind.

_Oh… and… if only I can show it… but… truthfully is, the day you were chosen as the new swordswoman… I'm the proudest and the happiest brother in the world."_

**00000000000**

"You trust him? This Shu?"

"With my life."

**00000000000**

And the cruel reality crashed on her… as she screamed and cried. "HIKO-NII-SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!"

**00000000000**

Just then, the rear section of the Takogiri exploded.

"W…What was that?" Naruto gaped.

"Enemy attack?"

"No. I don't think so…" Fujiki frowned. He ran towards the rear section and found the cause. "Oh crap… Our engine's busted!"

"Eh?" Everyone gasped.

"I guess using a 500 horsepower engine on a ship designed to be pushed by at least 2000 is just overkill…"

"EEEEH!?" Everyone jaw dropped.

"J… Jaa! Then why didn't you put a 2000 horsepower engine!?"

"Cause initially I got 8 of those 500 Horsepower engine. Plenty of power no? But… the other 7 got busted during the Kraken incident so…" Fujiki sighed. "…we still carry enough momentum… I might be able to land this ship… but that means we'll have to walk our way home now."

"Walk our way home… Wait a DAMN minute!" Naruto raised his hand in objection. "If my memory serves me right… isn't there also another tiny weeny bit of insignificant detail BUT INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FACT paired with this whole idea of walking our way home!?"

"True. We'll be walking on Amegakure's territory. And after that incident, they might double, no triple their defenses, and they'll be very, very pissed off."

All color disappeared from everyone's face.

"Even worse, the missiles were shot at highly populated area in the country. Any people belonging to that country will be extremely hostile."

Their knees gave up on them.

"In fact… I won't be surprised if we're targeted on execution on sight already."

Some of the nin literally had their souls flying out of their mouths.

"That's why we need stealth, disguise, and a miracle." Fujiki walked to the center and showed a map. "Look. This is Wave's border. Our destination is to reach this place. If we can somehow get pass the border without anyone on Rain noticing, they won't be able to lay hands on us once we're in."

"What about this ship? They can trace that back to Mist."

"We'll have to destroy it. Every last bolt of this ship must be destroyed. No one must know we're here."

And so it was, Takogiri landed on the shore. As soon as it touched the ground, the engines exploded completely. They quickly evacuate the ship. Once everyone is safe on land, Fujiki let the ship went adrift to the middle of the sea before he pressed the button. The ship self destruct and quickly sank to the bottom of the ocean. They quickly move away from the site. Fujiki and the other nins hurriedly covered their trail with branches and leaves before leaving quickly, knowing the explosion is sure to attract scouts.

**00000000000**

True enough, up in the skies…

Karas was scanning the area when he heard an explosion. He quickly turned towards the explosion. When he got there, no one was around and there's nothing on the sea. He looked around but there's not a single soul around him. He looked at the ground and noticed a few things. Several leaves are seemingly out of place and there are faint traces of people… a lot of people standing here and marching. A faint lead… but lead nonetheless. "This is Karas. I found something."

Soon enough, Hanzou's elite nins came at him.

"What do you find Karas?"

"Faint traces. A group of people were here. Many of them… and they've been trying to cover their tracks. Apparently in hurry, but they did a good job doing it nonetheless. Juuou!"

"Wakata." The large man grinned. He starts sniffing on the ground. "…I smell… sea salt. Mist nins. But… weird… I also smell… a myriad of other smells… trees and woods… Konoha. Three of them. One of them had a similar smell with a Kitsune… grasses… Dirt… apparently there are some hailing from the Grass village… and Iwagakure."

"In his report, Taka did mention that there's a group with myriad of ninjas, even including our own that came to that settlement we've been observing in the last few months, kero." Ankou frowned.

"This is most disturbing." Shinja looked at the sea. She could see small debris. But that was it. "Where dost the scent shall lead us, Juuou?"

Juuou sniffed a few more times… "…I need map."

Karas unravel the map. Juuou studied several times. "Here." He pointed at the Wave city. "If they have left the seas, they'll have to go to Wave-on foot. Once they get there… we won't be able to so much as to lay a finger on them."

"Shinja."

Shinja took a deep breath and let her long hair touched the ground. It surged and trembled. "…96 sounds… art threading ever so slowly. Mostly consist of… children, woman, the sickly, and the men art incapable of offense."

"Yeah, or so you think, kero." Ankou smugly sneered.

"Ankou, shut up. Shinja. What else?" Karas impatiently demanded.

Shinja closed her eyes to further sense the details of their targets. "I sense 23 sounds of footsteps. Unlike the others, these steps are much sturdier, and they gave of the sound of clanking metal… they are carrying metallic objects."

"Shinobis. Or warriors."

Just then, Shinja heard another noise. "Wait… a group of shinobis art approaching towards us."

"Enemy?"

Shinja frowned. "No… this is…" Everyone turned and then, a group of Rain nins appeared and bowed before them.

"You guys."

"My lords of the Gokouken (five guardians). We're here to accompany on your quest for vengeance."

Ankou jumped giddily as he saw many nins are bowing before them.

"Your offer of aid dost not go without our gratitude." Shinja bowed in thanks. "But we're afraid we must respectfully decline thy sincerest offer."

"No, please, milady Shinja! We've lost our family! Please understand! Someone has to pay!"

"Someone will pay." Karas replied without turning his back. "But we will be the one to make that someone pays. Go back to your village. With all four guardians here, Lord Hanzou is all alone. Go to him and protect him."

"But-!" One of the nin tried to retort, but Juuou's large hand suddenly raised.

"Lookie here. This ere be Karas, not Taka. Wher ye think the lad go hm?"

"Eh?"

"Taka be dead." Juuou answered. "Amongst all of us, Karas be one most itchin' to rip them bastards to pieces. The poor chap understood yer feeling more than ye think."

The rain nins bowed down. "V…Very well… But… some of us went on ahead of them before we ran into you. What of them?"

"Well, we can always use a cannon fodder or two, kero." Ankou croaked.

"Ankou, shut your trap." Karas spat back. "We're heading towards the group anyway. In any case, we will run into them."

"Then we shall take our leave." The nin disappear in a puff.

"Isoge!" The four Guardians also disappear in opposite direction.

**00000000000**

Forget the fact that their investigation finally began to take turn for the better, Naruto's mood had gone down under for some time. Fujiki can guess why. It was Naruto's idea that the villagers should board his ship. How would he know that the ship was about to be booby-trapped by three dead bodies? Even though they all know it wasn't his fault, how were they supposed to explain that to the villagers, who had been driven to the edge by their harsh live in settlement and now more paranoid than ever. They were all too stressed out to even blame Naruto, but now they're all not as hopeful as they were when they start their journey.

"It's not your fault you know." Ina came to him, trying to encourage the boy.

"But… if you think about it now, I'm the one who bring them to that slaughterhouse."

"Let's put this in perspective Naruto-han." Ina followed. "The other ninjas probably would've left all the villagers there if it weren't for your suggestion."

"And let's not forget." Inari followed. "You were the one who defended the last lifeline. If it weren't for you, we'll never get away."

"…" Naruto understood that they were trying to cheer him up. But for some reason, it doesn't make him feel any better. "…thanks… I appreciate the effort but… I just don't know… I need some time alone."

Yukiku suddenly found Naruto's situation awfully familiar. She carefully approaches him. "Naruto?"

"Hey there."

"Umm…" Yukiku tried to choose her words carefully. "How are you feeling?"

"…What do you think?"

The girl decided to choose her words but then she realized she couldn't and so she went straight anyway. "If this is any consolation, you fare much better than I did."

"Am I now?"

"Well… for one, you didn't laugh."

Naruto paused. His face turn red, he was trying to suppress a chuckle. "…damn you. Damn you for making me ALMOST laugh."

Yukiku smirked. "And let's put it this way: when I did my mistake, I didn't try to save the lives of those endangered by my mistake. You did. If it weren't for you, there won't be any survivor at all."

"…yeah, but now, they'll be walking in an extremely hostile territory."

"That's why you have to stand firm now. They need your help now. More than ever."

"I guess…" Naruto still a bit gloom, but his mood somewhat improve after his sense of duty returned. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right."

Just then, Neji called them. "Naruto, Yukiku! Come here."

Naruto and Yukiku looked at each other and smiled once. "Let's go. Looks like they need our help." And as Naruto and Yukiku went to Neji's location, they noticed that other ninja are also getting summoned. Guccha was also rushing towards the gathering spot. He took a glance at Yukiku and turn away just as the 'witch' noticed. Yukiku sighed. Soon, everyone gathered. Fujiki started.

"Neji spotted a patrol guard scouring a spot just ahead. All Jounins."

"You're sure?" One of the nin asked.

"He's a Hyuuga. His eyes are black, but his sight is definitely sharper than any of you."

"I concur." Naruto nodded.

"Then? What should we do?"

"Obviously, we need to get pass them. But, as far as I'm concerned, I don't think any of you can bypass much less taking on Jounin level nins." Fujiki's statement of fact earned some glares from the other genins. Ignoring their glare, Fujiki looked at Konoha team.

"We'll see what we can do."

Neji nodded. "Yukiku, can you take care the guards? I'll be the scout along with Naruto. Naruto, you'll also act as reinforcements. You can use your bunshin in the event things go awry." The Hyuuga handed his teammates some earpiece. "We'll keep contact with this, but keep noise at minimum."

Naruto and Yukiku nodded. "What about you, Fujiki?"

"As soon as you cleared the patrols, I'll get the people move on. Under disguise of course."

"Disguise? This many people?" One of the Genins jerked his thumb at the crowd.

"Hey, didn't they teach you at the school?" Fujiki sneered, faking a surprised expression. "Octopuses are masters of disguise. So let me worry about that."

"Let's go." The Konoha team move ahead. Neji climbed a tree and act as a scouting tower. Naruto waited at the base of the tree, ready for support. Yukiku went on ahead and on the field. "Yukiku do you read?"

"Loud and clear." The girl was crawling beneath the blades of grass. "I got one patrol on my sight."

"Okay."

Yukiku crawled silently and tried not to move too many grass in her stride. She lowered the sound of her breathing and waited. The nin was showing his back. Yukiku pull out a senbon and concentrate on that one nin, specifically, a certain spot on his nervous system. And then, she let loose the small projectile. With deadly accuracy, it hit that spot. The nin jerked ever so slightly, and then remain still as he turned his head several times, scanning the area with empty eyes.

Yukiku got up and approached the nin. She was right behind him, and the gasmasked nin didn't move a muscle and continue swinging his head left and right slowly. Yukiku swing her hand in front of him several times. "…it's safe. He's completely unconscious."

"That's one. We got half a dozen more or so."

"_On it."_

Neji sighed. "To induce unconsciousness while simultaneously turning them to animated puppet… You once told me that she was quite gifted in use of acupuncture. Quite frankly, I thought you exaggerate."

"She's a super soldier, remember? His brother, Haku, once used those needles to fool even Kakashi-sensei to induce a fake death on Zabuza. And then they're twins for cryin' out loud. If she's the better product of the two… I'd say this ain't even half of what she can do, if she put her mind into it."

Yukiku hid beneath the tree as a patrol came by. Two of them. They search the area, back to back as to leave no blind spot. One of them turned towards Yukiku spot, and the girl was no longer there. The two nins moved to that spot, unaware that Yukiku was right above them, standing upside down on a tree branch. The girl held two senbon by her mouth and then, with one fell swoop, descended upon them, first she gently punctured the first needle on the left side of her mouth on the first nin's back, and before the other one can turn, she grab hold of the other one and stab the other nin on the back.

The feat was noticed by one other Rain nins. Yukiku noticed that and as the nin tried to blow a whistle, Yukiku throw two needles: on right at the flute before a tone came out, and the other sank deep on the man's throat, preventing him pulling it out nor utter another word. But the poor man can still move and hid behind the tree. Given enough time, the nin will pull the needle out. Yukiku knew this, and so she took off one of her gloves, create an ice fuuma shuriken and throw it to the tree's side. And then, in quick succession, she pulled out another senbon, and threw it at the shuriken. The needle bounced off from the shuriken, and accurately hit the rain nin in the needed pressure point. Paralyzing him like other nins on the spot. The ice shuriken broke way and melted, leaving no trace whatsoever. All this was done without a sound.

Even Yukiku was marveled at her own performance. She never performed that good in Kira's trainings. Little by little, something keep coming to Yukiku's mind. Things that she initially ignore. Fujiki's story had given her a better understanding of herself. These… things are experience. Experiences and knowledge of dead Jounins from the past. Experience that are implanted on her genes. Experience which was her mother's life's work. And the experience that gave her knowledge of skills: angle of the shot, adaptation to the condition of the terrain, the curve of the swing, the point that she must hit, etc, etc. One, or a few jounins whose genes made in to the mixtures of knowledge of the super soldier serum must've been acupuncture and senbon experts. And now she's using their knowledge to perform feats that she never even thought of capable of doing. 'So… this is my mother's work… this is what she's trying to create… something… like me.' "…4 down… how many more to go?"

"What?" Neji, who also watched everything, was so amazed he forgot to respond. "A… Ahh… three more… one approaching from your six, the other two closely behind… they're from a rather higher ground."

Yukiku turned and saw several rain nin appearing from a nearby small cliff a few miles away from her current position, scanning the area. Two of them were scanning the area while the other one look on the back, his neck laid bare. As of now, she's protected by the woods, but the way things are, soon, they'll see her. She nodded. "I got it…"

"You're sure? Won't you need Naruto's help?"

"_I said I got it."_ Came the girl's reply.

Neji looked at Naruto. How a story can make a person change so much.

Yukiku suddenly felt a something that she never had felt before. A rush. A feeling of complete confidence. All this time she was afraid of her ability. The fact that she had no control over her ice chakra did not change but, now she knew where that came from, and it was also a fact, that now, for the first time in her life, she's not afraid. With that in mind, coupled with the next surge of experience, Yukiku unfurled her Dragon Tail. Using the chain sword, she grabbed a trunk and swing upwards to the top of the tree. She landed on the tree, and took out a very thin needle. She put the needle at the tip of the chain sword and then starts spinning the sword (and the needle along) at top. She timed her target and the strength needed… and then slingshot the needle all the way from the tree to the small cliff. The needle first went through the first nin on the neck, missing his arteries and windpipe but punch a hole on the back of his neck and then stabbed the nin behind him on the back, right on his spinal cortex, rendering him unconscious, but still standing. The first nin that got hit went limp and fell down to his back, his empty eyes staring to the sky. A minuscule hole can be seen on the first nin's neck, but no blood came out since not a single blood vessel has been pierced. Meanwhile, the other nin alarmed that one of his friend suddenly fell down. He quickly bent over and look to the fallen comrade.

"H… Hey! Are you okay?" As the nin kneel to check on his fallen nin. As he did so, he exposed his neck.

Yukiku used that chance, and slingshot another needle that nailed the last nin on the spot. The nin fainted and fell still. A smile found its way to Yukiku as she packed back her chain sword. "All target down. I repeat, all target down."

"_T… T… This is Neji… that one guy… a-are you sure he's okay?" _After witnessing that superhuman feat, even Neji was left breathless.

"Don't worry. I avoided his artery and his windpipe. I only graze his nervous system from the front instead from the back. He just fainted. I'll go there and make sure he stays unconscious while you guys signal Fujiki and start moving those people, okay?"

"_Okay, we got it. Naruto, pick that jaw up, we got work to do."_ Neji cut out transmission, while Yukiku dashed towards the small cliff. The first thing she did was putting some more needle on the first nin to ensure he stay still. A few minutes and needles later, Yukiku looked at her handiwork. With a bit of alteration and some acupuncture on their nervous system, the nins now looked like they're still patrolling, and their head move around appropriately. But their eyes are empty, they're completely unconscious. "Okay."

Satisfied, she quickly returned to the group.

The refugee's walk through that spot was sort of… eerie. Even Fujiki was amused when he saw a rain nin almost mechanically swing his head left and right, and yet didn't move a muscle as dozens of people walk past right under his very nose.

**00000000000**

Some time Later…

The four guardians reached that spot as well. At first, they didn't notice anything different.

"Now, wait just a minute…" Karas blinked. He approached one of the 'patrolling' nin. He swung his hand in front of the nin several times and… "…you gotta be kidding me." He slapped the nin, he didn't budge. He looked at the man's neck and found Yukiku's needle. He plucked it out, and the man fell down to the ground, unconscious. Karas showed the needle to his colleagues. "They put a needle on his central nervous system in such way so that this guy lost consciousness but his body still move around."

"My…" Shinja frowned.

"Looks like he ain't the only victim." Juuou pointed at the other nins. Most of them are on an animated frenzy, they simply repeat the same movement, over and over.

"Useless idiots, kero!"

"Put them down before they break their joints."

Minutes later, they put down all the incapacitated guards and removed the needles. "The incredible thing be… all these fellers be alive. This particular feller got him a hole on him neck, front and back, which means a needle went through him neck, but missed him windpipe an' arteries."

"So… whoever did this had no desire to further take more lives?" Shinja pondered.

"And incredibly skillful." Karas landed. "I found a tree trunk that had some of its bark shaven off, like someone just stood on it. Would you believe that this guy here got pierced by a needle thrown from a tree trunk several miles away?"

"Are we really chasing a human here, kero!?"

"We'll see that for ourselves, after we caught up to them. Let's go!"

**00000000000**

Some time later…

"This is… from a farsighted swordsman named Kakei Juubei the Urchin… he was a master acupuncturist… and a needle user. And that slingshot skill was probably from his wife, Kakei Fuuchoin Natsuki. She's, coincidentally, a whip sword user. Both are Devil swordsman from two generations prior."

"Their genes were on the genepool too?" Yukiku was quite interested on from which swordsman she took her skills from.

"Of course. In weapon skill department we try to cover all branch of weaponry: one hand, two hand, katana, sword dance… we even cover unorthodox weapon style like wire swords, or nunchuck-blades." Fujiki counted the skills with his fingers. "We put in everything, and everyone, we can think of."

"Wow. It's just… before this… every time I stab a needle I just… felt it was right… and now… it's almost as if I knew it was supposed to be there."

"Well… it's just this… your brain has always been slowly assimilating the information from the genes, adding them to your own knowledge. Now that you know, your mind consciously assimilating those information at a faster rate."

"Aso…"

Naruto was somewhat terrified. '…I can't play around her anymore… she'll kill me next time she's pissed…' "Anyway… how much further until we reach Wave border?"

"Well… after we get out of this forest, it should be a straight shot all the way to the border. Let's pick up the pace."

Hours later…

"…have you noticed… on top of everything… that we're going in circles?" Naruto sweating profusely. The refuges too had gone very tired that they're dragging themselves up.

"…yeah… I noticed." Fujiki sighed. "Damn it, everyone stop!" They looked around. No one can be seen, but doubtlessly, they're being watched.

"This is… genjutsu. They've trapped us in one." Neji look around for any sight of any seal or anything suspicious at all.

Everyone pull out their weapons and on high alert.

Some distance away…

"Whelp, that's it, kero. They figure it out, kero." Ankou grumbled.

"That be our cue to get in the show. Shall we make it flashy?"

"As you please." Now that the target knew they were being watched, Karas couldn't care less.

"Alrity…" Juuou cracked his knuckles.

A few moments later…

"Hey… did you feel that?" Neji felt the ground trembling.

"…what's that… thumping?" Yukiku frowned. Something was thumping from the distance, and as the sound got louder, the tremor also got stronger and stronger. Abruptly, something BIG burst out from the forest right behind them. They turned around and looked up. Lo and behold, at least a dozen wood logs came raining on them. As expected, everyone quickly ran way from impact area. Dust rose up as the logs crashed into the ground.

"Aw, I'll be monkey's uncle. None of you got nailed or anythin'?" A rowdy voice sounded. Everyone looked at the speaker. A giant of a man spoke from on top of one of the trees he hurled. Every nin there gaped at his size. He is easily bigger than twice the size of a full grown man. A large cross scar plastered his face right on top of his nose, his hair is wild, giving off an animalistic feeling. His teeth were filed to fangs and his eyes got this wild look in it to emphasize the point. While everyone was appalled by the man's monstrous size, only Fujiki was unfazed. Following, three other figures landed on other trees. A woman with extremely long green dark hair, a man with black wing-like contraption on his back, and a hunched bloated short guy.

"First meetings, usually warrant introductions." Fujiki realized these people aren't just anybody since they're capable of putting up genjutsu that could even trap _him_.

"Gotcha. I'm Juuou the Beast King. Of the Amekage-sama's five guardians." Juuou smirked - snarled, as he start gazing on the nins one by one, specifically, the Konoha nins. When his eyes landed on Naruto, he smirked like a beast finding its prey.

"Karas, the Black Sky. The same."

"Shinja, the Elegant Scale. The same."

"Ankou! The Changeling. The same, kero!"

"Five? I counted four of you."

Karas eyes twitched.

"Thou dost not hath the rights to demand answers from us." Shinja quickly answered in cold fury.

"But you will answer for the genocide you committed on our village." Karas followed.

Fujiki sighed. "…I won't deny that the ordnance that destroyed your village came from my ship."

"AHA!" Ankou yelled.

"But-" Before Fujiki can utter another word; something sticky and goopy wrapped around his mouth and lift him off the ground. An then, mercilessly, the swordsman was slammed, head first, to the ground. Ankou retracted his tongue back, earning a disgusted response from Yukiku and many other nins.

Karas glared at the shorter nin. "Ankou-"

"Excuses, kero! Unimaginative, excuses! That's all he's gonna come up with! You're gonna kill him anyway, kero. So why wait, kero?"

Juuou and Shinja shook their heads.

"As I was saying…" Fujiki's voice continued. Everyone turned to the supposedly dead Mist jounin. Fujiki restored his horrendously bent neck to its original position, earning jawdrops from everyone. "…before I was rudely interrupted. That attack-" Again, before he could finish, Ankou's tongue swirled on his leg, lift him up, and then bang him again, rather frantically, several times to the trees around, turning them to a pile of wooden rubble and splinters. Ankou lifted the small figure of Fujiki one more time. Fujiki's limbs were all bent and twisted in humanly lethal condition, and yet, the former captain of the Kraken can still give him the bird. Ankou quickly banged him back full force.

"There… kero… is he… dead?"

An ironclad grip and one strong yank that earned Ankou's groan answered his question.

"WILL…" the rain nin was swing in a 180 degree arc and slammed to the ground. "YOU…" Another swing and Ankou's face bashed to the ground one more time. Fujiki rose out from the ground, furious as hell. "KNOCK IT OUT!" He yanked Ankou's tongue one more time and start spinning the chubby nin in circles, lasso style, sending him flying to a tree. Fujiki cracked all his dislocated body parts and returned them to its original spot. He looked at the other three nins. "I apologize for the wanton show of aggression but… I assure you, if possible, I'd love to avoid confrontation, given the… circumstances." 'Any other time I probably would've loved fighting them all.'

"Naw. I'm glad someone whale the thar outta that prick. I just regret that ain't me." Juuou snorted.

"So… what is your defense, Mizunari Fujiki?"

"…those missiles were shot against my order. In fact, at the time I gave no such orders. Kirigakure had no desire to engage combat with your village either."

"Yet the damage art done. Thou must understand how difficult for us to recognize thy reasoning."

"Let's put this in perspective. Suppose I really have done such atrocity. If I had indeed ordered the destruction of your village, threading on the soils of the village I had destroyed will be the last thing I would've done."

"…you'll have to understand how difficult it is for us to trust you."

"Then I beg you to understand. Let me tell you a little secret. The 'I-would-get-court-martialed-for-high-treason-just-for-telling-you-kind of secret. Our village is also being beset by conflict. The attack on your village is more likely being perpetuated by that same party and now it seems they wish to add Amegakure into the mix."

"…then why did you kill my brother?" Karas suddenly went direct and speak his thought outloud.

The nins blinked. "…your brother?" Fujiki and the three Konoha nins echoed.

Karas blinked. Suddenly he realized he had gone personal. But he decided to go with it anyway. "My brother. One of the five guardians. We found him dead."

Neji suddenly managed to piece things together. Karas resemble a crow. During the whole trip, he's been seeing an eagle following them from the sky. Add all that up… "Were you twins?"

Karas glared at Neji.

"Brother… was your brother… had an… eagle theme?"

"How did you know that? How did you know we're twins!?"

"Because you're wearing a similar animal themed outfit. And throughout this journey, I've been spotting a single eagle intently following us. I think I know why your brother died… though I'm not sure who did it… but my guess is, he knows what really happened to Fujiki. In fact, I think he saw the whole accident. He knew something was wrong. He wanted to warn you guys but…"

"Whoever orchestrated the whole thing in Kraken… got to him first." Fujiki concluded the hypothesis.

"Hath thou not a proof to offer?" Shinja seem, at least, half convinced, but still skeptical.

Fujiki sighed. "None. I'm a victim as well. We're still looking for the party responsible. I know you've lost much, and I understand you're eager for revenge. I cannot offer you anything safe one promise. I will find the one responsible. And I will bring them death."

"Something still doesn't add up. Would you explain why you had to bring your whole ship, your whole fleet just to secure a bunch of students? We had our experience with Chuunin exam, but using your own flagship… is it really necessary?" Karas still adamant.

Neji snapped as if someone juts turned the lights in his head. The crow nin made a very sound argument. In reality, one need not have to send an entire Kraken just to retrieve a bunch of Chuunins and humanitarian workers. One ship would've sufficed. Why did one of the Swordsmen would have to come down all the way here in the first place? It was then Neji realized there's something else Fujiki didn't tell them.

"I'm afraid that's classified. A water country classified information. Even if I wanted to, I'm under contractual order to sworn secrecy." Now, Naruto and Yukiku also glared questioningly at Fujiki.

"THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE KERO!!"

Everyone turned towards the chubby nin.

"Well you're one tough bas-" Fujiki's word stopped midair as he saw the refugees travelling with them were encircled by a bunch of strings, with dozens of explosive tags hanging on them. "…bastard."

The chubby nin, quite literally in a bloody mess, gave one smug smirk. "IMAGINE, KERO! WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF YOU MOVE, KERO!?"

Fujiki cursed. "…asshole."

Shinja's face wreaked in disgust. Karas glared while Juuou only frowned.

"KARAS! SOMEBODY! KILL HIM, KERO!"

"Ankou! Calm down. We still got a few inquiries…"

"I DON'T CARE! HE'S GONNA PAY FOR DOING THIS TO THE GREAT ME!!"

Fujiki sarcastically amused at the use of word 'great.' "What so great about taking hostage?"

"Heh! I won't take that word from you, kero! Of all people, kero!" Ankou roared. "Your reputation as a hostage taker and a berserker is no mystery to me, kero!"

Fujiki nodded wholeheartedly. "Point taken." Indeed. One of the modus operandi he had used to force someone into a duel was hostage taking. Though of course he returned them, or compensate them when his opponent died afterwards. "Well… I got no choice. If I force an unwilling person into a fight, it won't be a fight at all. It'll be sheer murder."

Naruto, Neji and Yukiku looked at the berserker in disbelief.

"Plus that's the only way to get them to fight seriously." His face softened a little. "You know what they say about true power? When you fight to protect someone you care about, that's when you fight the hardest. That's when you fight to the point of exceeding one's own limit. Me? … sometimes I got beat to edge of the death-cliff… I just fight for pleasure. And it was always fun." He grinned like a sadist that he is. The three Konoha nin had to sweat. "Plus… Unlike you, I don't ask someone else's help to finish the job."

"SHUT UP!! KARAS! KILL HIM!"

The Crow nin frowned. "No. We need him alive. Fujiki. I'm afraid I have to ask you to co-"

"I WANT HIM DEAD NOW!!" The Chubby nin hopped in anger.

"You got no manners do you?" Fujiki now really took a great dislike on the froglike nin. "Naruto, show's over."

"Yosh!" Naruto snapped his fingers, and all the sudden, everyone puffed into smoke. Once the smoke subsided, only Fujiki and the three Konoha nin remained, much to the Rain nins' shock.

"B…Bunshin!?"

"You seriously think you could trap me with a Genjutsu? Me, the Octopus? The master of disguise? I maybe suck balls in NinJutsus, but Genjutsu… that's another story entirely. Do you seriously think I can fall into one that easily?"

"W… When did you notice!?" Ankou's face was getting redder in anger.

"Oh? It was your handiwork?" Naruto chuckled. "Too bad. You fell into our trap."

"T…Trap!?"

"When we left that patrol of yours in paralyzed puppet-like state, we realized you'll be catching up soon. So we decided to prepare a little trick." Fujiki made a handseal. Just then, the illusion disappeared and everyone found themselves in an unfamiliar ground. Even the tree rubbles disappeared, the area is now a large open space. Perfect for an all out confrontation. "You think we've been walking in _your_ illusion for hours? We dispelled that the moment I noticed them. You guys have been in _my _genjutsu for hours… where we lead you guys… _here._"

"From that point where we had a run in with your patrol, we get the refugee to stop there and sent 8 groups of fake Refugees first. All are clones. Courtesy of Naruto." Yukiku jerked her thumb to the smirking Naruto.

"Each group of clones is tagged." Naruto showed a unique talisman. One he learnt to make when he was training with Kira. "If any one of them got caught in a genjutsu or any kind, I would know."

"We sent the real groups of refugees away as soon as Naruto detected one group of clones are being wrapped in a jutsu." Neji continued. "Then we go after that group of clones, dispel the Genjutsu, and quickly wrapped you guys in one of Fujiki's."

"But seriously, why didn't you use this when you fight me?" Naruto smiled rather nervously. The genjutsu was pretty good, he probably would've lost the fight on the Kraken if Fujiki had used Genjutsu instead of his single Suiton Ninjutsu.

"Cause I don't really like Genjutsu. Most of my Genjutsu techniques are for distraction and camouflage type. I don't like hiding, getting distracted or/and distracting someone in a straight fight." Fujiki gave a matter of factly grin. "Well… the real group should have arrived on the Wave's border by now. You guys have been stalking our clones for hours. I hope you excuse us for tricking you people like this… but, with all this going on… we have to assume that all… or some of you be will be anything but noble." Fujiki looked at Ankou to emphasis the last part.

The fooled and angry Ankou was quaking in his boot. As expected, a giant long tongue burst forth from his mouth and went straight to Fujiki. The Swordsman easily caught the tongue and quickly swing the toad nin in a 180 degree arc. The toad nin managed to land on all four without a crash.

"I guess this goes for both of us. That's one technique used too many." Fujiki gripped the sticky tongue tightly in his hand.

The toad nin smirked. A smirk that did not go unnoticed. Just then, Fujiki noticed multiple shadows appearing on top of him. Given the growing size, whatever those things were descending rapidly. He looked up only to have no less than six, more-toadlike, Ankou landed and stuck on him.

The toad nin retracted his tongue and snapped a finger, and the toad-clones burst into a series of brilliant explosions.

"WHEEHYAHYAHYAHYAHYA! Take that! Kero!"

"Did anyone ever tell you…" Fujiki's voice, now more annoyed than ever, flow out of the smoke. "…that your laughter is as ugly as your manner?" the smoke swirled, and as they cleared out, a black swirl take its place. The swirl stopped, revealing Fujiki, holding a huge, jet-black, eight-sectioned, chain-linked, handle-less serrated blade. The Kuroumi – The BlackSea. The peculiar blade encircled the wielder, its chains, still carrying the momentum from being yanked so hard, slithering in circles around the diminutive swordsman. "Maa… still… I implore you to please let us go peacefully? We really don't want to add more victims to the bodybag list."

"Then we beseech thee to cooperate peacefully."

"No matter how pretty you put it, Miss Shinja, this still involves me getting arrested by you guys. Sorry, but I'm afraid I have to resist."

"THEN DIEEE!!" Ankou bit his thumb. "Kuchiyose no Ninpou (Summon Ninja technique)! JIGOKU GAMA!!!" He summoned several frogs that opened their mouths, revealing a set of seals tattooed within their mouths. The seals emit a burst of smoke and hordes of spiked balls and blades, chain linked tear through the smokes and went straight to Fujiki. The Octopus whipped his chain sword and the chains extend greatly. Holding the blade at the center, the swordsman start spinning the Kuroumi. Naruto recognized that move. "Tako Hachitouryuu… Sandai… KURO ARASHI!" The black iron storm easily tore through the barrage of morning stars and blades, turning them to scrap metal. The toads jumped away just in time as the attack landed, a few centimeters before Ankou. Fujiki retracted the blade and rejoined them. "One - nothing."

Ankou continued with his next attack. "Kuchiyose Ninpou! Gama Sentai (Frog Fleet)!"

'Another Kuchiyose Ninpou?' The frogs from before opened their mouth again, and thousands and thousands of… smaller frogs burst out. Quite literally, a fleet of frogs. The frogs swarmed allover Fujiki. And then, they start sticking to Fujiki.

"Gama Sentai: Gama-Tsubo (Frog Gourd!)"

The smaller frogs covered every inch of Fujiki's body and they slowly merged together and soon, the nin was encapsulated in a giant mass of bloated, fleshy… gourd.

"Ha! How's that! Kero! The coffin will block all air and no light can come in! You'll die like that! Imprisoned forever! You can't move, you can't cut your way out, you can't do anything Kero! In years of my expertise not one soul has ever-"

Ankou's tirade of incessant gloating was cut short when the frog gourd start trembling and a weird sound start flowing out from the gourd. Naruto was the first to recognize the sound. "That's the sound of… munching?"

And then, all the sudden, a small hole appeared, which quickly get bigger and bigger… as Fujiki just ATE his way out of the gourd. Everyone's jaw was on the ground.

"OMAEWA OOBAKEMONO-KA!?" Ankou gaped.

"Munch… Munch… What? Frogs are edible, raw or cooked, no? Aa…um! munch! Munch… munch…" The gourmand Swordsman took another bite on what's left of the Frog gourd in his hand.

Juuou tapped his palm with his fist, catching the logic in Fujiki's warped method. "Indeed… eatin one way out of the gourd be something never cross me mind… but it be possible."

Naruto was slightly tormented. He has no love for Ankou. But as a nin who also bind contracts with Frogs, he couldn't help but to feel an ache and a slight pity to the frogs that answered Ankou's call… and as of now are being turned into Fujiki's in-field ration.

"A pinch of salt would make this. (belch) two – nothing." Fujiki kept count on how many times he had suckered the toad nin. "Anyway… are you sure you guys still won't let us go? We really don't have much time ourselves."

Karas, Shinja and Juuou looked at each other. Putting aside Ankou's demand for Fujiki's death, there's no denying that Fujiki, and especially these three Konoha nins are suspicious. And they know more than they let on. With that in mind, Karas deliver his answer: "No. I'm afraid you'll have to come with us for questioning."

"Then you will forgive us we cannot afford that." Fujiki glared as he wiped the last traces of the frog gourd from his face, and his face showed all the seriousness of a warrior. "Any harm or possible death we will inflict from this point onward… will be self defense."

"It is decided then." The Rain nins charged at the group. Shinja collided with Neji, who draw his twin katana just in time to block her attack. Karas flew upward before attempting to swoop on Yukiku. Naruto attempted to intercept, but Juuou's large figure came crashing down upon him. The boy barely able to support the giant man's fist. Yukiku herself barely able to block Karas's attack with the Headcleaver.

Fujiki quickly take note of the situation. 'A four way battle… no… this won't do…' "Otto!"

The swordsman barely dodged another barrage of Frog tongues from Ankou.

"HAH! Your attacks haven't landed on me, not even once!! Do you think you can win!? Kuchiyose Ninpou! Gama Suijin Mai!" He summoned two more frogs, and together with the other frogs, they start spinning around the swordsman. Fujiki only watched passively.

"Then? What will they do? Dance me to death?"

"Hyahya… you had no idea!" Ankou snapped his fingers, and the frogs start shooting jet-streams of water at Fujiki from every angle. The swordsman spun his black sword blocked all the attacks.

"Hyahyahya! Let's see how long will you last!"

"You don't have to wait." All the sudden, Fujiki gave one powerful roundhouse swing that accurately nailed all the frogs. Another yank, and they were all tossed to the sky. Fujiki waited for one second, and then thrust his peculiar blade upward. And it accurately impaled all the descending frogs in one stab. "Three – nothing. Seriously now… how exactly a coward like you gain the position of a guardian, Ankou-san?"

"N-nanni?"

"Back then, when you took hostage on one of the clones, instead of finishing the job yourself, you asked your friend to do it for you… and then, all the time we're fighting, you always rely on your toads… the only time you did attacked directly was when I seemingly off guard… don't you have any jutsu of your own?"

"I… I… I… I do!! But if I use it it'll end quickly!!"

Fujiki sighed bitterly with that pitiful excuse of a defense. "No you don't. In any case, I've wasted enough time." With one swing of his sword, the swordsman turned all frogs impaled by his blade to shred. "Tako Hachitouryuu: Yondai…"

Naruto blinked. That's one technique he hasn't seen yet.

"…Kuro Kaiten! (Black Spin)" Fujiki stabbed the BlackSea to the ground, and black mist burst forth and head straight to Ankou. The chubby nin panicked and tried to run to no avail. The mist quickly encircled around him and blocked all exit.

"K… KONO YAROU!!!" Ankou used his tongue to hit the mist. To his horror, his tongue was stuck on the swirling mist. Tentacles suddenly burst out from the mist and tie him up. The black mist encircled Ankou several times, and the toad nin were soon rendered completely immobile. The mist cleared, and the nin gasped. He was completely tied up by Fujiki's sword chains. Fujiki was holding the other end of the chain and pull it a tad harder. Several cracks can be heard as the chains that bind Ankou tightened and break some of his bones. "Never got the chance to use this when I fight you, Naruto."

"Uh-huh…" Naruto stared nervously on what fate awaits Ankou.

"YOU!! HOW DARE YOU!! YOU…! YOU…!"

"You just piss me off. Not for hostage taking. No… I had no right to say that." And with that, Fujiki yanked the chain HARD. "It's just… well… the knowledge that a pitiful excuse of a warrior like you existed pissed me off. That's all."

The chains binding Ankou wildly spin rapidly, and Ankou didn't have the chance to scream when the spinning chains tore his lower body to shreds, leaving his viciously mangled head in the after burst. The sectioned sword returned back to its original state, drenched in blood.

The nins stare nervously at the vicious technique. Naruto found the technique to be strangely familiar.

"Expect nothin' less from Mist Devil Swordsman… that technique be beastly…"

All the sudden, Neji roared. "FUJIKI! You've taken care of your enemy! You better bail out of here!"

"Eh?" Naruto and Yukiku looked at the Hyuuga.

"Rather than waiting here, you better hurry up and get back to Mist. Who knows what the traitors will be doing while we're away. Plus, now you know the whole situation, and you're more familiar with Mist than we do. You're more important to us when you're alive!"

"Ah… well… I've thought of that… minus the 'alive' part but…" Fujiki nodded. "But will you two be alright?"

"Two?" Shinja blinked.

"I'm not too worried about Naruto. Will you both be alright?"

Neji and Yukiku looked at each other and sent a gesture. "I think we'll be fine."

"Okay. Good luck." Fujiki turned to leave.

"You sure about this?" Karas bellowed. "Don't you think you put too much credit on these three… assistant of yours?"

"Lemme get this straight. If someone like Ankou is one your best, that gave me some idea on you people. So even if some of you are at least twice as powerful as him… I think they can take care of it."

Fujiki clearly implied that their strength were no different than Ankou's. Something that earned an angry glare from the insulted.

"And even if I'm wrong…" Fujiki pointed at Neji. "A genius fighter with a well balanced brain and brawn." Next, he pointed at Yukiku. "A super soldier with a crapload of skills and serious case of power control…" And finally to Naruto. "That kid there? The worst of the worst. He beat me one on one. And he got a thing for his friend. If any one of you hurt one of his friends… you're all so in for it."

Juuou looked at Naruto in a shocked glare.

The Octopus Swordsman added with one last sinister smile: "Understand this: 'They're' not stuck with 'you'. 'You' are stuck with 'them'… the biggest pain in the ass you'll ever felt."

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Deidara's Days in Interrogation – if you can call it that

Minichapter 19

The Fourth Wall breaking Rage of no-screen-time casts

"KATON GOUKYAKU NO JUTSU!!!" Sasuke sent a flaming fireball at Deidara's ass

"WAAAAARGH!!"

"BODY CHAOS!" Kabuto wreak chaos on Deidara's nervous system, making him perform tap dancing.

"Snake PIT!!" Quite literally, Orochimaru vomited an enormous amount of snakes on Deidara.

"SYANNAROOOOOO!!!" Sakura punched the clay user 50 kms away.

"Ninpou Kuchiyose: Yattai Juzushi!!" A giant frog landed on the clay user.

"RAIKIRI!!!"

"ASA KUJAKU!!!"

"NIKUDAN HARISHENSHA!!!"

"Anoo…" Athrun scratched his head. "What are you guys doing here in my section?" Meanwhile, Tsunade kicked the missing nin all the way back to slaughtering ground, where Shino and Kiba were waiting with their bugs and dog-nin.

"Shut up! 37 chapters had passes since I appeared… We don't get screen-time at all!!" Sasuke roared.

"At least let us have some action!!" Sakura added.

"But you do realize he'll die at this rate?"

"D-Daijobu… T-this is non-cannon to the plotline of Deidara's Days in Interrogation… a-all damage will be annulled." Hinata nervously pointed out.

"SO LET US HAVE SOME FUN!! YOUTH BARRAGE!!" Gai roared.

Athrun looked at the script-book together with AjWriter.

"Well fancy that… you plan to bring those t-"

A headshot landed on Athrun's head before he committed the mere mention of spoiler. AjWriter turned to readers and bowed down. "Don't worry. Like Hinata said, this is Non cannon. No Demi-god or Clay bomber missing nin has been harmed in the making of this section."

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	39. Three Way battle

Sorry for the very, very long update. Work, exam, school, God it killed me! Well, I'm just back to the land of the living and here's an update.

Also read Samurai Seed and kind enough to leave a review. It's the prequel of this story. Go to my profile and you'll find it.

NOTE:

"Chidori!": normal talking

"**Rasengan!": special case (Naruto Berserker mode, different language)**

'Darn!': thoughts

**GWA HA HA HA! : Giant creature speech **

"_Journal no bla bla": Renald's writing or other uses_

Disclaimer: I own nothing… except the plenty of OCs in the story.

**Chapter 36:**

**The Three Way Battle**

**Round 1:**

**Neji VS. Shinja**

Idiot

The biggest pain in the ass they'll ever felt.

Quite frankly, Neji start to doubt if they (the Konoha Team) were as much as a big of a pain in the ass as Fujiki claimed them to be for the five Guards. He heard tales of Hatori Hanzo the Salamander. The very mention of his name was enough to send even the five Kages from five countries to complete silence.

Hanzo is not a name either. It was a title. Basically it came from a legendary shinobi Hattori Hanzo, the first known Kage. For some reason or another, this guy took that name as an alias. Amekage is merely a formal title to align the nin with other Kages. 'Hanzou' is their equivalent of Kage. Unlike other villages that have about four to five generations of Kages, the Hanzo of the Amegakure had only gone for 2 generations. He probably would not know his name if he had never heard the tales of the Three Sage. Fact is, all it takes for it to spurn his interest to perform a thorough research regarding this one character Hattori Hanzo was the story that even all three Konoha Sages combined cannot win against him.

Even with the Hyuuga's vast collection of knowledge, information regarding the Amekage was scarce. But information appeared from a much unexpected source. At first, it started with a curiosity. Why on earth there's a hentai novel in the esteemed Hyuuga library? The answer comes when he asked the writer himself. Grudging after his defeat before the Amekage, Jiraiya performed a personal in depth research of the Amegakure. He gained much, but has trouble spreading the word out. Rain Nin assassination squad will be close on the Toad Sennin's heels if he simply spread the word. And so he invented this method: using a cover of limited edition Icha-Icha Paradise volume, the entire breadth of the book's content were scrambled word per word. To outsiders, this would be another hentai novel. But for Konoha Code experts, a specific method of reading the book was inscribed on the front cover. A sign which only Konoha shinobi would notice. And once Neji found out about it, it was a simple matter of extracting and memorizing the vast information contained within.

The story went that the Amekage was a travelling Ninja. As he travel the country, people, either aspired by him, owe him his life, admire him… for various reasons they followed him. Over time his follower grew, and when that man decided to finally settle, the followers establish a small, unofficial ninja village. The fact that a small village like Amegakure actually survived two Ninja world wars would speak volumes of their fighting capability. Equally infamous with the Kage was the five guards. These five over-the-counter Jounin are handpicked by the Amekage himself. A ninja that is to become one of the Five Guards were put in a cage-match against 100 shinobi kidnapped or taken from other countries: missing Nins, criminals, nins without allegiance, etc, etc. They must kill all 100 and then survive another battle royal with 9 other similarly picked ninja. The winner will then serve for several years to earn Amekage's trust before being named a guard. And they were entrusted with the task of protecting the Kage 24/7. Each of them is experts in unmasking spies. That being said, ALL ninjas are essentially spies and these guards are the best there are in what they do. Each of them, if rumor is to be believed, is Kage-level ninjas who specialized in Anti-Ninja countermeasures. In layman's term: they are Anti-Ninja Ninja.

When he learnt of that, he never dreamt that he'd be fighting one.

Neji gritted his teeth as Shinja's hair turned into serpents before his very eyes. The serpents zoomed towards him with blinding speed. The hordes of giant snakes plow their way through the ground as if they are paper. It's the second time he evaded the barrage and he still have a hard time believing the snakes are made of HAIR. He grunted and dashed as fast as he can before the hair retracts. Once he's within reached, he slashed both of his twin dragons towards the kunoichi. The hair wove into a rectangular shield. And then it happened: The moment his weapon connected, all the strength he poured into the sword vanished, and he couldn't pull his weapon away or letting it go.

Neji was initially shocked. He glared to Shinja, who did not reply his gaze; she closed her eyes shut. But he can saw her ears twitching sensitively. Gritting his teeth, knowing what's coming next, Neji braced himself. Shinja's remaining hair suddenly burst forward in form of a long flat thin cylinder. A sickening breaking sound echoed as the hair cylinder shattered Neji's chest and throw him about 3 meters away from the Kunoichi.

'So that's how it is…' Neji grunted in anger. Well less so since he figured it out the secret of this strange occurrence. He felt like having a jackhammer being smashed to his chest. Slowly, the Hyuuga rose from his spot, saliva and blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.

"How… unanticipated. Thou art the exceptional among the few who survived mine assault."

"I had my teacher to thank for that…" Neji examined the point of impact. From the sound of it, the solid lumps of iron Kira had put in there for additional weight had served well as a shield. He can feel that they're in tatters now, but he can also feel some had turned to dust. "Thanks to that, I've also figured out the secret behind that ridiculously destructive hair."

For the first time since the start of their battle, Shinja opened her eyes. "Surely this art not the time for thou to jest about mine pride."

"I'm not… jesting…" Neji slowly got back to his feet. "And obviously I have nothing to say about your pride."

"If so is thy reasoning, then it is not jest. It is insult to me. How could thee; an unknown genin, see what many others cannot?"

"I have a different teacher. Stop me if I'm wrong. You're using the tremor inducing characteristics of Earth elemental chakra to strengthen your own hair. That's what plows through the ground earlier. That hair made snake is like a mass of high frequency blade. The continuous vibration produce massive shockwave that shatter and cuts through everything… and then there's the case when I try to hit you."

Shinja was speechless.

"It's the same principle when a master tried to examine the movement of a bird. We caught the bird's leg and shook it just before it took off, preventing it from leaving our hand. The tremor you caused on your hair shield works on the same principle. Adding all that together, I can immediately see it through."

"I see. It is no insult indeed that thou had seen and stated the facts. But!" Suddenly, Shinja shut her eyes again and stabbed some of her hair to the ground. This time Neji could barely see clearly the hair is shaking. But something even more horrendous happened: his leg felt like they've turned to stone and stuck on the spot. He couldn't lift even his toe away from the ground.

'Masaka… she shook the whole ground!?'

"Doton!"

Neji avert his gaze from his feet and turned to Shinja in horror. She just finished an Earth jutsu!

"Jisshin Tou (Earth Quake Sword)!" Her hair vibrates intensely for one moment, and the ground before her shattered in a straight line, pieces of rock burst from the shattered rock like a hailstorm of stone daggers. The stone daggers pierced through Neji's body, riddling it with holes. But as Neji's decimated body fell, it turned into a pile of water as it hits the ground.

Shinja sighed. "Most impressive. But I need not mine eyes to find you."

Hiding behind a tree, Neji cursed his luck. 'What a crazy pair up I'm stuck with…'

He remembered his latest conversation with Kira…

_Flashback:_

"Neji, in your situation where you have two opposing Chakra in your body it is both a good and bad thing." Kira pointed.

"Why so?"

"Well, let's start with the good one. For a start, you will be partially immune to some elements bad effects on your body. For example, fire, which is the neutral base of lightning is weak against water. However, in your case, since part of your chakra is water based, your lightning and fire based jutsu won't be affected as much as other pure fire and lightning jutsus."

"But on the other hand, it also became more effective when I'm countering other fire-lightning-based jutsu, since the water element factor in my jutsu weakens theirs, a bit."

"Correct. It's an anomaly, really. But doesn't mean it's a bad thing."

"And what's the bad part about this dual elemental?"

"First, well, you can use both Fire, Lightning or water jutsu with impunity… but the power drain is murder. Fire and Water are enemies by nature. It requires a significant portion of your chakra to neutralize this reactive effect inbetween opposing elements. And here's another thing. Some element became potently effective against you, as you share not only the strength of each element, but also their weakness. You're pretty much screwed if you encounter a master Earth elemental ninja."

"Earth. Elemental effect: vibration. It sucks up water, born from fire… and neutralizes lightning?"

"Exactly. Each fire, lightning or water jutsu you employ against your enemy will strengthen them moreso than the damage you cause them."

"Then… how do I fight them?"

"Dunno." Kira raised his arms with an innocent smile plastered to his face.

Silence for 5 minutes. "Excuse me… What?"

"Dunno." Kira repeated with a laugh.

Neji suddenly gained an unbelievable urge to bust their honorable teacher's face up. "DUNNO!?"

"Believe me… I had the same problem with you when I was young. I'm a Lightning and Water type myself! I was screwed the first time I fought an earth type master nin!" Kira raised his hands. "Then I asked for some advice… particularly from my sister. And then she said the exact same word I gave you: dunno."

"G… B… But then… what…"

"She said: Dunno. If I met one I just bust'em up good. On the face and on the arse. That's what she said to me… and I still got owned for… ten… twenty times by that same master?"

"…" Neji's eyes twitched. What an unbelievably unreasonable people, their teachers are. He was expecting after thousands of years of experience, the Shitennou of Seiryuu could come up with a more civilized method to deal with screwed up situation. "Can it… really be… done? Bust my way through…

Kira smiled happily. "She was always a reckless type… but admirably honest with whatever she's doing. A plain average girl, when you compare her with genius class like you or Sasuke. Heck she's probably near Naruto level. She used her fist and beat the earth elemental master with one stroke. ONE STROKE right past his guards into his jaw! I slaved for weeks to find a solution and she finished him just like that in less than a minute! Ha!"

"Your sister… she must be an Earth, no, Wood type! That's why she can handle Earth type easily!"

"That's what I thought too… before I get to know the Elemental cards." Kira looked at Neji, as if trying to send him a sign. "But guess what?"

Neji's prodigious brain figured out the answer.

Kira confirmed it and shook his head in glee. "The same type with Lee. No elemental affinity whatsoever. Can't use Ninjutsu or Genjutsu, instead relying on a myriad of Taijutsu techniques from across the globe to achieve all feats surpassing even that of a Kage or a ninja. Honestly, before I saw Lee, I thought she was one of a kind… The joys of simple mindedness."

"…" Neji sighed.

"You think so too right? People without extensive ability to understand, that is to say, an idiot, can always act without a care about the consequences. Like Naruto."

"Yeah. He's a first class idiot in many ways… but look at what he had accomplished." Neji chuckled. And suddenly a train of thought just entered his mind and he blurted it out ever so innocently. "Sensei… what should I do to become an idiot?"

Kira looked at him seeing if he had lost his mind. And then the Demigod bashed his head with a baseball bat that just appeared out of nowhere. "Do this once every hour and I damn well guarantee if you survive you'll be an idiot for life."

Neji's head was literally spinning. During his dizzied state however, he can still caught a few last words from his sensei before he fainted altogether:

"The key is: never stop to think what's next."

_Flashback ends._

Neji rubbed the spot where the bruise once lay. 'Yeah right. What was I thinking, asking that question?' He took a peek at his enemy and saw her hair vibrate and the air skewed just in time before he jumped away. The spot where he was standing shattered. 'She sent the shockwave through the air using her hair… she's like a walking earthquake!'

"Thou cannot hide forever."

'Indeed. What should I do?' Calmly, Neji began formulating a plan. 'Right… let's see if this works.'

Shinja was still 'looking' for Neji's location. 'The youngling hid himself well. His voice is barely louder than the rustling of the leaf…' Just then, she felt something fast heading her way, from 10 different directions. Each is set with different timing within seconds and milliseconds to each other. 'Ho…ho… to set that amount of delicately set traps in such a short time… not bad at all, child.'

The first, third, fourth, seventh shuriken were shattered midair. The remaining six were split roughly to two before they hit the target by paper thin margin.

Neji frowned as he analyzed the situation. 'To think I'll be using that Sound spider nin's trick… Still, the way those four kunais were shattered… so the shockwave. Her hair vibrates creating some sort of shockwave field that protects her, shattering everything within range… like those Nagas Water Chakra field. What about the other 6? They didn't shatter… that means there's a lag in-between the shockwaves; a few millisecond lag… but they were split albeit roughly…' The Hyuuga blinked in realization. 'So that's how it is. Damn… that's quite tricky.'

He looked at his weapon at hand: a few more Kunais, a couple explosive tags, Souryuuga… Neji perked up.

'What will you do now, boy?' Again, Shinja sensed another projectiles coming her way. 'Another?'

A shuriken shattered. And a few milliseconds after that, something went through the lag in-between the shockwave. The second layer of defense stopped it and the projectile stuck there… but it cannot destroy it, much to Shinja's surprise. Before she could even react, she senses another projectile and this time, it wasn't aimed at her… instead, it was aimed at the stuck projectile. The latter projectile hit the first one and hammered it deeper, this time, Shinja HAD to open her eyes. She gasped seeing a one meter long katana is just millimeters away from her face. A kunai can be seen floating midair and on its way to clatter to the ground, signifying that this was the second object that hammered the Katana deeper. She was speechless.

"So that's how you do it." Neji's voice echoed from allover. And this time, he was fighting to make his voice as casual as possible.

Shinja frowned. Stopping the Tenryuuga were strands of her long, dark, hair.

"The first layer of defense is a field of shockwave generated by the vibrating Earth Chakra in your hair… but there's a lag of 0.01 seconds in-between the shockwave defense… covering that is your second layer of defense, and the reason why your destructive shockwave didn't destroy you… your swirling hair sliced them, in which, they also vibrates in a reversed frequency… nullifying the destructive effect of the first layer."

The woman gasped, and now she seems more captivated rather than shocked. "Magnificent. Just magnificent. Only the phrase 'Genius' would do justice to thy magnificent deduction. Not even the fact that thou threw away one of thy main weapon could tarnish this title." Shinja even clapped her hands in admiration. As she said this, the Kunoichi took the Heaven Dragon katana and planted it within her eyesight. Now if Neji wish to take it, he'll be at the mercy of Shinja's shockwave barrage. "Still… understanding and solving the problem, surely thou understand the difference."

"Indeed." Neji grunted. That last attack was his trump card. Kunai was too short and too weak. The Souryuuga are Katanas. And they are clearly built a lot tougher than any normal weapon. Heck, he probably wouldn't be able to do that trick if he was using some other Katana. Now he only got one left, the ferocious Earth Dragon on his back while the other were set as bait. 'Calm down… let's think this through, there's gotta be a way to penetrate that defense…'

And so Neji resorted to Ninjutsu. 'She's an earth type. Fire, Lightning, Water, all is a big no-no… my Wood element aren't that strong. So…' He made a few handseals. 'Tetsuton!' Neji throw all of his shuriken and Kunais to the air. 'Kyoukan-kiri (Giant killer)!' the iron kunais and shurikens melded and joined into one, forming a forked spear. 'Fight shockwave with another shockwave. And in the five elements, Earth strengthens Iron. This should do.' Neji grabbed the iron spear and with all his might in Iron element, closed the gap in between the forked spear. The two fork blades joined together, forming the shape of an average spear. And then, grasping it tightly, the Hyuuga hurled the spear towards the target. The spear zoomed past the trees and straight at her.

As expected, the shockwave field collided with the spear mid-air. At that time, the spear's tip chose that moment to open up, resulting in a resonating effect which cancels out the destructive shockwave field. The spear continues to plunge its way through, but the second layer of defense quickly activates. The reverse frequency of the second layer of defense nullified the spear's resonance and Shinja's hair also stopped the spear from going any deeper, but like with Tenryuuga, it was pretty damn close. Neji grunted angrily as he saw Shinja easily shattered the iron spear. Great. Now's he's out of long range weapon.

"Magnificent. Simply magnificent. Thou had brought me this close to death twice in this many minutes. Given time, with thy ingenuity, doubtlessly this defense shall crumble." Shinja's words stop Neji's train of thought. "To repay thy astounding effort, allow me to play thy requiem." Suddenly Neji heard the sound of something rattling. And Neji suddenly found everything he see… is darkness. He couldn't even hear a thing, his body gone numb, his nose couldn't smell anything, his tongue lost taste; all his five senses had disappeared.

"Wha… Genjutsu?" He couldn't even hear his own voice. All the sudden, something exploded right on his back followed by an agonizing amount of pain to his back. "GYAAAAAAAARGH!" And just like that, his senses are back and he could hear himself scream. Neji fell to the ground and noticed that the spot he was hiding on the trees had just been blasted through with a wave of air-quake.

"NEJI!" Yukiku and Naruto, who both were fighting their own adversary, were shocked when they saw the Hyuuga fell to the ground.

"Pay attention to your enemy, onna!!" Karas descent again and landed another slice to Yukiku's giant sword.

"DORYAAA!" Naruto barely dodge Juuou's charge.

Neji gritted his teeth, bearing the pain. How many ribs did she break with that one attack? Unbelievable.

"Absolve mine error. It ist not mine intention to make thee suffer so." Through the pain, he can still hear her speak. He glared at the Snake nin. What did she just do? A genjutsu?

"I shall end thy torment. Know that thou art the first nin outside of Rain's best that managed to pierce through mine defense multiple times. Die with that honor in thy heart." Another rattling sound and then everything gone blank again. Neji's eyes widened. He knew it then and there. An attack is coming. But he had no idea from where and how. His prodigious mind; unable to produce any sort of counter; come up with just one conclusion: He's going to die.

'**MOVE!!' **A loud rough voice broke through his stupor and by reflex he moved to the left. The darkness suddenly receded, followed by a large explosion right on the spot where he used to stand.

Shinja frowned but remain calm.

Neji was shocked. Who was that voice?

'**Stop standing like a statue and move your ass! You're a genius, aren't you!?'**

It wasn't caught by his ears. It was sent straight to his mind. Neji gazed to his weapon. Chiryuuga. 'It was you, wasn't it?'

'**What the hell are you doing? Don't avert your gaze from the enemy, genius!'**

The way he said the word genius was heavily tinted with sarcasm. Neji returned his gaze to Shinja then he heard another rattling sound. The instant before everything goes dark however; he saw several strands of her hair stand erect, as if electrocuted. A wave of realization hits Neji just as the darkness enshrouded him.

'**Even if you can't see, you gotta MOVE! Don't make yourself a fixed target, BAKA!'**

Neji shunshin-ed randomly to some place he can't see but he knows by memory. As the darkness unravel, another explosion occurred and the Hyuuga found out he was on a direct collision course towards a tree. With thud, the prodigy slammed the tree head on like an amateur nin.

Shinja looked at him. "Admirable effort. Astounding will to survive. I see through thee a glimpse of strength recognized by Hanzou-sama himself. But I shall not tire nor wane until thy lifeless body lay upon mine feet." Several of her hair stand on end again and darkness shroud Neji's senses again.

The Hyuuga jumped away randomly. His sense of pain dulled but his inability to reach certain place showed that he had hit something. Like a handicapped person he moved around using his hand, swinging wildly to feel his way. He didn't know if he still has a hand. All he knew he had to move.

'**Don't just think on how to dodge her you idiot! FIGHT HER BACK!' **the voice in his head grew harsher and angrier.

"How am I supposed to do that if I can't even-ARGH!" The pain transferred to his mind as another air quake blast ripped through several trees and grazed his shoulder. A minor graze but it felt like it just got pierced by a hammer.

'**You know where's she's standing! STOP thinking strategy, start thinking PLAYSTATION! BLOW SHIT UP!!'**

'Blow shi…-yeah right! That's the stupidest plan I heard all day.' Neji stop mid-thought. "Stupid-eh?"

Having sensed the message had gotten through, the Earth Dragon say no more. Neji stopped running blind and turn around. And there she saw her turning her closed eyes to him.

"I see thou had stopped running. Have thee resorted to finally give in for a quick painless death? Or… have thee found a way to stop my onslaught?"

"I… I'm impressed."

"?"

"The way you… used earth elemental to create shockwave field… that is already something… but to think… that you too have a lightning elemental chakra as well… and the way you use them to vibrate your hair to, what should I call it, short-circuit my nervous system via long range electromagnetic pulse? In more ways than one, you are, truly, beyond me."

Shinja closed her gawking lips and looked at the boy before her. The boy who figured out all her secret in just a few minutes. She confirmed Neji's theory by showing several jolts of electricity coursing through her erect strands of hair. "A pity. Such talent, at such a young age. Know that it is not thy ineptitude that this battle is lost. It is thy experience art lacking compared to mine. But give it a year or two… (sigh) If only thou were born in our village, what service thou can render to our lord."

"Thank you for your streams of compliment… but now… I think… heh… you'll about see me… at my dumbest moment." Neji grabbed the Earth Dragon with both of his hand… and then, just like that, he yelled, loudly, and charged up front!

Shinja was stunned at such utterly direct and reckless attack. No jutsus, no preparation. No nothing. "So this is what thee hath chosen. How bold." She closed her eyes. The erect hair began to vibrate as electricity jumped in between for a flash. The vibrating hair began generating a sound like a rattling snake. The moment Neji heard the rattling sound, his world gone empty. But Neji ignored his blank sense and kept on running forward, targeting his opponent by memory alone. It was then.

The moment his body administer pain for the first time from the Air-Quake blast. The moment his senses returned, the millisecond the nerves of his crushed left hand sent the signal of pain to his brain, he chose that time to kick the ground and shunshin forward, right inside Shinja's Shockwave field. The field instantly crushed every inch of his body. Cracking sound can be heard from every bit of Neji's bones as it began to break. Despite that, Neji bear the pain and thrust the Chiryuga forward. Shinja was shocked as she did not expect such reckless behavior and once again, her second layer defense managed to stop the forward thrust, though with the extra force, it was cutting it pretty close this time, forcing her to back away a little bit and applied more hair to stop the thrust. However, due to the vibration of the hair, Neji couldn't let go of the sword and thus his right hand was disabled.

"Such foolishness…" Some of her hair also began to vibrate on the ground again and send ripple of shockwave to Neji's feet, intent on nailing him. And so Neji's feet were locked in place.

"MADA-MADA!!!" The Hyuuga made a handseal with his remaining left hand (or what's left of it). It was then Shinja realized: the Katana she blocked was plastered with layers upon layers of explosive tags!

"He wouldn't!!"

"…_never stop to think what's next."_

With that in mind, Neji roared. "KATSU!!"

A loud explosion engulfed them both and shattered the ground. Two figures were thrown to opposite direction from the blaze. One side, Neji, his right arm, still barely holding the Chiryuuga was half scorched to Hell and his bent left arm grasped the reclaimed Tenryuga. And on the other side, Shinja with couple of burns and most of her long hair was burned out. Neji landed on a rock and cracked it upon impact. Shinja was luckier as she landed on a softer tree which cushions her fall. A bit of her protective clothes were torn. Both fighters were equally injured nonetheless. The loud explosion also draws the attention of everyone on the field.

"THE HELL…!?" Yukiku was thrown off balance midair by the wave of explosion.

Juuou and Naruto paused mid-punch when they felt the hot air wave on their face. "What just…"

"What… art… thee… thinking? Are thee planning… to kill thyself?"

Neji chuckled in between his cough of blood. "Someone taught me… in certain cases, you have to dumb down a little." He grinned painfully. He looked at the singed but intact Chiryuuga. 'Just like you said… blow shit up.'

'**You are ONE crazy STUPID son of a bitch.'** Boy, judging by his tone, the sword was FURIOUS!

'That… is the highest praise.' Neji closed his eyes in satisfaction. But he knew it wasn't over.

Shinja coughed some blood. She looked at herself. Most of her hair was burned out, she hasn't run out of chakra yet, but her body is a mess. Forcibly she stood up, intent on continuing the battle.

She looked across the field and saw her opponent also stood up. "I admire thy tenacity. But even that must have its limits. Both thy arms are decimated, how can thee fight?"

Neji looked at his arms. His right one was singed, his left was somewhat broken, but it can still grasp the sword tightly. It was slightly bent. He positioned his left arm on the shattered rock behind him and then pushed HARD. A sickening CRACK can be heard throughout the battlefield as the Hyuuga just forcibly pushed his shattered and bent bones back in its place. He tied the sheath of Tenryuuga on it as a crutch. As for the right arm, he could barely feel them anymore. The pain had made him numb. Miraculously he can still see his fingers moving to his every command. But clearly wielding sword to fight is beyond him. It was then Neji thought of another stupid (by his standard) idea.

Shinja knew she's in for another fight but even someone as elegant as her had to widen her eyes in a rather unsightly manner when she saw Neji walk into the combat… with one sword in his left hand… and another sword tied to his right leg. With one of his leg higher than the other, the boy's way of walking was obviously awkward if not downright stupid.

"…if I knew nothing of thee, I would certainly ask: Art thee making fun of me? May I inquire how art thee going to fight like that?"

"Dunno." Neji smirked when he said that. "I'm just; and I quote: bust you up good in your face and in your arse."

Shinja looked disbelievingly at Neji. He. Was. Serious. He's going to fight her… with a sword tied to his right leg. "So be it." Grasping her remaining hair, Shinja concentrate and let electricity coursed through them, causing them to stand on erect. She concentrated even further, and then the strands of hair accumulated together, forming a black Katana, with electricity jolting through them.

Neji gulped and gather his remaining bit of courage. He took a deep breath and then dash forward in an awkward pace since his right and left leg now has different length. Shinja too dashed forward. As soon as both have their targets within range, they attack. Shinja's lightning charged Hair-Sword pierced through first and was aimed straight at Neji's left arm. But it was instead stopped by his right leg, bearing the Lightning Induced Chiryuuga.

'! He's also a lightning type?'

Using the momentum generated by the weight of his right leg, Neji used it to swing his left arm to his right side in a 360 degree counter-clockwise arc. The kunoichi ducked just in time, but the slash claimed a bit more of her singed hair. Midslash, Neji quickly turned it into a straight stab to the ground. Using the stabbed sword as an axis, his left leg kicked the ground and lifted his entire body, particularly his right leg, which spins vertically in a 180 degree arc, technically a drop kick/slash. It grazed Shinja's unprotected shoulder. The pain was a sign for the snake nin to jump away from Neji.

'Nanto… so he's a close combat specialist? To be able to fight in that kind of handicapped position… Then…' The electricity coursing the hair katana disappeared as it went limp. Replacing it, the hair swivel around forming a whip. Shinja cracked her whip, and the spot where the whip touched shattered as if they were pulverized.

Neji gasped. 'Intent on making this a ranged battle, aren't we? She knew now that I'm good in close combat. Naraba… I'm not mincing methods anymore, like he said… stop thinking strategy…' "Start thinking playstation…"

Shinja readied herself, though at the back of her mind she was wondering what the hell is Playstation.

Wondering that same thing, the Neji charged forward, closing the distance between them. Shinja swing her whip furiously at blinding speed, the battlefield was filled with countless afterimages of her whip cracking. Soon, the land around the two was filled with dozens of craters. Using his Chiryuuga tied to his leg, Neji made his way through the attack, blocking every whip coming his way. Walking with his arms and his one leg, he literally crawled his way through. Even Shinja was surprised that the boy was able to close their distance in a rapid pace. However, one brief moment of stinging pain and Neji missed a step. Not wasting another chance Shinja placed another well aimed swipe and it hit Neji squarely on his back. The Hyuuga prodigy felt four to five hard hit on his spinal cord.

'HOLY SHI-!' Neji bite his lips to prevent him from screaming out loud. Somehow he was still conscious despite the immense agonizing pain, and he kicked the ground for one last shunshin, and he was literally face to face with the shocked Kunoichi. He swung his right leg towards the hair whip. Shinja reflexively swing her whip and either by coincidence or intended, the two weapons entwined and stuck there. The two were interlocked, just like that.

At this point, Neji smirked and rephrased the last part: "BLOW SHIT UP!!" in a flash, Neji finished to formed the needed handseal. 'SUITON! SUIRYUUDAN!' A dragon made of water burst out from Neji mouth, straight at the Kunoichi. Shinja quickly grasped his throat and pushed it upward. The water dragon burst out to the sky in a vertical take off. The two nins looked to the sky, the Water Dragon will be descending any moment now.

The two looked at each other.

Shinja's eyes widened, realizing what's going to happen next. "Thou shall not!"

Neji chuckled. "I shall." Lightning crackled through the Chiryuuga just as the water dragon landed on both of them, washing them clean, and electrocuting them both. The two went rigid and screamed while electricity surge through both of them, lighting the battlefield. After a few seconds, their weapon untangled and the two landed on their back, both a few shades darker than the previous with smokes puffing through their hair.

"To get me this far, I praised thee for thy intelligence and will… but… why in the name of GOD art thee doing something so imbecilic at the end!? What art thee doing!?" Shinja was still trembling from the electric residue coursing through her veins. She could barely stand and most of her hair had been rendered useless.

"What am I doing?" Neji smiled though he still trembling from the shocking experience. "Trying to be an idiot."

And the two lie down there, unable to do anything anymore other than watching the other's combat.

Neji vs. Shinja: Both combatants unable to continue. Draw.

00000000000

Fujiki zoomed past the trees as he heard the faint sound of explosion and clash between weapons. "I hope I'm not overestimating those three…"

The swordsman quickly made his way towards the refugee convoy. 'Anyway… Kirigakure now thinks I'm dead… so I have to use this to my advantage… hid myself among the refugee and then sneak in. 'Touzou… you got a lot to answer for when I'm through with you…' "Hm?"

Fujiki stopped as he saw dark cloud abnormally rising right on the spot where Yukiku was fighting. Then he saw a giant ice dragon soar up. The Swordsman grinned almost manically. "The second coming of the First Mizukage Hitsugaya Toushiro…" His worry lessened Fujiki turn away and headed towards where the refugees are.

00000000000

**Round 2:**

**Yukiku VS. Karas**

Twin

Pretty much, the only thing stopping Karas from ripping her body to shreds right off is one piece of iron called the Head Cleaver. The Dragon's Tail is too fragile… too many unarmored moving parts that are prone to jamming if she were to use it to block his attacks. She had faith in Kira's handwork, but, well…

"Gkk!!" Yukiku swore her fingers gonna come off anytime soon. She looked to the sky on the black shape that is Karas. She had experience fighting daemons, rampaging monsters, jounins… but variety aside, she never, for the love of her, faced a flying opponent.

"Whoa!" Karas just swoop down one more time, and this time she had to roll over lest he'll knock her weapon off her aching fingers. She looked around. Good god, did that big man just decked Naruto on his stomach? It sure looks painful. But he's taken worse and he had live through it. She looked to another direction. The snake lady was seemingly stuck on the spot, Neji was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly a horde of Kunai from every direction was launched at her. She blocked/shattered it all. Neji also got his hands full. Switching opponents won't do.

"This is not good, onna." Karas' voice echoed from up there. Knowing his opponent listening, Karas continued. "Ever since the start of the battle, you've been doing less honorably than your friends."

Yukiku twitched. Yeah right. Neji was fighting stealthily (and by the look of it, smartly too), Naruto fight openly and straight from the front. Both are being offensive. She's the only one who's being defensive from the start. "Your point being, mr. Hey-look-at-me-I'm-flying-in-the-sky-you-can't-touch-me?"

Answering her question is another salvo of the thing has been harassing her in the last few minutes of their duel: a couple of dozen of Solid razor sharp Iron feathers launched at super speed. But that's the least of her worries. The iron feathers dispersed… no, they oxidized, they rapidly rust and suddenly she's completely out of breath since all oxygen in the area was rapidly absorbed by the rusting.

'How could he combine air and iron like this!?' Yukiku took deep breath to gather what little oxygen she can get and then move away from the spot. Her position revealed, Karas span his black iron wing again and with one flap, a massive destruction was wreaked as a rain of Iron Feathers devastated the area.

Yukiku smiled nervously at the destruction. But she's more amused than scared. Oh, she gets exactly what he was implying. All her friends are being offensive, and she looked like a coward, playing hide and seek. But oh hell no, she will not accept that word from him. If it's the big guy or the snake kunoichi, she'll be more forgiving. But not from some sexist jerk flying on high who called her by her gender instead of name. Given this insult, she felt compelled to respond in kind. "That's quite some devastation you left here… you sure you got the right animal theme?"

He swoop down towards her at top speed. She grinned and took a step back from the tree where she hid. Grasping the great sword she swung it hard just as the tree was split to firewood from the incoming crow ninja. The head cleaver was an inch away from Karas' arm but just like that, he disappeared from his sight and Yukiku felt a sharp pain from her back. She swung wildly to her back, but Karas was already gone. But she held the pain and forced a grin. "Honestly, you resemble a freakin arena Bull than a bird."

Another barrage of black oxygen stealing feathers. Yukiku took another quick deep breath and jumped away. When she landed, her leg slumped a bit and the massive weight of the Head Cleaver isn't helping. The oxygen in their battlefield is steadily declining with each of his barrage.

"Silly little girl playing with a big ass sword barely fit for her size." Another insult coming from the sky. Yukiku felt like she wanted to tear that mouth off. But she understood it'll do her no good of being angry. Insults, taunts… they are psychological weapons for Ninja too. At the very least, she can feel Karas wasn't playing around with her. If she show some much as an opening, he'll kill her in a heartbeat. His insults are one of his ways of making her showing it. But if he thinks she's gonna remain a punching bag forever, he's in for a surprise…

The trick is, level the playing field. No easy task. She just ran from her spot, where Karas was waiting and launched another of his god-damn black feathers. She needed the right spot to do this.

"GYAAAAAAAARGH!" When she was half done, a loud yell from Neji distracted her. She looked at the direction and saw Neji fell off from the tree. Good god, his back smoking and it looked like he was just being pulverized by a giant hammer.

"NEJI!!" She wasn't the only one screaming. She can hear Naruto also scream.

"Pay attention to your enemy, onna!!" She gasped and Karas was already halfway on the sky. She raised the Headcleaver barely on time, but a slice found its way to her shoulder.

"Gah!" Yukiku grasped her bleeding shoulder. Stupid, stupid, stupid! RULE NO. 1 when fighting elite! Never avert your eyes from your enemy! Well, at least she's done. Karas flying up there, encircling her, his prey. Yukiku grunted and stood back up. She didn't run, but she remained on the spot. Waiting.

Karas took note of this change in behavior and launched another wave of black feathers. Yukiku took a large deep breath and stood her ground and a rain of black feathers showered her spot. She managed to block them all, but they quickly oxidized, and the air disappeared completely. Her face turned red, holding her breath, and she fell to her knees. Karas bent his wings and descent at top speed, intent on giving her the finishing blow. Moments before the attack hits, Yukiku opened her eyes and flash him a 'you're-so-screwed' smile. She threw away the giant sword and welcomed the attack. Karas clawed arm went through her chest. But her body turned into an icy figure soon after, locking the crow nin place for a few precious second at most.

At this point, Yukiku appeared out of thin air (quite literally) and slashed not the HeadCleaver, but the Dragon's Tail. The segmented blade separates itself and encircles the nin. Karas grunted. Suddenly he felt something even weirder. He felt his chakra is being drained bit by bit.

'Shinkirou Shunshin (Mirage Body Flash). Another technique used by Hotsuma the Sealion, a first generation swordsman. Interesting.' Yukiku grinned. She tightened her grip on the segmented chain sword and she can feel more chakra came rushing in. "I'm taking this chakra. Compensating all that oxygen you've taken from me."

"A chakra sucking sword? You're more cowardly than I thought, Onna!"

"I don't want to hear that from you. NOT you of all people! Flying around, not once touching the ground to fight like a man. Weaken ground target who can't strike back by stealing their oxygen and then whack them straight… you're no better than that frog bastard!"

"The hell… you know… ONNAAA!!" Karas roared and his wing suddenly expanded again, releasing the nin from the Dragon's tail grasp and Karas soared again. But when he tried to reach the altitude he wanted, something stopped him. He looked around and saw his wings were jammed. 'What?' he looked closer and saw countless strings have now blocked the sky. 'W…when did she…!?'

"Ninpou, World of Web. You're not going anywhere, Black Sky-san." Yukiku smirked. Karas barely fly outside her sword's reach. Now he's in her area.

"Like this going to…!" Karas groaned and struggled to break free. Yukiku sheathed the Dragon's Tail and took the Head Cleaver and charged forward. Karas crossed his clawed gauntlet and blocked the slash. The giant sword does no damage though it did break his defense. Yukiku used the moment and step on Karas and jump away to the empty air. She suddenly stopped midair and step on nothing, dashing back at the trapped Raven nin.

'Wha…!?' Yukiku's target this time is his wing. Sparks lit up when her giant sword met with Karas' wing.

"Eh?" Yukiku paused as she landed. 'That wing… is it completely made of iron? That's a hell of a strong and heavy wing… but if he's an iron type… it'll only make sense.' The girl continued her barrage of slashes as she jumped here and there, time and again at a blinding speed. For some reason, every slash Yukiku made caused the Raven Nin felt like his body is getting heavier and harder to move.

"ONE MORE TIME!!" Yukiku kicked the air one more time and was about to perform a final stroke when an explosion stopped her from continuing. "THE HELL…!?" Yukiku was thrown off balance midair by the wave of explosion.

Yukiku and Karas look at the direction of the explosion. Neji was thrown to one side, his arm smoking. His opponent was also thrown away, her head… or specifically her hair was burnt out. Their battle paused for a moment.

"Did Neji just… blow off his arm or something…?" Karas' grunting diverted her attention. She looked at her hand and saw some severed iron wire. 'Damn… the last wire… oh well…' Yukiku look satisfied at her handiwork, albeit incomplete. Karas continue to struggle to no avail to break free; his black wing was tied in innumerable number of strings.

"With this, you're just a caged bird."

Karas' eyes widened at the comment and he stopped wriggling. 'Caged… bird…' And he went unnaturally silent.

Yukiku didn't realize this change of behavior and continue to eye the battle between Neji and Shinja, which had reached its end.

"To get me this far, I praised thee for thy intelligence and will… but… why in the name of GOD are thee doing something so imbecilic at the end!? What art thee doing!?" Shinja was still trembling from the electric residue coursing through her veins. She could barely stand and most of her hair had been rendered useless.

"What am I doing?" Neji smiled though he still trembling from the shocking experience. "Trying to be an idiot."

Yukiku sweatdropped. Neji must've, like, electrocuted himself along with his opponent. Naruto's idiotic way of thinking must've affected him more than anyone can imagine.

Meanwhile, Karas was still suspended midair. His lips trembling, remembering an old memory.

"_That's impossible for you." Hanzou stated with a tone of finality._

"_WHY?" a younger Karas roared in deviant tone._

"_Look at these papers Karas. You may have the look and probably the skills of your brother… but that fighting style is impossible for you. You may also possess a powerful wind elemental chakra, but your base is an iron elemental type. A strong one too. It was in direct conflict with the prerequisites of this fighting style."_

"_Then I'll learn fire element! My brother can do it, I can do it too!"_

"_You'll destroy yourself. Your brother is blessed with the sky. Wind and Fire element since birth, it was as if he was born for it. Fire will destroy your base, iron element. You'll never survive the training process."_

_Karas gritted his teeth in frustration._

_Hanzou sighed. "I understand how you feel. It's not fair. But even if you force yourself to learn the way of Tenjutsu (Sky jutsu) at the very best… you'll be just a caged bird. And that's that." The Amekage sealed the verdict. _

"I…" Karas muttered.

Yukiku blinked.

"I… am… NOT… a CAGED BIRD!!" The raven nin roared. And with that he oxidized his wings and other wires holding it in place. A rain of rusted iron fell from the sky. Karas fell to the ground, the large blades which were his wings' feathers were now dulled and corroded by the rust. What's left of the wings was not sufficient to keep him aloft.

Yukiku blinked. She must've hit a soft spot in his opponent's heart when she said caged bird. It was a not so innocent mistake, but she knew she's going to pay dearly for that now that her opponent is pissed.

Karas looked at the pieces of his rusted wings. 'This… this is not… this is not the kind of sky I wish to see…" He gritted his teeth and glared at Yukiku. "Let me show you."

Yukiku grunted and readied herself.

"The real sky." Karas rummaged his dougi and pull out… a white feather.

Yukiku almost stumbled. What's he going to do, tickle her to death?

"STOP, KARAS!!" Shinja cried out in horror, realizing what he's going to do.

Karas blow the Feather away. "Hijutsu, Tenjutsu Ninpou, Shiro no Jigoku (Secret Technique, Sky Jutsu Ninja Arts: White Hell)!"

The 1 feather multiplied to 2, then to 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, and so forth and so forth. Before long, the feathers were incalculable, filling every corner of the battlefield.

"Ouch!" Yukiku winced and saw a trail of blood just trickled on a burnt gash. 'Burnt?' She looked at the feathers and gasped. The feather just cut and burnt her! In a short work, dozens of cuts and burns filled her skin. The feathers were everywhere. Cutting at her fingers, arms, cheek, everywhere, the more she moves, faster the feathers cut her, but if she remained still, the feathers would continue to multiply and cut her still.

Karas gritted his teeth, concentrating. But beyond that, he's also trying to hold back the excruciating pain he felt within.

Yukiku jumped far away from the range of the feathers. To her horror, the feathers followed her, no matter where she goes. 'What the hell is this jutsu!?'

"This is the jutsu of my brother. Tenjutsu." Karas heaves and pants as he said this, more to himself than to Yukiku. "No matter where the enemy runs it'll follow and kill them in an agonizing burning death. The white hot flame of illusion which marked the hottest flame in form of white feathers. That… is White Hell."

"You don't look so good either…" Yukiku grunted, But she can still notice the tortured agonized look on Karas' face.

"Worry about yourself, onna! I'll kill you before this jutsu kills me!" The raven nin glared at the wounded and surrounded Yukiku. Another image comes to mind.

"_Maa… don't be too sad about it." Taka tried to cheer up his groaning twin brother._

_Karas was panting. His veins felt like they're going to burst._

"_It was good. I would even go so far as to say its destructive power exceeded even mine in comparison."_

"_But I can't hold it for long… not as long as you!"_

"_So what? As long as you can defeat your target before it expires!"_

The raven nin groaned. The fire element is burning him inside out. Especially since his base element is in direct contrast with the element he's using to the extreme. 

Yukiku nearly fell to her knees and used the Head Cleaver as support. She looked at the Raven nin and saw he seem to be close to dying as well. Another slice and burn on her back warrants a groan and forced her to face the ground, which had turned red from all her splattered blood. Just then a sting in her mind followed. A man with spiky white hair came to view. She let go of the Head Cleaver and grasped the Dragon's Tail again. But this time, she took off one of her sealing gloves. "You fight to the point of torturing yourself… I guess I have to respond in kind."

When her unsealed hand touched the Dragon's Tail, the chain sword was instantly enclosed in ice and start growing scales, not dissimilar with Dragon Scales. "Hyoton Hijutsu… HYORINMARU!!" She lashed the chain sword and suddenly an ice Dragon was generated from the tip of the chain sword. Blizzard encircles the dragon's body, which in turn, circle around Yukiku, repelling the white flame feathers. The ice dragon and the white feathers fought for dominance. With one load roar, the Ice Dragon rose to the sky and blasted the feathers away.

Some distance away from that spot, Fujiki paused and looked to the sky. "The second coming of the First Mizukage Hitsugaya Toushiro…"

The Ice Dragon roared and broke apart, revealing Yukiku, now supporting an Angelique Icy Wings. Her hair glowing blue, as are her eyes. One flap of her wings and it was as if there's a blizzard passed by. Karas was frozen on the spot. Beating her wings, Yukiku dashed towards the nailed nin.

Karas roared. What's left of his iron wings glowed red and melted to a red glob of iron. The red hot metal melted the ice and then accumulated on his right hand, forming a large jagged arm with a series of long jagged blades as fingers and claws. Karas groaned, holding the pain as the hot iron sears his flesh.

The two nins collided one another. The red hot black iron claw met with the icy dragon blade and clashed. Amidst the spark, the two looked at each other before began clashing. Blow met blow at a rapid pace. Sparks jumped out with each impact. Yukiku slashed the whip sword upward vertically; Karas blocked it with a horizontal swipe. The raven nin followed with a thrust, Yukiku parried it to her side, followed with a horizontal slash of her own. Karas added an extra force and smash the chain blade to the side. Using the momentum of the impact, Yukiku spin counter clockwise and swing from the other side. The blade headed straight to Karas' head. The nin duck down and avoided the attack just in time. He continued with a dash and a forward thrust. Yukiku changed her slash just in time and blocked the forward thrust. It was powerful enough to push her backwards a few meters back.

Yukiku grunted. The chain whip sword retracted and formed a sword again. Now she grabbed the sword with both hands.

Karas retracted his right clawed hand and prepared his stance.

"DORYAAAAA!!!" Yukiku rushed towards Karas before jumping midway before beating her wings and descend at high speed for a very powerful overhead slash. Karas roared and thrust his clawed arm forward. What Yukiku would not expect was that the blades on Karas' black arm actually extended midway, messing up her timing. Several of Karas long hot blade pierced her body. One stab through her shoulder, two pierced through and beginning to melt her left ice wing, one pierced her thigh, and another one pierced through her stomach, but miraculously no vital organ were pierced. Yukiku coughed up some blood.

Karas pant and heaves. The adrenaline had gone a long way numbing his sense of pain. All bombarding his mind are now more memories of the past.

"_Ugh!" Taka punched another nin who made fun of his twin brother._

"_Call my brother that one more time… and I'll show you the sky beyond the sky."_

_The Rain nins, bruised and battered ran off. _

_Karas grunted. His arm was broken and he had several internal injuries due to him flying too fast, too high, and then landed too hard in a sparring session. The weight of his iron wing broke many of his bones. Made himself a laughing stock afterwards._

"_Karas… you overdid it again didn't you?"_

_Karas turned away._

"_The Red Phoenix Maneuver. It's a jutsu that ignores the safety of its user. A suicide jutsu. You're not exactly supposed to use it for ramming through enemy defenses like that… Especially you with your condition being as it is!"_

"_Because I'm a black iron bird?"  
_

"_I'm not saying this to insult you or anything!" Taka's tone grew a tad louder, signifying his annoyance. "I'm worried and Shinja's worried sick. You keep doing this you're gonna kill yourself one day. It is your strongest original move, that's the reason Hanzou-sama bestowed the title Black Sky to you. This move of yours is so powerful, you charred the sky black every time you do it."_

"_No. Not because of that."_

"_Hm?"_

"_I'm a black sky… because that's all I see… Every time I fly… I will always be in black iron cage. Flying below you in your shadow. Flying within the limits."_

"_Karas."_

"_I want to fly, as you do. Seeing the same sky as you. But why…"_

_A punch on his aching head was his answer. "Baka. So what if you're a crow and I'm the falcon? We're both birds of a feather and we can fly. Especially you. There was once a betting poll on how long until Hanzou-sama reprimands you personally and literally ground you. Look where you stand now. On the same ground as me, Shinja, and even Juuou. I was blessed. But you… you are determined. If I were in your position I would probably never get this far."_

"_Stop it. You're just trying to make me feel better-WHOA!!"_

_Before he knew it, Taka grabbed his back and soared sky high, bringing Karas along. _

"_O…Oi! What are you doing!?"_

"_In the end, you are you. And I'm me. We're two different identical brothers. But that's what makes this life interesting. Don't you think? And even if… as they say it, you're a caged bird… then I'll just carry your cage as high as my height. Isn't that what you wanted, na? Karas?"_

"_Taka…"_

"Taka… if you're no longer there… who's going to take me to that height?"

"Huh?" Amidst the pain Yukiku blinked in confusion, though she's starting to understand something.

"Hijutsu, Fuuton, Katon, Red Phoenix Manouvre!!" Karas tossed the bleeding Yukiku to the sky. The claw gauntlet in his left and the giant clawed hand on his right melted and formed a wing on what's left of Karas' previous wing. The wings are smaller and shaped differently. There are exhaust vents in place of feathers. Karas screamed both in pain and resolution. The exhaust vent light up and a burst of flame burst out propelling him upward. The flame formed a pair of giant burning wings, in an apparition of a phoenix, just like its name sake.

"KARAS!!" Shinja shrieked in terror.

Karas rammed his flaming form to Yukiku, and she felt as if the flame just went through her and roasted her inside out. A trail of flame can be seen across Yukiku's chest. Karas turned around and ram her again before the trail disappeared. Another trail of fire appeared on her back. Then another on her thigh, a cross trail to her arm, a trail went straight through her stomach. There's no open wound, but the heat were enough to vaporize even the water from Yukiku's wings the instant they melt. However, even for the one on the receiving end, it was obvious to Yukiku that she was not the only one getting burned. At the center of the moving inferno, Karas gritted his teeth as third degree burns appear all over his skin. Eventually, the trails of fire converged and turned into a great conflagration in the sky, like a sun that explodes.

Karas fly upward out of the blast, smoking head to toe. Yukiku also fell down and on a direct collision course to the ground. She landed with a thud. She gasped and wheezes. Using the Dragon's Tail to support herself, she managed to stand up again and look upward. The sky was charred from all the smoke. Karas, with her bright burning wings stood out from the black background and look at her menacingly.

"You're one tough bastard, I give you that, Onna." The flame wing flared up again. "But this is where it ends!" The flame burst and he launched himself to her.

Yukiku gritted her teeth and suddenly an image of someone who look EXACTLY like her flashes in her mind. Another person also stood next to her lookalike and he has an aura of that of a demon. And suddenly she knew what to do. Segmenting the Dragon's Tail, she swing it towards the Head Cleaver, who had been stuck on the ground for a while. The chain blade wrapped itself around the large blade and pulled it towards her. Wielding the two blades at the same time, Yukiku swung the HeadCleaver and managed to parry Karas' final attack.

"I don't know about this height or whatever…"

Karas was shocked to see that his opponent still has that much strength.

"But I'm taking you down!" She swung the Dragon's tail several times in circles over her head and placed it on her back as she jumped towards Karas, preparing for one powerful overhead slash. The Raven Nin knew that the Kunoichi will attack with that sword, and prepared accordingly.

As expected, Yukiku swung the Dragon's Tail forward. Karas welcomed the attack with a stab from the flames of his right wing. The stab went through the sword like butter and pierced Yukiku on vital spot. Much to his surprise, the flames froze and shattered, just as Yukiku's entire figure, along with her background break apart like a mirror. The pieces of the said mirror surrounded the stunned Karas from every direction, effectively encasing him in a circular cage of mirror fragments.

"Hyoton Hijutsu: Makyo Hyosho (Ice Element Secret Art: Demonic Ice Crystal Mirrors)!" Suddenly, Yukiku's reflections appeared on the fragments. And while Karas is still wondering on what's going on, one of the reflection sprang out from the mirror and struck him hard with the Dragon Tail. The reflection moved back to another mirror, and then another reflection from a different mirror lashed out as well and struck him again before hopping back in to another mirror. The pace gets faster; when the next reflection barely returned to the mirror, two more reflections also sprang out of the mirror and slashed him in rapid succession. A barrage of clones, no, reflections rain slashes and stab him from every direction at blinding speed. When the battered Karas tried to resist, he suddenly realized he was already chained on the spot. Layers upon layers of the Dragon-Tail chain sword wrapped up around his arms, legs and chest, the chain swords jutted out from all the floating mirror fragments like a spider web. Yukiku's reflection strapped another binding with each of her connecting blows. A large mirror piece appeared right above him, dispersed, and revealed Yukiku, descending upon him for the final blow with the head-cleaver on a massive vertical slash.

The mirror fragments shattered to sparkling dust as the final attack connects. Yukiku rolled several times before landed on her feet. She stood up and caught the descending Dragon-Tail soon after. Karas stay suspended midair for several second before his wings crumbles away, fell, and he landed with a crash, creating a crater in its wake. Yukiku panted and wheezed. That move took a lot out of her. She approached the crater slowly, dragging her aching feet and saw Karas, lying on the ground, barely conscious. A huge carve can be seen across his chest. But there's no blood, for there's no open wound. Yukiku had used the blunt edge of the head cleaver to inflict a heavy but non lethal wound.

Karas coughed up some blood and know he was beaten. "Why didn't you kill me?"

"You're not my enemy. Didn't we tell you that before we start?" Yukiku grinned. "Besides, she look like she's going to kill me if I kill you. And I don't have the energy to deal with that."

"KARAS!" As if on cue, Shinja had forced herself to stand up despite her injuries and move towards the fallen Crow nin. All dignity forgotten, she caressed Karas' blood soaked cheek. "KARAS! Karas! Are you okay?"

"Shinja…"

Yukiku looked at Karas and felt she needed to say something more. "I don't know in full detail of your relationship with your brother, but I can tell you two are close. And I can guess the problem too."

"Your point… being?" The crow nin turned to Yukiku again.

"That jutsu I used to beat you? If the sources are to be believed… it was a favorite jutsu of my late twin brother." Yukiku's eyes curved as she grinned, ear to ear.

Karas blinked and stared wide eyed at Yukiku and then his hardened look softened, catching the message. She understood his pain. Moreso than even he could imagine.

"I got things that bother me too. You can't imagine the number of times people put me down just because I was born a girl. But in the end… you are you. Your brother's is himself. But that's why it's interesting, life that is. Ne?"

Karas chuckled painfully. "…I never catch your name."

"Yukiku. My late brother's Haku."

The crow nin nodded. "For ridiculing you throughout our fight… and insulting your gender… I'm sorry, Yukiku."

The girl grinned understandingly. "What kind of moron called you a caged bird in the first place anyway? You flew didn't you?"

Yukiku vs. Karas: Yukiku Wins.

00000000000

**Round 3:**

**Naruto VS. Juuou**

Unpredictable indeed

"That was a close call. Yukiku you're alright?" Neji drag himself up. He saw Yukiku was standing, using her sword as a support.

"Peachy. And I'm half raw, and breathing, which is a good thing. What about you?"

"I'm just half dead. Well done though. You fare better than I did."

"Right. You've seen Naruto?"

"No. I was too transfixed on my own fight. But I saw some brief scenes… it's a tough fight." Neji remembered he saw Naruto in a cross counter with the big guy.

"Yeah. But… I'm not too worried." Yukiku's reasoning is not baseless. Naruto was always the strongest powerhouse of the three of them. He just couldn't imagine someone that strong can actually lose.

"That makes two of us. It's Naruto we're talking about here. The no. 1 most unpredictable ninja in Konoha. What could go wrong?"

Neji's comment was answered when something, or someone, had just been sent flying straight past between them and crashed through several trees before landed on a rock, shattering it to dust. Neji and Yukiku's eyes widened and looked at the person lying half dead on the rock pieces. As the dust cleared, their jaw dropped.

Konoha most Unpredictable Ninja indeed.

Lying unconscious on top of the pile of rocks and dust is Naruto, beaten halfway to hell with the enormous Juuou's feet stepping on his swollen chest. The giant was spotless, barely a few scratch. And he stood there, roaring his victory to the sky.

Naruto Vs. Juuou: Naruto, soundly beaten. Juuou Wins.

**00000000000**

**00000000000 **

**00000000000**


End file.
